Quick luthiery/manteinance questions not deserving a thread

[Soya]

I'm the first guy that's been in the hole so since it did what I wanted, I'm gonna let it settle and give another go tomorrow

You dirty dog

 

[col]

Most likely it's just a spot of hardened glue cracking that got into the truss channel during glue-up, not the wood.

 

[crushingpetal]

I have some minor fret sprout I need to take care of on a bass: is it still "best practices" or whatever to wait until Winter-ish time when the humidity is lower? I guess the thinking is it will be at its worst then, so take care of it at its worth? (If you say "yes" this helps my current procrastination.)

 

[Rubbishplayer]

I have some minor fret sprout I need to take care of on a bass: is it still "best practices" or whatever to wait until Winter-ish time when the humidity is lower? I guess the thinking is it will be at its worst then, so take care of it at its worth? (If you say "yes" this helps my current procrastination.)

To be serious for a mo, FWIW, I don't think it matters that much, as it is really speculative as to how your particular piece of wood will react. But happy to be proved wrong and learn something new.

 

[tedtan]

It should be at its worst in winter, so I would wait until then. Otherwise, you may end up doing it twice.

 

[crushingpetal]

It should be at its worst in winter, so I would wait until then. Otherwise, you may end up doing it twice.

Thanks.

And this is what I want to hear to I can be lazy.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

It should be at its worst in winter, so I would wait until then. Otherwise, you may end up doing it twice.

Actually worst seasonal humidity depends on where you live. Humidity in Florida is worst in summer, not winter. And in Arizona, there isn't a worst time. Plus if you have A/C and/or central heating and your guitars stsy indoors, rather than out in the shed in the back yard, it doesn't matter much at all, unless you put your guitar right next to an A/C vent.

Indeed, overzealous use of room humidifiers can cause more problems than seasonal conditions.

I suggest that if you're really worried about this, you get a cheap hygrometer from Amazon and measure your humidity. So long as humidity is somewhere between 40-50%, then it's optimal: anything over 80% or under 20% for a prolonged period of time may cause problems, but if you are really worried, keep your guitars in their case with a two-way humidification system in the accessory compartment. These ingeneous little packs will keep the contents of a closed container at a specific humidity, absorbing excess humidity or releasing humidity as needed. They were first used for keeping cigars at optimum humidity, but you can get ones specially designed for guitars.

But living in London, where the outdoor humidity can routinely get to 80%, I've NEVER needed them for guitars, even for my acoustics.

 

[Alberto7]

Here in Canada it does get super, duper dry in winter if you aren't careful. It is one of my main routine worries during winter. Low humidity is definitely the time to file sharp fret ends as the wood shrinks a little. I did it last winter to my Cordoba classical and it feels great now. I should do it to my strandberg also, but the problem isn't that bad on it yet.

I try to keep humidity between 40 and 45, but on colder days condensation freezes on window frames and blocks any drainage outside, so condensarion water starts to leak indoors and ruining wooden window and sills, at which point I have to lower humidity to 35 -40 while I melt frozen condensation. Coldest of days I have to be between 30 and 35, but that's maybe only 4 or 5 days in the year. My guitars aren't super happy with 30-35, but they survive just fine. I just check that necks are straight and re-tune. Below 30 I start to worry.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

Here in Canada it does get super, duper dry in winter if you aren't careful. It is one of my main routine worries during winter. Low humidity is definitely the time to file sharp fret ends as the wood shrinks a little. I did it last winter to my Cordoba classical and it feels great now. I should do it to my strandberg also, but the problem isn't that bad on it yet.

I try to keep humidity between 40 and 45, but on colder days condensation freezes on window frames and blocks any drainage outside, so condensarion water starts to leak indoors and ruining wooden window and sills, at which point I have to lower humidity to 35 -40 while I melt frozen condensation. Coldest of days I have to be between 30 and 35, but that's maybe only 4 or 5 days in the year. My guitars aren't super happy with 30-35, but they survive just fine. I just check that necks are straight and re-tune. Below 30 I start to worry.

