Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Despite having a dozen acoustic guitars, I've never had one crack due to low humidity. And it happened to another one. Two shocks within one week. I've tried to read everything relevant here, and there has been good material. Just wondering if I've missed something.
(Spruce soundboard, solid cypress body, pic of one attached)
To repair, Titebond 501/2 Original Hide Glue To prevent, Boveda Starter Kit Standard L with Size 70 refill packs, 49% humidity
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to QueTal1234)
quote:
ORIGINAL: QueTal1234
Despite having a dozen acoustic guitars, I've never had one crack due to low humidity. And it happened to another one. Big shocks within the past week I've tried to read everything relevant here, and there has been good material. Just wondering if I've missed something.
(Spruce soundboard, solid cypress body, pic of one attached)
To repair, Titebond 501/2 Original Hide Glue To prevent, Boveda Starter Kit Standard L with Size 70 refill packs, 49% humidity
Thanks!
Probably repairing it with Titebond isn’t the best plan. Hide glue better
Posts: 15792
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to QueTal1234)
In case you missed any of my posts, the issue is always about "speed", the speed at which the moisture gets expelled....if it is too quick, then the wood can't flex in time and the crack represents the exact amount of water molecules that suddenly left. If you apply humidity it will swell back up and close those types of cracks, but you should get a pro to glue and cleat then. After that you need to acclimatize your guitars slowly. By that I mean let them dry very very slowly by decreasing the amount of humidity you keep in the case, over several weeks.
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to Ricardo)
Thanks, Ricardo, I'm sure I've missed many things. Maybe I'm fortunate to go so long without this happening. I don't have the many tools needed to do a proper fix with cleating. But there's certainly more to it than gluing.
I won't open any more guitar cases until we get some rain!
_____________________________
"The main secret about singing ain't so much to have other folks listen to as it is to pick up your own spirits." -Woody Guthrie [and playing guitar!]
Posts: 15792
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to Echi)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Echi
You shouldn't need any cleat though. Under the center seam usually there's a strut.
I was thinking the strut would not have allowed the separation at the seam, being stronger there, and cracks open in weaker spots elsewhere as the wood shrinks. Otherwise, if there is no strut the seam is a potential weak spot.
Posts: 15792
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to QueTal1234)
be careful not to over do the humidity treatment, if the fingerboard swells too much it can push the frets out. Easy fix to glue them down again but you would need a fret leveling as well.
RE: Ambushed !! Shocked by humidity ... (in reply to Ricardo)
Good point! I'm not a luthiere. The Boveda packs are 49% humidity. They reccomend two packs, one across strings at soundhole and one at the headstock. I'll go with one pack at the soundhole only.
_____________________________
"The main secret about singing ain't so much to have other folks listen to as it is to pick up your own spirits." -Woody Guthrie [and playing guitar!]