Severe Dryness at Guitar Center

[MultiScaleMale]

There is no damage. Fret sprout happens because wood is organic and shrinks / expands due to humidity and temperature. Sure, the tech could "fix" all the instruments hanging in the wall but then that's time that they're not fixing instruments providing a revenue stream. It's better to fix it when the instrument sells and either charge or throw that in as a deal encentive based on the price of the instrument. I wouldn't throw $50 of labor into a starter guitar. And yes, the kid making $8 does influence his give a damn.

 

[ThuzzleFump]

Walking away from a guitar because of fret sprout makes as much sense as leaving your wife because she needs a haircut.......

You did that, too?

 

[therealting]

The instruments are probably made in proper humidity, and frets done at that humidity. If the wood dries after that, it is going to shrink and you are going to get sprout, unless you deliberately cut the frets shorter before pressing. Once it goes dry, that's when you file them down, then humidify.

 

[DavC]

step 1 is not filing ... Step 1 would be getting the moisture back in the neck .. ! i use F-one oil on mine and they are fine in my fairly dry Florida home ... i do run a humidifier when it gets chilly in winter , but never in the Summer when the A/C runs none stop .

GC and/or the manufactures just don't care .. ! they know we can fix them back up again .

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

step 1 is not filing ... Step 1 would be getting the moisture back in the neck .. ! i use F-one oil on mine and they are fine in my fairly dry Florida home ... i do run a humidifier when it gets chilly in winter , but never in the Summer when the A/C runs none stop .

GC and/or the manufactures just don't care .. ! they know we can fix them back up again .

You live in Florida... I don't think there is such a thing as a "fairly dry" anything.

As somebody that lives in an extremely dry climate I can assure you that fret sprout in February is hardly anything to concern yourself over. If anything this is the perfect time to dress it since they will be the most exposed.

GC should have some humidifiers in there, if only for the finished necks, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over.

 

[mellowinman]

You missed my point on acoustic instruments, of course. In the hundreds, if not thousands of years that stringed instruments have been made out of wood, it was only in the last 100 or so that artificial humidification was possible. And yet.....those instruments survive........

These instruments aren't "damaged", they are in need of a simple fret clean up. And honestly, most knowledgeable people know if more a symptom of improperly dried wood by the manufacturer, combined with fretwork that probably should have been dressed with a bit more detail.

Fret sprout is outrageously common with modern instruments, and is more related to the different expansion and contraction of metal vs wood. I can't say I've been in too many MI stores that are running humidifiers for electric instruments. Most, however, will dress the frets at no charge.

I'm not sure what you expected from the clerk, other than some level of placation for your concerns.

I expected the clerk to do exactly what he did. Give a mindless, almost unintelligible answer.

Some of the instruments ARE damaged. Your saying they aren't makes absolutely no difference. The shrinking and expanding of wood can cause damage to the bindings, and the finish. It could contribute to warp. It can cause glue joints to come apart. They can crack. Just because some instruments are NOT damaged doesn't make a tiny bit of difference to the fact that some instruments ARE damaged.

As for your instruments surviving for hundreds or thousands of years, a small MINORITY of instruments that are of that age are still playable and undamaged. The much larger MAJORITY of them were destroyed.

Here's Gibson's official take on this:

The most important consideration is keeping your guitar safe during the summer in very low or high humidity. Low humidity is the biggest enemy of guitars, especially acoustics. If you’re touring, be aware of the relative humidity or RH levels of the regions you’re playing. In the U.S. the Rocky Mountain area, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona all have very low relative humidity year ’round, which, when combined with high heat, can be extremely rough on acoustic guitar tops, side and backs, and all guitar necks, causing a host of problems, but primarily cracking and warping, and, with prolonged dryness, a susceptibility to fractures.

High humidity is especially rough on solid-body guitars. States with high RH ratings in the summer, like Florida, Louisiana and Alabama — as well as, thanks to climate change, locations along the Eastern Seaboard — are the major trouble spots. Small bags of silica gel placed within guitar cases will help. But the best solution is to keep your guitars in a temperature-controlled environment, like an air conditioned home, hotel room or vehicle, as much as possible.
Too much humidity can cause the tops of solid body guitars to swell, creating high action, and can alter an instrument’s tone. If the swelling is allowed to continue unabated, the binding and glue joints can separate from the guitar’s body. Watch for any slight warping on your six-string’s surfaces. If you notice warped spots, get the guitar to a safe environment or, if swelling doesn’t cease, consult a luthier as soon as possible.

