Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hey all. I want to bring an acoustic down to my boat this summer and leave it there. I dont want to bring my martin D-35 down there because a) i cant be without it at this point. and b) i dont know what the humidity and heat would do to it being on a boat docked in salt water. So.... does anybody have a recommendation for an acoustic to sit in a boat???

Hey David,
I'd say either pick up an el cheapo you aren't too concerned about and/or invest in a good case. The better cases do a pretty good job with humidity, I believe. I would not keep my main acoustic on a boat under any circumstances... unless you own a very secure yatch.

Get a nylon string guitar, like a Yamaha.

The salt air will corrode your strings in one day, otherwise.

Avoid electronics, too.

How 'bout an Applause/Ovation. The plastic back ones. Those things seem preety indestructibe.

i have an ovation, but I dont think i would ever leave it on the boat...the strings would corrode and wood/fretboard would mess up from the humidity, bring a yamaha or another cheaper guitar

I wouldn't leave any guitar on a boat - the changing temp and humidity between day and night will wreak havoc on the neck. I'd get a decent cheapo and bring it home with me every time.

weirimpressed wrote:i have an ovation, but I dont think i would ever leave it on the boat...the strings would corrode and wood/fretboard would mess up from the humidity, bring a yamaha or another cheaper guitar

I would avoid the Ovation as well. I have one, and it has a crack down the center, which I have had repaired twice. I was told it cracked because the wood expands/contracts, but the fiberglass sides and back do not. So I'd think that keeping it on a boat would only increase the likelihood of this happening.

And as for why I still have the guitar despite the crack, well the guitar is older than I am and I simply love the way it plays. (I'm 27, it's 30!)

I live on the water here in RI... Unless you have a crew on your boat that can check the humidity..don't bring any steel string guitar onto your boat that you do not intend to bring back off the boat.

But if you must, it can be done so long as you can keep the case at >50% humidity. My greater fear is the corrosive nature of salt water.

A great option is a composite acoustic brand guitar. I played one of the cutaways a lil while ago and they are pretty impressive and impervious to the elements.

hth.. joe