4 months to sort out my Martin D-18: The

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Күн бұрын

#acousticguitar #humidity #MartinD18
D'Addarrio Humiditrak: imp.i114863.net/WD4DbJ
D'Addarrio Humidipack combo: imp.i114863.net/Ea9akW
I'm Jeremy Sheppard, the Guitar Hunter. Find great guitars that make you a better player and fill the world with music and friendship.
0:00 - Intro
0:54 - What's wrong with my D-18E?
1:26 - Humiditrak Set up
2:14 - 4 times humidity will mess up your guitar
3:50 - Setting up the Humiditrak
7:01 - Checking in
7:18 - 2nd check in
8:18 - Reviewing results and data
11:13 - Playing without buzz
11:31 - Results and outro
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Пікірлер: 69

@jamesbateman7131 3 жыл бұрын

I picked up one of these about a month ago for my new reimagined D28. It has been more than helpfully so far.

@texhaines9957 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! It's dry in Montana ALL YEAR LONG! We've had some days in July and June at 7% relative humidity outside. Air conditioning drys it more. OASIS humidifier helps more than the packs to start. Thanks Jeremy

@thomastommy1192 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome video thanks for sharing. What year was that guitar first sold or made?

@jamesjones-rp6cl 6 ай бұрын

Thank you soo much for answering alot of questions I had ! I have a 2018 D18 I bought brand new in 2020 since then I've been dealing with this problem I wish I would have known that I needed a whole entire acoustic room in my house ( like they have in high-end music stores ) unfortunately I live in a studio basement apartment. In the summer it's great but the action is really high and I know that's how Martin's are but it's hard to play so I took a very tiny amount off the saddle it really didn't do all that much , but now this winter the action is so low it buzzes, uuugghh , lol I try keeping it in the case for the winter with the tube humidifier inside it and it helps a little I read that some people get a winter saddle and that is like 1/16 higher so I think I'm gonna try that , I live in Philadelphia and still have a couple months to go before we get warm again . Martin suggests 70 degrees and 45 -55 % humidity I mean where am I supposed to live to create those conditions ??

@billsmith3042 3 жыл бұрын

i've been looking for a few weeks for a used d-18 and have been stunned at the damage i have seen from drying...alot of seperated bindings, cracks, etc. The top of the guitar can rise and sink drastically with varying humidity and this can loosen binding, braces and bridge and result in hairline cracks in the top, sides, or back. I live in florida now where the relative humidity indoors with ac is a perfect 44-48. When I lived in NH I learned the hard way all about stable humidity. I installed a very slim hygrometer INSIDE my taylor 510 (with velcro) and once I did that and used a good soundhole humidifier, the top stabilized nicely. HOWEVER, I recently noticed my D-35 action was low, and realized I had been keeping it in my main room where the AC intakes are....I moved it into my bathroom hallway and within a week the top rose back to normal. The AC was drying it out.

@1olddoggie 3 жыл бұрын

More better? Lol. I have humiditrak and love it! Great video Jeremy!

@pbarru2440 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video Jeremy. I was surprised to hear you prefer your guitars with humidity in +60% range. I am in Denver CO area where dry air is the challenge. In winter I have a whole house humidifier that keeps the room around 40%. My collection is small so all guitars are on stands, ready to play. I use sound hole humidifiers to supplement the ambient air moisture. In summer, the ambient air is typically 40-50% and I am less consistent with the use of sound hole humidifiers. Do you know of a way for me to track the humidity inside the body of a guitar that is on a stand? I would love to figure out what is my favorite humidity. I suspect I will like closer to 40% since my guitars seem to play and stay in tune better in the winter. BTW - I’m having no cracking or repair issues with these guitars.

@a1969rocker2 3 жыл бұрын

I keep one in my 2019 D-18 MD case and it shows me a constant 49% RH in my humidipak’d case. In order to keep 10 ft away, I moved my Taylor’s Humiditrak sensor to sit next to my guitar tree- it now updates how all my guitars are doing all at once.

@frederickthompson8686 3 жыл бұрын

Very cool, Jeremy. I have an HD-28 that's "settled" after twenty-five years, but it would be fun to monitor how humidity might still affect its playing subtleties. (I, too, live in VA where we've had a beastly hot summer...) But I wonder, what's been your experience with electrics? In my experience, they're not nearly as prone to humidity changes, although they're certainly not immune to them.

