I’ve been doing this for about a year and wish I had done it a long long time ago. I have a guitar log for each one of my guitars. It’s nothing fancy, just a sheet of lined paper that I write things down such as maintenance items. It started out as a temporary thing to track the humidity of the instruments to make sure I was keeping them at the proper level during the winter, and it has expanded to include some other useful information such as temperature, string changes (brand, gauge, type), and other inspection notes and changes (changed pins/saddle to bone, lowered saddle to change action, etc.). It’s like an automobile maintenance log.

I don’t spend a lot of time on it, and record just the “high points”. It helps me to decide when to change strings and how often I need to refill the case humidifiers (some cases seem to seal better than others, and don’t need to be checked as often, or possibly add another humidifier to the leaky ones).

It isn’t an obsessive thing that I do every time I practice, although I suppose recording how much time a person plays could be useful. It is quite possible that I will stop doing it as I get accustom to the new additions. But, as I get a bit older, it’s too much of a hassle trying to remember all that stuff and much easier to pull a sheet of paper out of a drawer to see what’s been happening. Although, now I have to remember where I put the darn sheets of paper! Thought about putting it on the computer, but that just adds another layer of complication. Maybe a spiral notebook is on the horizon.

Now that's dedication and not a silly idea at all. I might start up a spreadsheet.

I should add that each one of my guitar cases contains a digital hygrometer (with temperature) that saves the highest and lowest readings until reset, and at least one humidifier (Planet Waves sound hole type). In Wisconsin, when the temperature drops below zero (Fahrenheit), it's difficult to keep humidity in the house in the 45%-47% sweet spot. In-case humidifying is a must for me.

Hey this is right up my alley, Im a HVAC guy. There are systems you can install in your home that will keep a proper amount of humidity in your home based on outdoor tempertaure. April Aire Auto Trac System monitors outdoor temp. and indoor relative humidity and keeps the entire home where it should be. Having a guitar in Wisconsin means that in the zero and below range your home should be at about 28% to 30% humidity, if you remove a guitar from a 45% hum. atmosphere you will do more damage than good with the sudden change. The goal is to keep a relativley constant humidity level without having large swings. Its like going from a 72 degree home walking out in 10 below temperature in your pajamas. OUCH !!! Most folks in Wisconsin would not do that unless someone was stealing your beer !! Any Questions let me know, 22 years of experience in the HVAC industry and teaching classes Im sure I can help on this subject.


Mark (Wisconsin)