Agreed, and of course your mileage may vary, depending on where you live. Real cold can strip the humidity out of the air.

In this case I can defintely recommend those humidifying gadgets that use the reverse osmosis technology that Boveda uses for cigars, such as the D'addario humidifiers (I think even Boveda have moved into this market): if they can keep my Cubans happy, I'm sure they'll help keep your guitars pristine.

But don't bother with the old-fashioned ones which are no more than a sponge in a tube that you need to manually wet: they're more trouble than they're worth.

 

[tedtan]

Actually worst seasonal humidity depends on where you live. Humidity in Florida is worst in summer, not winter. And in Arizona, there isn't a worst time. Plus if you have A/C and/or central heating and your guitars stsy indoors, rather than out in the shed in the back yard, it doesn't matter much at all, unless you put your guitar right next to an A/C vent.

Indeed, overzealous use of room humidifiers can cause more problems than seasonal conditions.

I suggest that if you're really worried about this, you get a cheap hygrometer from Amazon and measure your humidity. So long as humidity is somewhere between 40-50%, then it's optimal: anything over 80% or under 20% for a prolonged period of time may cause problems, but if you are really worried, keep your guitars in their case with a two-way humidification system in the accessory compartment. These ingeneous little packs will keep the contents of a closed container at a specific humidity, absorbing excess humidity or releasing humidity as needed. They were first used for keeping cigars at optimum humidity, but you can get ones specially designed for guitars.

But living in London, where the outdoor humidity can routinely get to 80%, I've NEVER needed them for guitars, even for my acoustics.

@crushinpetal is dealing with fret sprout, which is a situation wherein the metal fretwire sticks out beyond the fretboard. This occurs when the humidity is low causing the fretboard to shrink across the grain, leaving the frets proud of the wood.

Part of the issue is that the percentage of humidity in the air is relative to the temperature of the air, with warm air capable of holding more moisture than colder air. But it gets worse for most of us living in North America where we tend to have central heating rather than radiant heating. This means that the cold air with relatively low moisture content is then conditioned and heated, which further reduces the relative humidity; it’s not unusual for relative humidity levels drop into the mid-twenty percent range or below when central heat is in use.

This is why it is generally best to address fret sprout in the winter. Yes, there are some exceptions, such as those living in desert climates, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule, not the rule itself.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

@crushinpetal is dealing with fret sprout, which is a situation wherein the metal fretwire sticks out beyond the fretboard. This occurs when the humidity is low causing the fretboard to shrink across the grain, leaving the frets proud of the wood.

Part of the issue is that the percentage of humidity in the air is relative to the temperature of the air, with warm air capable of holding more moisture than colder air. But it gets worse for most of us living in North America where we tend to have central heating rather than radiant heating. This means that the cold air with relatively low moisture content is then conditioned and heated, which further reduces the relative humidity; it’s not unusual for relative humidity levels drop into the mid-twenty percent range or below when central heat is in use.

This is why it is generally best to address fret sprout in the winter. Yes, there are some exceptions, such as those living in desert climates, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule, not the rule itself.

As a luthier, I know what fret sprout is, so thanks, but the explanation was completely unnecessary sir.

I was merely observing that humidity in "winter" is different in different parts of the world, so that he should focus on the actual humidity, rather than the season. For example, it can often be more humid in Winter in So-Cal than in summer, when the Santa Anas come off the desert and dry your eyeballs out. Thus I'd be inclined to argue early Summer would be the best time to treat fret sprout in So-Cal for that reason.

Equally, his central air may be causing the fret sprout, in which case he should treat it now, then fix his lack of humidity.

I hope that makes sense?

 

[tedtan]

As a luthier, I know what fret sprout is, so thanks, but the explanation was completely unnecessary sir.

I was merely observing that humidity in "winter" is different in different parts of the world, so that he should focus on the actual humidity, rather than the season. For example, it can often be more humid in Winter in So-Cal than in summer, when the Santa Anas come off the desert and dry your eyeballs out. Thus I'd be inclined to argue early Summer would be the best time to treat fret sprout in So-Cal for that reason.

