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Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
Does my guitar need to repair？
Recently I found that my guitar's strings height became higher. I thought that happen because of the weather. But I find that there is something wrong of my guitar's back wood today. The upper part of the back plate is convex, and the lower part is concave. I wonder if my guitar needs a repairment. In addition, When I shake my guitar, there are small crumbs colliding. I used to shake out some crumbs, but then I heard it again.
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
Hi Xuanwei, Your guitar might be dry. If you aren't already doing this, keep the guitar in its case with some form of humidity pac when it's not in use. Also, check your home for dryness and consider running a humidifier during winter. That's the first step, if you're not doing these things already.
Best I can do in winter in my house is 34%, however, because it's an old house and if I try to go higher the moisture just condenses on the windows and lord knows where else and is probably doing more damage than good. But I'm in Canada. I just looked up Hunan and it's not a very dry climate even in winter, so the other thing to watch out for is storing the guitar near a heat source, which also can serve to dry it out.
Any rate, dryness is the first thing I look for when someone brings me a guitar that's been undergoing dimensional shifts and warps and dips...
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to RobF)
WOW, thank you very much RobF. Hunan is cold these days so I need to turn on the air conditioner. I noticed that the humidity in the room was only 30% and I put a Boveda humidifier in my guitar case yesterday. But today I noticed that my guitar's string height rose from 2.8mm to 3.2mm. And the back wood had something wrong as I mentioned before.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
I left my guitar in a guitar case yesterday at 50% humidity overnight, but the problem does not seem to be better. Maybe I need to keep it in that condition for more time?
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
Hi, depending on how dry it is and also the air-tightness of the case (which could also be dry) and the size of the humidity pack it can indeed take some time. It does concern me that you're hearing something rattle (loose brace?) and also that you say you measured a 0.4mm rise in action in the space of a very short time (although I don't know how consistent your measuring technique is).
I would loosen the strings and keep humidifying the guitar, in its case, for at least a week and if it isn't showing any signs of improvement after that then it's probably time to bring it to a tech who can do a proper hands-on examination. I'm still hoping it's humidity and don't want you to be too concerned, but there are a couple of small red flags you mentioned (the rattles and the very quick (overnight) rise in measured action). But patience is required and also make sure you aren't storing the guitar near a heat source (very important). Also, maybe run your hand gently over the back and sides and feel if there are any cracks (I don't think so, but that's one thing a tech's going to look for, for sure) or if the top feels corrugated (possible sign of dryness). Also you can gently tap the back and top in the areas of the braces and listen for clicks, which could indicate a loose or cracked brace. But that's getting way ahead of yourself, do the checks to ease your mind but be gentle and be patient. All will be well (we hope). If you do find a crack or hear a click, don't mess with it or touch it or worry it in any way, you don't want to get things dirty, just bring it to a tech so they can rehumidify and fix it.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to RobF)
Thank you RobF. I will try this method when I go to my hometown Urumqi which is a dry place.
The reason why I don't do this now because I have a performance this Sunday and I need to practice with my dancers and singers. I will loosen the strings and keep humidifying the guitar as long as the performance done. Anyway, thanks for your help.
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
quote:
X
I live near Beijing and the winter is a nightmare for guitars. Once the heating is turned on in November the room humidity drops down very low - maybe %10. I put wet cloths in plastic bags (with a bit of bleach to stop fungus) in the case and this has seemed to work ok. One time I was abroad and someone forgot to add water and one of my best guitars got a crack in the soundboard. You have to be careful.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to gerundino63)
Thank you for your help my friend. You are right. I will keep worrying about my guitar since I found something wrong. I just want to find a way to stop the rising of the string height. Because it rose from 2.8mm to 3.2mm when the winter came. I am afraid that it will be worse in the future. I found that some Blanca guitars had a little bulge above the backplate. If this is normal, I'd take it a lot easier
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
Could the glue joint of the heel block and the soundboard have separated?? But then you would still have the ribs adding reinforcement. Just thinking aloud and to Rob!
Do you have an inspection mirror (small mirror on a stick) that you can stick through the sound hole and look for any cracks?
