• From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Topic: guitars and weather

well i just got back from a week in the country, had a lot of fun got to do a lot of playing with my pack of kinfolks, lots of country and gospel and nuthin too hard lol
A lot of this said playing was done outside, which was nice because the weather was comfortable and it was dry not all humid and muggy like down here on the coast.
i noticed when i was playing outiside up there that the tone was better, it sounded better than it does here at home. Is it the humidity that does this, or was it maybe having it out in the open??

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
  • Offline
  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: guitars and weather

maybe because you never had the sound of the string bouncing off four walls?

Outside though ye will not get the same sound as you would in a room/hall etc. to get a good acoustic vibe in the place.
Being outside you are really depending on your guitar sound hole to be very good to give the true acoustic sound from the guitar.

I was playing outdoors and indoors all weekend. TUNING? all the time!!! go indoors the heat affects it, then back out to the cold, affected, retune, then sun comes out and goes out of tune within an hour, then back in, out in out.

My guitar sounds really good outside too thinking obout it. I would say my guitar sounds better outdoors. Hmmmm, maybe just imagining that now or too much whisky?


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending

3 Reply by Zurf (edited by Zurf 2007-09-24 23:42:52)

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: guitars and weather

I expect it has as much or more to do with the listener as it does the instrument.   (and in His Unofficial Majesty's case, the whisky)

- Zurf



edit: I forgot that Scots don't require an "e" in their whiskey.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Upstate NY
  • Registered: 2007-07-17
  • Posts: 40

Re: guitars and weather

Definitely.  What they said. smile

  • From: west TN
  • Registered: 2007-07-27
  • Posts: 48

Re: guitars and weather

Being outside has a big effect on your strings, especially in a humid area.  The last two weeks Ive done outdoor shows and broke three strings.  I hardly ever break strings. It was very humid and damp all night.  Plus my guitar kept getting out of tune.  The moisture is also hard on the electronic equipment.  My foot pedal is all dirty now.  Im sure the insides are geting dirty too.  But I guess thats normal wear and tear of being a musician.  But it is so cool to play outdoors under the stars.  Two weeks ago we was outside and a HUGE shooting star went right over us.  Now that was a cool light show!  lol

Bobby
kickin.ws

bobby6string's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: guitars and weather

Well Bobby6string, you are right. I wrote a topic about a guitar top. Rain, humidity, heat; cold can ruin your expensive guitar, especially the top.
See my topic about what to do if your guitar top is not longer flat.
About acoustic sounds: I have a Martin HD-28, so a dreadnought, and playing on that guitar, you can make a lot of noise, even today I ask myself (compared with a Gibson Humminbird, also a dreadnought, why if we play with 2, one uses the HD-28, the other the Gibson, you have difficulties to hear the Gibson, because the HD-28 blows you away.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website