Maintaining Proper Humidity Levels for Acoustic Instruments

An acoustic instrument’s humidity level is dependant upon the humidity in its environment. The acoustic instrument expands and contracts as it takes in and gives off humidity from the air. This creates changes in its shape and size, which causes stress to its materials and construction, and potential damage.

Maintaining Proper Humidity Levels for Acoustic Instrument Can Prevent Damage

What Can Excess Dryness Do To My Acoustic Instrument?
When an acoustic instrument contracts, parts of it are stressed by tension. This causes cracks and separated seams and joints. If the acoustic instrument expands, this can also cause the joint separation.

What Can Excess Humidity Do To My Acoustic Instrument?
Excess moisture can cause bowing of your acoustic instrument and irreparable changes in shape. Excess moisture also changes the weight and therefore the sound of acoustic instruments. When the moisture level in an acoustic instrument is high, its materials are more easily bent. Heat and moisture were likely used to manipulate its materials during its manufacture.

It is vitally important to maintain proper humidity for your acoustic instrument. A guitar top, for example, will change in width about 1/8 inch with a 20% change in humidity. At minimum, this will cause changes in sound, but may also result in irreparable damage.

Ideally, your humidity level should be constant. To protect your instrument, there should absolutely never be a variation greater than 15- 20%.

Our highly accurate Habitat Monitor ® humidification systems can maintain your humidity level within a range of only 2%. The Habitat Monitor ® is a highly precise hygrometer which maintains its accuracy over time and can protect your acoustic instruments even when you are not around for long periods.

Contact us and we’ll help design a humidity control system to protect your acoustic instrument.