I realize you take a lot of pleasure in thinking I'm an idiot, but I most certainly am not. Martin also agrees.

Fret sprout may be common, but it is a symptom of potentially bigger problems. When you have an entire wall full of wooden instruments, and forced air heat, you are asking for trouble. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?????

 

[mellowinman]

You live in Florida... I don't think there is such a thing as a "fairly dry" anything.

As somebody that lives in an extremely dry climate I can assure you that fret sprout in February is hardly anything to concern yourself over. If anything this is the perfect time to dress it since they will be the most exposed.

GC should have some humidifiers in there, if only for the finished necks, but it really isn't worth losing sleep over.

Losing sleep? Why do internet discussions go right for the extremes? No one is losing sleep over this. However, to say "I can assure you that fret sprout in February is hardly anything to concern yourself over," is an assurance that is patently false. Every single guitar that has fret sprout has had a sudden change in the humidity of the wood. That can cause real damage to the instrument, and at the very least, significant cosmetic damage.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Losing sleep? Why do internet discussions go right for the extremes? No one is losing sleep over this. However, to say "I can assure you that fret sprout in February is hardly anything to concern yourself over," is an assurance that is patently false. Every single guitar that has fret sprout has had a sudden change in the humidity of the wood. That can cause real damage to the instrument, and at the very least, significant cosmetic damage.

I was actually going to type "get worked up over," I probably should have went with that.

No, it can only cause cosmetic damage if the neck is finished with clear coat like poly or has binding. I have dealt with fret sprout on all of my basses, it really isn't a big issue and doesn't come up again once addressed (in February.)

 

[bikeplate]

"Considerable shrinkage". George Costanza

 

[mellowinman]

I was actually going to type "get worked up over," I probably should have went with that.

No, it can only cause cosmetic damage if the neck is finished with clear coat like poly or has binding. I have dealt with fret sprout on all of my basses, it really isn't a big issue and doesn't come up again once addressed (in February.)

Many of the instruments I saw had clear coat like poly, and had bindings.

As for your "no" qualifier, you are simply wrong. It can cause severe structural damage to an instrument.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Many of the instruments I saw had clear coat like poly, and had bindings.

As for your "no" qualifier, you are simply wrong. It can cause severe structural damage to an instrument.

Could you please clarify how fret sprout can cause severe structural damage?

 

[guy n. cognito]

I expected the clerk to do exactly what he did. Give a mindless, almost unintelligible answer.

Some of the instruments ARE damaged. Your saying they aren't makes absolutely no difference. The shrinking and expanding of wood can cause damage to the bindings, and the finish. It could contribute to warp. It can cause glue joints to come apart. They can crack. Just because some instruments are NOT damaged doesn't make a tiny bit of difference to the fact that some instruments ARE damaged.

As for your instruments surviving for hundreds or thousands of years, a small MINORITY of instruments that are of that age are still playable and undamaged. The much larger MAJORITY of them were destroyed.

Here's Gibson's official take on this:

The most important consideration is keeping your guitar safe during the summer in very low or high humidity. Low humidity is the biggest enemy of guitars, especially acoustics. If you’re touring, be aware of the relative humidity or RH levels of the regions you’re playing. In the U.S. the Rocky Mountain area, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona all have very low relative humidity year ’round, which, when combined with high heat, can be extremely rough on acoustic guitar tops, side and backs, and all guitar necks, causing a host of problems, but primarily cracking and warping, and, with prolonged dryness, a susceptibility to fractures.

High humidity is especially rough on solid-body guitars. States with high RH ratings in the summer, like Florida, Louisiana and Alabama — as well as, thanks to climate change, locations along the Eastern Seaboard — are the major trouble spots. Small bags of silica gel placed within guitar cases will help. But the best solution is to keep your guitars in a temperature-controlled environment, like an air conditioned home, hotel room or vehicle, as much as possible.
Too much humidity can cause the tops of solid body guitars to swell, creating high action, and can alter an instrument’s tone. If the swelling is allowed to continue unabated, the binding and glue joints can separate from the guitar’s body. Watch for any slight warping on your six-string’s surfaces. If you notice warped spots, get the guitar to a safe environment or, if swelling doesn’t cease, consult a luthier as soon as possible.