@brady_pearson 3 жыл бұрын

I tend to keep d’addario humidipacks in both the sound hole and headstock space in my hard case for my Taylor all year long and replace when they get hard. Never used a tracking system and I haven’t had any issues at all. Obviously in the winter they get replaced quicker but other than that I haven’t had any issues with it. It’s a 214CeDlx

@jasper_north 2 жыл бұрын

Jeremy do you like this product still? Will it lower the moisture as well? And if I don’t connect with the device for two weeks will I have those 2 weeks of data still? The device will remember it even when not connected to the app?

@Ravenscaller 3 жыл бұрын

Professional musicians lug their guitars all over the world in every imaginable weather from day to day and hour to hour. If guitars were that sensitive they would never be able to play them. Martin had a reputation for years with very high actions and it does seem that they have gone to much lower action out of the box. I have two of the X series with low action. The DX was buzzy and I got a good deal on it as a result. Resetting the truss rod saved the day. The 000 is very low just like I like it. The humidity in your shop is already right in the perfect range. If the gadget worked then good on it but I don't get it. Yet I still drool over the guitar although a 000 better suits me.

@imannonymous7707 2 жыл бұрын

Ive read your comment a few times and i own 2 000 models myself. Ive owned a few martins actually. I live in canada , when winter comes , and the furnace comes on, the humidity goes south. 45 % is proper level . Damage starts around 35 or above 60 Any lower than 20% your in real trouble. I had a brand new D 16 crack right up the lower bouts top right in the seam up the middle below the bridge. No disrespect but if you think humidity isnt an issue , i donr know where you live or anything. But youve just been lucky. Solid tops crack and check , frets sprout and fretboards shrink, yes martins are durable i agree with you , but it happened to me. Oh by the way martins warranty is awesome but does not cover humidity issues. If you live in cold or damp or dry climate investing in a hygrometer and checking levels daily is well worth the 20 dollars and the effort. I really dont mean any disrespect. But jerrs right , and everytime the humidty changes guitars want to either shrink or expand, and thats why guitars have a truss rod to begin with

@g.j.haycock1064 2 жыл бұрын

I have 7 of these. one in each case. it is SUPER DRY in Utah. We are known for our mountains and snow, but it really is just a desert. I love this product.

@jmdbb 3 жыл бұрын

The SensorPush is like the Humiditrak but with good software. Once I tried them all the other stuff got sold including Humiditrak, Govee, and Oasis.

@MurdaMetz Жыл бұрын

I have a d-18 modern deluxe and was using the humidtrak , but I notice the readings are really inaccurate. And you can calibrate them either . So I’m getting 20% higher humidity readings then what the humidity actually is . Looking for better alternative right now .

@bradysmith5636 Жыл бұрын

I like the soundwhere you picked it

@markrobinson891 3 жыл бұрын

I wonder if a wood case makes a difference. Does the wood in your case absorb humidity?

@connorm1817 Жыл бұрын

Just to be REALLY clear, for those wanting to fix humidity issues. The D'Addario HumidiTRAK is only a tool to observe humidity inside your guitar case. It does not DO anything beyond display information. Now, if you did want to get something that will effect the humidity inside the case/ guitar - what you are looking for is the D'Addario HumidiPAK which is a replaceable humidity system that advertises keeps a 45-50% humidity in the guitar case. I suggest getting both of these products, one to actually address the humidity (Humidipak) and display the information for you (Humiditrak) I feel this was unclear in the start of this video

@joedlafferty Жыл бұрын

Did you put the packages from the kit into the guitar? Not clear from your video, thanks!

@dalesearcy5734 Жыл бұрын

Humidity levels that are good for guitars will vary due to where the guitar will be living. Here in the Utah desert, 40% humidity is actually on the high side. What our Techs tell us here, is that dramatic changes in humidity is very bad for guitars. If the guitar is in it's case and humidity inside the case is say, 60%, when you take the guitar out and play it for a while, the guitar's humidity level will drop, to match the surrounding humidity level. This drastic change is not good for the guitar. So depending on the humidity levels where your guitar lives, you will want to try to keep the guitar's humidity as stable as possible. So in low humidity parts of the World, keep your guitar at lower humidity levels, that are closer to the surroundings. Now if you take a guitar from a high humidity part of the World and move it to a low humidity area, make the transition in humidity a slow one. Perhaps several months of lowering it, before you reach the comfort zone.

