Horror stories

[leathermarshmallow]

I live out here in the desert. I have heard stories of how instruments have been ruined by humidity (or lack of humidity). Have you ever had a bad experience? How to avoid BIG problems?

[johnM]

Yes, used to live in the High Desert. The lack of Humidity destroyed my Martin D28, it just sucked all the life out of it and I was too young (stupid) to use a humidifier. Just recently I was talking to a guy who said that he likes his mandolin's dry, he felt they sound better!!!!! What?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif? Not sure but i think he was an idiot.


jm

[Baron Collins-Hill]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/uploads/post-7-49701-brokefidpost.jpg

[Corey]

When I was a teenager I used to set my acoustic guitar against the wall. Well this happened to be right next to the register vent and one winter the back of the guitar literally peeled itself off like a sardine can lid. It literally rolled itself down the back of the guitar and stopped about midway. Of course at the time I just thought it was some fluke of a bad made guitar, now I realize it was the blazing heat continually blowing on it... I was actually "dehumidifying" the guitar. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Stephen Perry]

Had a Weber arrive here with a planet wave humidifier in it. Mold around the humidifier and inside the instrument. I swabbed the inside with chlorox on a swab after cleaning the fuzz out with dry rice shaken around. Hope it worked. Chlorine and brushing and sun for the case. Instrument sounded soggy. No idea what kept it together! Micromeshed a few raised joints in the finish, otherwise no harm.

But that one was close.

[clarksavage]

Quick note if you overhumidify and there is mold - some information (look around the internet) points to clorox (and chlorine bleach) as ineffective against mold spores in the wood. I recall that borates were seen as effective, though I don't know how boric acid reacts with wood. There was a discussion about this over on the UMGF (martin forum) some time back. I'm no expert, but I was alerted to the information and wanted to take note.

Clark

[Bob DeVellis]

Yeah, I've also heard that boric acid is the way to go. I'm not familiar with all the details, though. Chlorine bleach will certainly remove mold/mildew stains but apparently doesn't kill the organism. Seems, strange, given how toxic it is for most organisms, but that's what I've read.

[Gutbucket]

I've never had a mandolin or guitar damaged from dry conditions, but my upright bass had issues. I thought we were in love and there'd be no divorce. But the back of that beast sure wanted to seperate. The whole back section of the lower bout came unglued. It was kind of cool playing that thing and having the back section flapping on the off-beat. Just took some cleaning up of the old glue joints, and a few clamps and she was good as new. She stays in a humidified room with the rest of the toys now.

[Celtic Saguaro]

I was warned long ago about humidity problems, but when I was living in the Midwest we kept the house humidified the winter. #After moving to the desert, all seemed well, but within a year or two the first mandolin I owned cracked in four places all on the top. It's not worth replacing the top on that one, so I have a 30 year old wall hanger with a lot of sentimental value. #By chance, I have traded away the rest of the instruments I owned when I got here. #I now keep a music room where my current instruments are stored. That room is humidified all year round.

[David Newton]

john M,
Don't call the guy an idiot, instruments do sound better if they are dry, just not so dry that they crack. An over humidified instrument tends to sound dead.

[Andrew Lewis]

Here's one thing I've learned: If you think your instrument is pretty dry, be a little more careful than usual with handling it or changing the strings. Just a week ago, I put a crack in the soundboard of my beloved J45 when I was changing the strings. Just the slight pressure of pushing the bridge pin in was enough to crack the dry top.