Why talk about humidity?
Hygrometry is the percentage of humidity present in the air or in materials.
A musical instrument reacts strongly to ambient humidity. Starting from this postulate, it is therefore essential to dwell on this point.

We will see in this article, that any instrument, whether it is a piano, a wooden flute or a guitar, will obviously react to humidity and temperature variations.

A story of wood

Consider the wood like a sponge, with a high humidity, the wood will swell, deform, the bonding joints can then give way and the sound will be altered as well as its playability.
With a low humidity percentage, the reverse will happen, the wood will retract revealing cracks and the playability will be poor.

From time immemorial, luthiers have been looking for well-seasoned woods, for their stability and therefore their sound quality.
You should know that freshly felled wood contains more than 50% humidity, 20% firewood, 5% violin wood.
Beware of too entry-level instruments with which the woods may lack stability.

This 5% is enough to prevent possible damage within a reasonable range.
When the humidity in your home is between 40 and 60% humidity, the risks to your instruments are minimal. Some adjustments will sometimes be necessary on these differences, but the condition of your instrument will be preserved.

How to see when the instrument is bad?

Too low humidity results in:

• Cracks, crackles on the wood, buzzing sounds, parasitic noises. The wood retracts strongly.

Too high humidity results in:

• Detachment of the structural parts of the instrument, difficulty in playing, cracks. The moisture-laden wood swells.

How to maintain good humidity?

It is strongly recommended to have a hygrometer that displays the humidity level.
The new digital sensors and readers record variations over a day or over the month. This allows you to see how much your rate has fallen or increased over a day, week or month.

We will see what devices are used to best regulate this humidity and thus preserve your musical instruments.

Too low humidity:

• Water receptacles, plants in the room.
• A humidifier covering the entire room (Oskar- Stadler)
• On-instrument systems (MusicNomad MN306 Premium Humidity Care, Dampp Chaser)

Too high humidity:

• A dehumidifier covering the entire room
• Sachets of Silica Gel
• On-instrument systems (Boveda System, Dampp Chaser)

A healthy humidity, you will understand, will therefore protect you from many problems. We have in store the devices and products necessary to take care of your instrument. You can call us for more information on 021 811 28 28 or buy a humidifier directly on our website if you do not want to travel.
Excellent music everyone!

Jerome
Luthier guitars at Boullard Musique