@RobertBakerGuitar 3 жыл бұрын

Classic Martin being extra picky. I'm going to snag one of those for my HD28.

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks man. They're persnickety. How do you like you're HD28? Your EVH is insane.

@RobertBakerGuitar 3 жыл бұрын

@@JeremySheppard Thanks man. The HD is amazing. I dropped it down to 12 instead of 13s to tighten up the bass a bit for recording, but other than that it's rad.

@mimeeks3 3 жыл бұрын

Use the humidipacks in them and it’ll maintain all the time without the swings.

@BPToneReview 3 жыл бұрын

Are you down in your basement again? I'm confused.... GREAT VIDEO!! BTW 45% - 55% humidity is recommended by Taylor and Martin both. Huss and Dalton recommends 45% to 65%. So where you started from at 45% was actually acceptable and not dry. I keep a commercial humidifier in my studio/man room and 45% to 50% is the average year around. It just uses a lot more water in the winter. My acoustics are near perfection in playability.

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

This video started in April when I was in the basement. Watch till the end and you'll see it move into the studio.

@kootenaystringworks1765 3 жыл бұрын

So this entire time the actual issue was that the dual action truss rod wasn't engaged in the correct direction to give this guitar relief? That sucks to be stressed out for months over something that most people don't even know about. How did you increase the humidity aside from just tracking it?

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

It definitely was a substantial part of it but not all of it. The guitar was super dry when I got it, it came from an owner with a wood stove. I bet if the guitar stayed there it would have cracked in a year or two. The humiditrak really helped to give me data to figure out what to do next. The double action truss rod was the solution.

@kootenaystringworks1765 3 жыл бұрын

@@JeremySheppard Its nice to have saved that guitar!

@luvbgrass 3 жыл бұрын

@@JeremySheppard How many newer Martins have double action truss rods. I have 4 different model Martins. Not sure if any of them are double action. Thanks EE

@markrobinson891 3 жыл бұрын

P.S. I’ve used the humidipak in dry Utah for years. No problem

@williamcammer9211 3 жыл бұрын

How does a humidity sensor humidify a guitar?

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

I'm controlling the entire environment and using the sensor to track the specific humidification of that guitar. Its very humid in Virginia and I often have to remove rather than add moisture.

@jasper_north 2 жыл бұрын

@@JeremySheppard how do you remove? The packs do?

@Rodrigo-ev7tx 9 ай бұрын

you first said you didn’t have any humidity sensors and the make a comparison with a hygrometer next to you, sketchy

@nickspitzley8539 3 жыл бұрын

He makes me worry way to much about my humidity levels.

@jeremydunning9321 3 жыл бұрын

It seems like martins are kind of high maintenance? Is this true?

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

I think that all high-end guitars have a higher level of maintenance than most people are accustomed to. But yes, Martin's tend to be a little more finicky, in my experience.

@enonknives5449 3 жыл бұрын

@Ryan -- I'm sure that carefully selected, properly seasoned wood makes a huge difference. Gibson has long had a reputation for uneven quality. Maybe Martin is going down the same track. A great design makes no difference if it is poorly implemented.

@davidscobey7737 2 жыл бұрын

The humiditrac did nothing for the humidity level, you have to had other products for humidity control.

@winstonian88 3 ай бұрын

D’Addario discontinued this. What do you wanna bet it was because it proved those humidipaks actually last months if not years.

@richardstones6445 11 ай бұрын

This simply a hygrometer. It only measures relative humidity. It doesn’t add or remove moisture. It can’t save your guitar.

@JeremySheppard 11 ай бұрын

It's true. That was my big realization but paired with other humidity interventions it's helpful.

@richardstones6445 11 ай бұрын

@@JeremySheppard Thanks Jeremy. I was confused about what this thing actually was. I think it would be really helpful. I keep a manual hygrometer in my cases, but I find myself not opening up the cases to check nearly often enough. So being able to see the data on my phone without opening the case would be a big help. Thanks.

