Heat & Humidity; How concerned should I be?

[wmthor]

I had been out of town all week and started to play some last night after dinner. The first thing I noticed is that the Strat was considerably out of tune as it was sharp. Then I noticed that the 660/12, Tele, and J-45 were also sharp. It seemed like all four which had been hanging on the wall all week were tuned 3/4s of a step or higher.

The high temps all week had been in the mid 90s with the humidity in 80% to 90% range. However, the thermostat in the house had been set at a constant 75 degrees. Should I be concerned?

My other guitars (360, 360/12 CW, 1997, a Strat, & a Seagull) have been in their cases in the closet for the better part of a month or so. I guess I need to check them out. My 730S is okay as it had been with me on the road trip.

[Ric-O-Buc]

I would re-tune them and not worry. My Fenders are so solid, they could take a heavy fall and not go out of tune.

[jdogric12]

I did not realize you had moved to Florida!

If you expect the weather to stay like that for a few months, retune.

If it's just a fluke for a day or so, don't mess with them too much.

Every six months I wake up to a house full of guitars a quarter step out of tune. Such is life on the gulf coast, well south of the panhandle.

[8mileshigher]

Every six months I wake up to a house full of guitars a quarter step out of tune. Such is life on the gulf coast, well south of the panhandle.

Every time we get a change in the L.A. coastal weather pattern ... that is, an off-shore flow vrs. an on-shore flow or regular windy conditions or if we get those dry winds coming from the desert (Santa Ana Winds) it impacts my guitars.

Driving to rehearse or to jam with folks and having the guitars in the car with the A/C on and then getting out into warmer conditions and going into another A/C location -- all these climatic changes, no matter if for an hour or a more extended time, impact the guitars and they can either all be "sharp" or all be "flat" depending upon those triggering events.

[scott_s]

Drink plenty of water, rest when you get tired, and you should be fine.

- Scott

[melibreits]

My guitars all go a bit sharp in the summertime....I assume it's because of the extra humidity. I just have to retune them before I play them.

[ram]

I live on the east coast and do the neck set up 2 to 4 times a year on my basses depending on need....

[JakeK]

All my guitars are sharp. All the roundwound strings on my guitars are rusty.

Yep, this seems like it's going to be hotter than last year!

[wmthor]

I did not realize you had moved to Florida!

JDog, it's just as hot and humid in Houston as it is in Florida. BTW, since retuning, they pretty much haven't changed.