I have noticed in several guitar related threads that American and British 'Catters seem to be unaware of each others climatic conditions, so here goes with an attempt to explain.

When I lived in Britain, I used to be puzzled frequently by references in American publications such as "Fine Woodworking" also "Acoustic Guitar" to the fact that wood "shrinks in winter and expands in summer". This was in direct contrast to the British experience, where doors start to jam in winter because that is when it gets wet in Britain.

When I emigrated to the States I soon found out what they meant. In Massachusetts (and all down the Eastern seaboard) for instance, the humidity in summer is intense, and moisture absorption by the guitar will cause the top to rise and the action to become stiff.

In winter conversely the air dries out to such an extent that the instrument's top will shrink, and the action will start buzzing. The top can even develop cracks (happened to me).

That is why all American guitars carry warnings about monitoring humidity levels. In Britain this problem just does not exist, it is a totally different climate. We do not have a humidity problem.

I am no meteorologist and do not know why conditions should be so different in the two countries. It puzzles me that Florida can be so humid in summer when San Juan in Puerto Rico, which is also surrounded by water, has nothing like the same humidity.

Murray