Building for humidity

[Diane Kauffmds]

I'll be doing a build in which the guitar will head to McAllen, TX. It's very muggy 97% of the year. I thought perhaps I would get a realistic average rh for the place where the guitar will be stored and played, then build at this average.

With the propensity for damage due to humidity, I think this would negate a lot of the risk. I build at ~ 47% rh, which I'm positive is significantly lower than the average rh in the air conditioned house in McAllen.

Does that sound reasonable? I have 2 separate areas in the basement. I can raise the rh in one area, without sacrificing my usual shop rh.

[tippie53]

I think your ok
as long as your customer uses some kind of desiccant and a case . I guess if you build say at 55% it may not hurt
jh

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Diane, I have built and sent 3 guitars to India where the humidity is high all the time. The first two I tried to keep the guitar in about 60% humidity while building, which was tough to do. Those two guitars are doing pretty well there, one has been there almost 7 years. I also braced them a little heavier.
The last one I didn't worry about the humidity, and it has been there almost a year, and it is doing okay. The guitar I'm building right now, a cherry OM with a redwood top I'm bracing a little heavy too but not worrying about the humidity. It has been built around 45 to 50% up to this point.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Thanks for your input guys.