Florida weather can be rough on acoustic guitars. Moisture, heat, air conditioning and seasonal swings can change action, tone, tuning stability and the way the top moves. Before cutting a saddle or forcing an adjustment, it helps to understand what the instrument is reacting to.
Why humidity matters to acoustic guitars
Acoustic guitars are built from thin pieces of wood held together under string tension. The top, back, sides, braces, bridge, neck and fingerboard all respond to the environment around them. When the air is humid, wood can absorb moisture and expand. When the air is dry, wood can lose moisture and shrink.
That movement is normal, but too much movement can create real playing problems. In Southwest Florida, the outside air can be humid for much of the year, while indoor air conditioning can create a much drier environment. A guitar may go from a humid car or porch into a cool room, then back out again. That back-and-forth is where many setup issues begin.
Common signs of too much humidity
When an acoustic guitar takes on moisture, the top can swell. Since the bridge is glued to the top, that swelling can raise the bridge slightly and make the strings sit higher above the frets. Players usually notice this as higher action, a stiffer feel, or a guitar that suddenly seems harder to play.
- Higher action than normal
- A swollen or raised top
- A bridge area that appears to belly upward
- A tone that feels dull, heavy or less responsive
- Buzzing that appears and disappears with weather changes
- Tuning instability
Florida can still dry out a guitar
It sounds backwards, but guitars can still dry out in Florida. Air conditioning, dehumidifiers, closed rooms, long storage periods and travel can all pull moisture out of the wood. The outdoor humidity does not always tell you what the guitar is actually experiencing in its case, studio, bedroom or shop.
Before you adjust the guitar
Do not force the truss rod. Do not shave the saddle just because the action feels high. Do not assume every buzz is a fret problem. A proper inspection should look at the full setup and the structure of the instrument.
BadMonkey Music is preparing to bring professional guitar and bass repair services to Southwest Florida, including Port Charlotte, North Port, Englewood, Punta Gorda, Venice and nearby communities.