I realize you take a lot of pleasure in thinking I'm an idiot, but I most certainly am not. Martin also agrees.

Fret sprout may be common, but it is a symptom of potentially bigger problems. When you have an entire wall full of wooden instruments, and forced air heat, you are asking for trouble. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?????

I understand. I understand that it is nothing more than a symptom of the varying expansion and contraction of different materials. I understand that very few modern instruments are kept in a constant humidity environment, especially those used by gigging musicians. I understand the difference between acoustic and electric instruments, and how they respond to humidity. I understand that Gibson and Martin are talking about extremes, like storing in a car or other unconditioned space. I also understand that, knowing all that, you'll be hard pressed to find modern electric instruments that suffer much more than fret sprout from this issue. I understand that it's not nearly as dramatic as you would make it, and the clerk had a reasonable response to your overblown concern.

I think we're on the same page.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Many of the instruments I saw had clear coat like poly, and had bindings.

As for your "no" qualifier, you are simply wrong. It can cause severe structural damage to an instrument.

Poly is significantly more elastic than you realize.

 

[mellowinman]

Could you please clarify how fret sprout can cause severe structural damage?

I already did, in Gibson's comments above.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Losing sleep? Why do internet discussions go right for the extremes? No one is losing sleep over this. However, to say "I can assure you that fret sprout in February is hardly anything to concern yourself over," is an assurance that is patently false. Every single guitar that has fret sprout has had a sudden change in the humidity of the wood. That can cause real damage to the instrument, and at the very least, significant cosmetic damage.

Extremes? Like assuming fret sprout is "sudden" and linked to "significant damage" despite evidence to the contrary?

 

[guy n. cognito]

I already did, in Gibson's comments above.

Note Gibsons answer involves simply keeping the instrument in conditioned space.......

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

I already did, in Gibson's comments above.

Did you read that post? It discusses low humidity being a major problem for acoustics, which it is for more than fret sprout reasons, but the section on solid body guitars has to do with high humidity. High humidity would swell the board and hide fret sprout.

Fret sprout cannot cause severe structural damage.

 

[mellowinman]

Extremes? Like assuming fret sprout is "sudden" and linked to "significant damage" despite evidence to the contrary?

This is a stupid answer. I didn't say fret sprout is "sudden." I said it is linked to sudden change in humidity, such as the change of seasons in Minnesota, for example. And there is NO evidence to the contrary posted on this thread. Link to it. Show me the "evidence." Be very detailed.

 

[mellowinman]

Did you read that post? It discusses low humidity being a major problem for acoustics, which it is for more than fret sprout reasons, but the section on solid body guitars has to do with high humidity. High humidity would swell the board and hide fret sprout.

Fret sprout cannot cause severe structural damage.

I read the post. I copied and pasted it. It said, and I quote, "Low humidity is the biggest enemy of guitars, especially acoustics. If you’re touring, be aware of the relative humidity or RH levels of the regions you’re playing. In the U.S. the Rocky Mountain area, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona all have very low relative humidity year ’round, which, when combined with high heat, can be extremely rough on acoustic guitar tops, side and backs, and all guitar necks, causing a host of problems, but primarily cracking and warping, and, with prolonged dryness, a susceptibility to fractures."

I bolded the part you think I didn't read or understand. What does "all guitar necks" mean to you? To me, it means "all guitar necks," as in "the necks of all guitars, including solid bodies." I realize that there is not a lot of "structure" to a solid body guitar, however many instruments are not solid body; they are hollow, semi-hollow or chambered. I am not trying to have a nut-and-bolts discussion over minutiae, I am talking in a general sense about whether it is a good idea to keep instruments in a somewhat stable environment, when they cost thousands and thousands of dollars.

You are simply trolling at this point.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Somebody just wants to argue. I'm out.

But I just bought a FretGuru fret file.