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to JasonM)
Hi Jason. I don't have the tool you recommend. I think there are something wrong between the heel block and the soundboard because I find there is a protrusion at the place of the heel. I will appreciate it if some experts who have the experience of fixing this problem can help me. In addition, Merry Christmas!
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
Hi, that protrusion/sinking is a classic sign of dryness, so I'm really beginning to think we're on the right track in the diagnosis. But I always have to caution there is no replacement for having an instrument undergo a hands-on inspection by a competent tech. The internet can only get you so far.
It's funny, because I had discussed the protrusion in I think my first reply but then removed it because I realized you hadn't actually posted any pictures of it or really pointed it out. I guess subconsciously I expected it would be like that so I just assumed it was there.
At any rate, any glue separation in that area would be audible under light tapping with a knuckle, so if it sounds solid, it probably is. If the wood is sinking around the foot of the heel, and that's new, it's because the guitar needs humidification. The neck set on a guitar made like this is locked down at the foot, so dimensional changes in that area can affect the neck angle. If the changes are a result of aging and not humidity, it still isn't the end of the world, it just means you would address it at the bridge. Don't freak out, all of this is fixable. :)
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
From the three photos in the first post it’s looks like the heel wasn’t fit well to arc of the back and it’s cranked over the extension of the heel. Having a little concave section between the top back brace and the second back brace sometimes happens and it’s not a big issue. But cranking the back down over the heel isn’t good, especially when the guitar gets dry.
So has anyone recommended a way to get the RH around the guitar to stabilize up around 50% to 60% ? This is a thing in Asia, wet summers and dry winters in the latitudes of Beijing,Tokyo and Seoul.
I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
I am with Stephen. Probably the heel wasn’t originally fit well to arc the back and the luthier likes to use a kind of loose back with little doming to keep a low box freq. The change of humidity in this cases made that effect appear, but I don't think it's a serious problem.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to Echi)
Oh, I see. English is not my mother language, so I didn't understand Stephen' words well. Apologies for my ignorance. So, this condition can be fixed by adjusting the humidity? I will send this guitar to my friend who is a luthier and a guitar fixer. Hope this problem can be solved.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to Manitas de Lata)
I had asked Jesus and he told it is okay. I had loosened the strings and adjusted the humidity. But I find that the guitar case is not very suitable for my guitar. The case is deeper than the thickness of the guitar, so the part around the heel is almost dangling. I think it may be that the wood at the heel is deformed due to the prolonged force.
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to hxwhf72752003)
quote:
ORIGINAL:Manitas de Lata maybe shes normal , contact the builder.
quote:
ORIGINAL: hxwhf72752003 I had asked Jesus and he told it is okay. I had loosened the strings and adjusted the humidity. But I find that the guitar case is not very suitable for my guitar. The case is deeper than the thickness of the guitar, so the part around the heel is almost dangling. I think it may be that the wood at the heel is deformed due to the prolonged force.
It's doubtful the case shape is causing any deformations but the case airtightness might not be sufficient to keep the guitar humidified. Not knowing what you have for a case, but knowing that you've had some high quality instruments, it could be worth it to invest in a case like a Visesnut or a reasonably decent fibreglass case that you keep for general use, regardless of the current guitar.
I think at this point you should show the guitar to a local technician. If it's a seasonal problem that manifests itself by the top/back shifting but isn't bad enough to have had cracks appear and is controllable enough to prevent cracks, then maybe he can make you a winter saddle. The saddle would be shaped the same as the summer saddle but 0.8mm lower. You could swap it every fall. Or maybe, if the guitar's changes are part of settling (not knowing how old the guitar is) the new saddle would be good for now, and come summer re-evaluate for an additional summer saddle or adjust the current one to be slightly lower, as well. In other words, you'll have two saddles, one for winter and one for summer. But really it's time to have it inspected locally. You might be stressed and worried about something that isn't much of a problem. Or not. But you need someone with experience to physically hold the guitar and give it a proper inspection at this point. In my opinion, Manitas could very well be right.
Posts: 193
Joined: Mar. 19 2024
From: Hunan, China
RE: Does my guitar need to repair？ (in reply to RobF)
Thanks, RobF. Your words are always full of patience. My guitar case is Hiscox. I decide to send this guitar to my luthier friend two days later. I will report the condition in the future.
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