Tag Archives: dampit

Stringed instruments are made of wood, a material that expands when it absorbs moisture, and contracts when it dries. To further complicate matters, the two different types of wood used in building instruments—soft spruce for the top and harder maple for the back and sides—expand and contract at different rates. At the extreme, these changes can cause extensive damage requiring expensive repairs and sometimes irrepairable. They can also cause the edges or seams to open, a much easier and less expensive repair. Continue reading →