Equally, his central air may be causing the fret sprout, in which case he should treat it now, then fix his lack of humidity.

I hope that makes sense?

It was more of a refocusing on the fret sprout issue than the humidity issue. Otherwise I’d have to think about the heat and humidity in Florida, which is pretty similar to that here in south east Texas (Houston), and that’s no fun this time of year.

 

[Wiltonauer]

Maybe someone can help with this one: I seem to do more than my fair share of spasmoid shit like this, but I opened the case on my c. 2015 EVH Striped and noticed that I had two sets of strings locks for the trem nut. One set was installed on the nut, and the other set was in a ziplock bag in the compartment. How I managed this must remain a mystery, lost to antiquity.

They are clearly two different sets of pads and bolts. I’m pretty sure one set is the factory EVH Floyd Rose and the other is from a Floyd Rose Original that I bought new sometime in the late ‘00s. I don’t think I can assume the set on the guitar is the EVH set.

What do you think?

 

[c7spheres]

@tedtan and @Rubbishplayer

- Living in Arizona it's extremely dry and the air conditiner is always going. I find most guitars I had at some point need the sprout lightly worked on once or twice and then never really needed it again other than a burr on one here and there. I use that Gerlitz Guitar Honey stuff and it seems to keep everything good, so that might have to do with it.

@crushingpetal
Yes, If you play the bass and it don't bother you then why do it? If you want it better for any reason, then do it now, and if it comes back do it again. chances are after that it won't come back.
- Maybe just hold it in your hand, lightly rubbing the edges with your finger tip and see what happens, and what feelings it invokes. lol. jk,.

 

[tedtan]

Maybe someone can help with this one: I seem to do more than my fair share of spasmoid shit like this, but I opened the case on my c. 2015 EVH Striped and noticed that I had two sets of strings locks for the trem nut. One set was installed on the nut, and the other set was in a ziplock bag in the compartment. How I managed this must remain a mystery, lost to antiquity.

They are clearly two different sets of pads and bolts. I’m pretty sure one set is the factory EVH Floyd Rose and the other is from a Floyd Rose Original that I bought new sometime in the late ‘00s. I don’t think I can assume the set on the guitar is the EVH set.

What do you think?

View attachment 148811

View attachment 148812

The top set looks like it’s newer and the bottom set looks like it’s from an old OFR.

 

[Wiltonauer]

The top set looks like it’s newer and the bottom set looks like it’s from an old OFR.

Does the top set look more like an OFR or a 1000? And how old an OFR does the bottom set look like?

 

[will_shred]

I'm working on a strandberg bodin 8 for a customer, and I am having an awful time getting the high E string to ring out clearly. Its buzzing against the zero fret. First it looked like the nut needed to be a little deeper, so I cut the nut a little deeper and i'm still getting buzz. Upon further inspection, it looks like the way the locking mechanism lines up with the zero fret in JUST the wrong way so that it buzzes. Any tips?

 

[will_shred]

I'm working on a strandberg bodin 8 for a customer, and I am having an awful time getting the high E string to ring out clearly. Its buzzing against the zero fret. First it looked like the nut needed to be a little deeper, so I cut the nut a little deeper and i'm still getting buzz. Upon further inspection, it looks like the way the locking mechanism lines up with the zero fret in JUST the wrong way so that it buzzes. Any tips?

Dab of super glue on the zero fret

 

[tedtan]

Does the top set look more like an OFR or a 1000? And how old an OFR does the bottom set look like?

The top set has some signs of being a lower priced import trem: the sharp “peaks” on top of the string lock pads, the rough cast look, the damage to the underside of the pads caused by locking the strings down, the groove/knurling in the locking pad screws. I would guess it’s not a Floyd/Schaler/Gotoh branded trem (or a OEM by one of these makers) but rather a Chinese or Indonesian knock off.

The lower set looks like it’s from an OFR, but it’s hard to guess the age. The underside of the string pad is not flat, which is correct for an OFR as are the smooth sides of the string pad screws. But I have OFRs from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s that all look pretty much the same, so your guess is as good as mine as to it’s age.