@fastm3980 Жыл бұрын

These Humidtraks are crap. Luckily I live in a Los Angeles and humidity is rarely below 30% and above 70% for more than 24hrs. I bought a push sensor much more reliable and battery last a lot longer.

@3cardmonty602 3 жыл бұрын

Guitars are made from a “living substance” - Wood. So, every guitarist needs to realize that a guitar will “move” several times a year. My friend is a guitarist for a band that goes back to the 1960’s and he doesn’t understand the movement of guitar wood. Keeps bringing his Taylor back to me about every 3 months. I’ve lectured him repeatedly about proper humidification and he just ignores me. So, I charge him every time I make an adjustment.

@rickallen6378 3 жыл бұрын

Once the tree is chopped down the wood is no longer living.

@dirkjanklijn9949 2 жыл бұрын

You could have known that it had a dual action trussrod.

@JeremySheppard 2 жыл бұрын

Definitely should have. Haha. Sheesh.

@jambajoby32 3 жыл бұрын

Nope it’s an acoustic and acoustics are best for firewood 🪵

@andylundberg5097 3 жыл бұрын

I think you hit it on the head with out it being engaged it would never go beyond that certain point. Could have been fixed in minutes but I would not have known either I don’t believe of all my guitars and he is dual action and I’m not sure how you would discover that on your own without checking the specs of the year the Guitar was made

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

It's a pretty new thing with Martin's. The guitar probably would have been sorted fairly quickly but it was really fun to see the data stretch out over a few months.

@robmiller3464 2 жыл бұрын

Sir, I enjoy your buying and selling guitars. I enjoy your travels to different music stores and luthiers. That’s great, however this video you did on the D-18 humidity problem was not good. Jeremy you over complicated everything for your beginner players, and probably scared them. I don’t know why you can’t simplify a common condition many players endure. I’ll do a video on the exact same situation and ask you to please watch. Viewers don’t want to invest in expensive products for endorsement purposes, they would rather simply resolve a common problem most guitarists encounter. Sorry, don’t mean to be rude, I was just surprised.

@JeremySheppard 2 жыл бұрын

Send me a video. These aren't expensive and are helpful. Generally it's "buy a few hygrometers for $8 on Amazon and make sure your humidity stays around 50%"

@stephenhayward640 3 жыл бұрын

I fail to see what a passive monitor did to earn your assessment that the improvement couldn’t have happened without it. You didn’t even add humidity control to encourage or limit the changes in humidity! As reviews go, I’d say you lost credibility by posting this unwarranted support for the product. Just saying.

@JeremySheppard 3 жыл бұрын

The environment, both studio and basement were the temperature and humidity I wanted and I ended up tweaking the guitars truss rod. Sorry if you feel frustrated. I maintain a space guitars can do well in, I liked having the humiditrak to give me data on how that guitar was acclimating to the environment at large.

@MOAB-UT 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry but this is really not necessary. You can buy a $5 humidifier vs. paying $70. For $70 just buy a decent room humidifier. They tell you the humidity right on the units. If you need a trend (you really don't) write down values once a week. Better yet, and free, the weather channel will also give you a good idea "in advance" of the weeks humidity so you can be PRO ACTIVE vs. reactive. I have a bunch of old lottery tickers. It's more data but worthless because that time has past. Ultimately you brought it to a luthier anyway so what does that tell you? Also, why not bother to take the 10 seconds to tune your guitar? After all, we spend ~12 minutes watching your video. Especially on a sponsored video and when you are trying to demonstrate before and after. I heard no difference...but you seem to play well. More data is definitely not always more better. These days there is too much silly data like this. Just use common sense when storing your guitar, and get out and play more. The most valuable, expensive guitars were gigged in rain, snow, deserts, on stage and are 30+ years old. As you found out, you simply need to get them adjusted every few years. Also, extra humidity, while good for your guitar might be bad for all your electronics- again, use common sense. Never store guitars high up on a wall (attic or a basement.) Those environments tend to be more extreme. GC puts their expensive guitars way up high so no one can reach to play. I bought one and it needed to be fixed (buzzing.) My luthier said it is a very common issue.