The Ultimate Humidity Discussion: Everything You Need to Know 

I live in the midwest USA with humid summers and dry winters. I've owned a 1990 Yairi DY-77 for 32 years in this climate and have never had any issues with fret buzz or high action. I have never adjusted the truss rod. The action is still as low, and without buzz as the day I bought it. This is the most stable guitar I've ever owned....no cracks in the finish or wood. I always keep it in the case, and I didn't bother to humidify it until I bought my Taylor and became aware that humidity is such a big deal. The Taylor is a 2009 414 ce Ltd. Tasmanian Blackwood that I bought new, and I need to tweek the truss rod in the early winter and late spring to keep the action low. I also keep a damp sponge in a perforated baggie in the case in the winter. Each guitar has it's own personality, but my Yairi holds a special place in my heart...like an old friend that I've shared many good memories with.

I've put my Alvarez through its paces by playing in rain, snow, sun and everything in between! I got some humidipaks after your Guitar Care video and it's been going strong for 2 years now :D Love the video 😍

I've found that the best thing you can do for your guitars are to keep them in a hard case. I also keep a humidifier in each case. There are other things you can do but a hard case is, in my opinion, the most important for humidity control. Another great video and very informative.

I could listen to these three all day long! Super grateful for Alvarez TV ! Cheers

Another hugely informative and enjoyable video!

After watching almost all of these videos, I just bought my first Alvarez, MF60OM, and I love it (bought DEC 2022). That OM is louder than my Martin HD28! Those 50 year old mahogany’s are very tempting! Very informative and ingenious way to sell product. Keep the shows coming. Thank you.

Best discussion I have seen to do with humidity. My guitars are kept in my garage studio and we live in a high humidity and often damp climate. As I don't have cases for all my guitars I notice the tops are rising and the action gets high. I have fitted a bridge doctor to one guitar which has helped flatten the top.

Great jam, great information 👍, Thanks ❤️ 😊.

Thanks guys. Today is new guitar day. Alvarez Cedar/Acacia Grand Auditorium. I appreciate your information.

I love my Yairi’s a 1986 Dy75 with a normal bridge n a 2003 DYM 95C aura . Their woods when K Yairi insisted that is was at least 4 years air dried before they became a guitar.

Very good information. 8 live in Florida so we have plenty of humidity here.

Great discussion!! Everything you said rings true to my experience. I have one higher end all solid acoustic and three with solid tops, layered back and sides. I store all mine in hard cases with Humidipaks. Living through long Michigan winters it makes all the difference in the world!! While I will leave one of my solid top/layered back and sides out during the work day so I can take practice breaks, I always put them in their cases at night! Another thing that helps is that I keep them in a closet which tends to have a pretty healthy level of humidity and temperature throughout the year. I have a D'addario humiditrack in the closet which tracks the humidity and temps of the room. I love the app because you can see an hour by hour breakdown (as well as longer timeframes) . The humidipaks are absolutely an essential for maintaining the health of my instruments and well worth the investment. I purchase the 12:packs so I can replace anytime it is needed.

The best explanation of a guitar reacts to humidity I’ve ever heard. Thanks!

Very good 👍.

My AG60CEAR is supposed to be arriving today and I’m so excited to be getting my first new guitar in 3 years, after my retirement in 2020 I sold all my guitar. Really excited about getting back to playing.

Good to see the head of a guitar company who obviously loves guitars. Too many companies are run by bean counters. Not saying “ beans”aren’t important, but the product has to be a priority too.

I so want that MDR70SB!

Just unboxed my Alvarez ag60ceshb. I let it sit for 24hrs, as per Sweetwater instructions. The guitar came from Indiana to Irwin Pa. A little town 20 miles outside of Pgh. So I let the guitar sit so it could acclimatize to my environment. When I tuned it up and played it I couldn't believe the overall balance of sound that it projects! I have a bunch of laminated mahogany b&s guitars and they don't sound like this. I have a couple of solid mahogany b&s guitars and they don't sound like this! Un friggin believable! I think yinz guys are onto something with the 3 ply method.The bass sounds boomy without sounding muddy. The mids have a nice bright timbre and the clear crisp highs makes this a tonally balanced instrument. The intonation and action are killer as well. It's only going to sound better with age. This is my third Alvarez and I can't wait until I buy my fourth. Thanks for building them right. You made a believer out of me!👍👍😎😎😎😎😎

Which year did you start torrefying the solid tops in all lines? Do backs and sides of all-solids go through the same process - or only in certain lines?

Could you recap how the guitar will sound like if it is too wet or too dry? Wet equals muddy or sponge or damp sound. What is a dry sound? Also one thing I wonder about is if my guitar is sharp when I try to tune it is the guitar a little dry? If it is flat does that mean it is a little moist. Serious question! This has always made me wonder. Appreciate the answers! Cheers!

Thank you

Storing in a proper case is important as most people know. Why is it then that most Alvarez and other manufacturers are only offering Gig Bags with their guitars, including many costing up to $1800 USD?

I live in New Zealand and the humidity is always high so the challenge is to reduce the humidity. All my cases have coconut charcoal pouches and humidity meters and the strange thing is how the humidity changes constantly inside a closed case. Any ideas why this should vary given the enclosed environment

Do you guys find that the humidpaks work adequately at lowering RH in humid environments? Living in a subtropical environment my main issue is too much moisture...

I’ve found 40% RH makes my acoustic guitars sing and sound their best. 65% RH my action gets too high and the guitars sound watered down and don’t reverberate as much. You basically have to be a weatherman to make sure your guitars are getting the best environment for RH they can get

I live in Arizona, where humidity is always low. Usually around 25-30%. In summer it can be 11-20%. I keep my guitars in a spare bedroom with a constant humidifier running, that keeps the humidity between 40-50%. When gone for a week , all guitars go in their cases along with humidity packs. So far, no issues, but I have seen MANY cracked guitars here. If I leave a guitar in my living room for 8 hours I sometimes see a difference in the action. Sometimes not. While traveling in the southwest, changing elevations, temperatures, and humidity over a two week period can really create havoc with a guitar. I’ve done it! One never sounded “right” again. Thank you for an excellent video. Cheers.

Humidipacs are dangerous! When they leak, the fluid destroys the finish or case. Had this happen to a vintage!

...rhythm too loud can't hear lead😄

I want to start off buy saying I love Alvarez guitars, the only two acoustics I have are a ad60ce and a masterworks 60. Great guitars. I’m usually always interested in the title of your videos. They are informative. But they are just boring. Monotone, no energy . Usually about less than a quarter of the way through it I search for the same topic somewhere else. Upbeat host, someone who talks louder than the other guy? Something?! I can’t be the only one who thinks this. Surely not based on the number of comments. Cmon Alvarez, you could have a great channel, let’s get with the times. Nobody wants to watch unenergetic monotone people whisper about a guitar. When it looks like someone’s job, it’s not entertaining.