Silica Gel Unit Pack and Humidifiers

[Kenny821]

Should I remove the silica gel "Unit Pack" from the compartment of my G&G tolex case or leave it in there ? I always assumed it helped control moisture levels inside the case. But I've read elsewhere that once the guitar is in your home you should remove the Unit Pack from the compartment and throw it away . Also, is it a good idea to use a humidifier in the case ? I've seen the little ones you pre-soak with water and place in the case, but was always dumbfounded where to store it.... if the humidifier was kept in the compartment, would it control humidity throughout the entire case or just in the compartment itself ? I don't have humidifiers in any of my cases at the moment and was wondering...

[Tooslowhand]

The silca gel pack if for shipping only. It will remove some moisture, but it will not maintain a specific humidity level and once it is saturated with moisture it has no further value. Throw it away. The humidifiers that you fill with water will only add moisture to the air in the case, not maintain a specific humidity level. Unless you live in an area with really dramatic humidity levels, high or low, or the humidity rapidly changes, it is my opinion that humidity control is not a major need for electric guitars, but it certainly won't hurt to maintain a humidity level around 50%. Acoustic guitars are another matter. They have a lot of exposed wood and are more affected by changes in humidity. I use the D'Addario two way humidity control system in all of my acoustic guitar cases. As always, just my opinion, your situation may be different.

[FZTNT]

Is that the recommended humidity level for an electric guitar? 50% seems a bit low but quite manageable in a normally air-conditioned home. I live in the D.C. area and without using the AC this time of year the humidity in my house is at 43. Not sure how accurate that is, it's from one of those indoor/outdoor Weather Channel stations that also shows inside humidity.

I have four humidors that I keep my cigars in and those have humidification systems that keep the humidity at 70% year round as long as I put the special juice in them. This juice I believe, is Ethylene Glycol and water. Mixed with some gel in the container it gives off moisture into the air when it goes below 70% and absorbs moisture if it goes above 70%. I wonder if these things would be good to keep in the case or is that too much humidity. If I pull the guitar out and stay inside it may well be a 20% difference which is probably significant. If I take it out to a gig, indoor or out, I would say it's likely closer to the humidity levels involved.

What are other's thoughts please?

Tom

[Tooslowhand]

Most of what I have read suggests 50% RH is about right for acoustic guitars, but I am just a player so one should confirm with expert advice. I lived in VA for a while and it is nightmarish from a humidity standpoint. I had all of my guitars in a specific room and ran multiple humidifiers all Winter and a dehumidifier in the Summer, with a humidity monitor on the wall. After a while I just left and moved back to California

[Kenny821]

Experts have recommended that your guitar should remain in an environment with a humidity of 40-50% as your guitar will perform better if kept at this humidity level. If the humidity level is too high, this can cause your guitar to swell as it takes on more water from the atmosphere, and if it is too low, can often result in cracks appearing in the wood as the air is dry. In addition, high or low temperatures can have a negative effect on the guitar, with low temperatures causing frets to shrink and high temperatures warping the wood or melting the glue that keeps your guitar together – not ideal! The perfect temperature for your guitars are anywhere in the range of 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 – 24 degrees Celsius and anywhere above or below these temperatures should be avoided for any sustained period of time....The room in which my guitars are kept is cold in the Winter ( 67 F or below ) and usually hot in the Summer ( sometimes 80 F or above ). This is why I asked about the silica packs and humidifiers being used in the case.

[FZTNT]

Experts have recommended that your guitar should remain in an environment with a humidity of 40-50% as your guitar will perform better if kept at this humidity level. If the humidity level is too high, this can cause your guitar to swell as it takes on more water from the atmosphere, and if it is too low, can often result in cracks appearing in the wood as the air is dry. In addition, high or low temperatures can have a negative effect on the guitar, with low temperatures causing frets to shrink and high temperatures warping the wood or melting the glue that keeps your guitar together – not ideal! The perfect temperature for your guitars are anywhere in the range of 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 – 24 degrees Celsius and anywhere above or below these temperatures should be avoided for any sustained period of time....The room in which my guitars are kept is cold in the Winter ( 67 F or below ) and usually hot in the Summer ( sometimes 80 F or above ). This is why I asked about the silica packs and humidifiers being used in the case.

It would seem to me that keeping a guitar at 40-50% humidity and just taking them outside (perhaps for a gig) would result in somewhat catastrophic results. Right now, just a quick sample of where I tend to go most of the time and any time of year reveals this.

VA - Currently 81%
NYC - Currently 95%
Orlando - Currently 44%
Dallas - Currently 63%
Knoxville - Currently 63%

So even though the temperatures in these areas vary widely the humidity levels are not what one would surmise given the time of year and geography. One must also realize that the correct term is relative humidity in that it is measured relative to the temperature. Bottom line is: On paper it would seem as if you would all but destroy your guitar by merely stepping outside in some places. However, I have never really experienced this. I think that string tension, truss rod tension and great craftsmanship prevent the guitar from falling to pieces every time it is moved from one place to another.

So, is all this humidification and de-humidification really needed. Mostly, in a persons home, the humidity does not change quickly or drastically at any given time of year so much of the concern seems unwarranted.

Just my .02c

Tom

ps...I do still keep some of this silica gel packs in my guitar cases...

[Kenny821]

I realize different outside areas have different relative humidities. I'm mainly concerned of maintaining specific humidity levels in the room my guitars are stored in for an extended period of time because it is also the room I practice in. Taking an instrument from one climate to another usually requires allowing the instrument case to adjust to the temperature and humidity levels of that particular climate before removing the instrument from the case. I ended up purchasing a new hygrometer temperature/humidity monitor for the room. I just wasn't sure if I should leave the silica gel pack in the case or replace it with a case humidifier.

[FZTNT]

But what is the ideal humidity level?

Tom

[Kenny821]

But what is the ideal humidity level?

Tom

Humidity = 40 - 50%
Temperature = 70 - 75 F ( 21 - 24 C )

At the time I answered this, my guitar room was 68 F / 50% ( rain here today with outdoor temp at 66 F )
Taking a guitar into an environment with lower or higher temp/humidity, I would let the case adjust to the new conditions for about 20 minutes before opening the case and removing the guitar.