humidifiying an acoustic guitar in winter...

[lv]

forced air heat has got my house pretty dry....any tips? do those dampit things work? or should I get a room humidifier?

thanks

[jimmybcool]

Hi,

I am no expert but I am fighting the same issue. I live in Arizona and it is DRY here now. And I bought two xpensive new acoustics last month.

I am using a room humidifier and it does raise the humidity. I am trying for 50% but forget it. Can't keep it there. The heat blows in dry air and then I open the door to go play with my stuff and that lets out the humidity and the humidifier runs out of water sometimes (my bad)

I also use in the case humidifiers. The McPherson came with a case system with a hygrometer and humidifier. I use that. The Martin I use this thing (don't know name) that slides between the strings into the soundhole.

If you have a newer instrument it is more important. I asked the guy at the store why my old Guild which sat in its case in the house for 8 years without humidity control wasn't effected.

1) It is 30 years old and already dry enough.

2) The old D-50 Guilds were built like tanks.

Anyway, long winded but yeah, if you have a new acoustic I would get a humidifier.

[sws1]

I just got a honeywell humidifier ($50 shipped) that I put in bedroom. I've moved all guitars in to the room. Puts out so much steam I was able to get it up to 75% humidity when I first used it. Now I have it dialed back to deliver about 55%. All in a pretty big bedroom.

I'm not cracking the top on any guitars like I did to my Taylor last year.

[retro]

I posted this in another thread but...I use a couple of plastic travel soap dishes with snap top lids from Target. Drilled holes in the lid and cut a sponge to fit inside. I put them inside the case and it works quite well. Room humidifiers are nice.
I had a soundhole humidifier but it dripped inside my guitar once.
If I remember correctly I think it was the guys at the Podium who tipped me on using the travel soap dishes.

[jimmybcool]

Well I got a question.

I bought "cold" humidifiers for my room. Are the steam ones better?

[neve1073]

You need a good case that will provide a seal. Then inside the case compartment you need to put a cigar humidifier.

[AnthonyL]

check out http://www.bryankimsey.com/


Bryan shows you how to make your own and it's very easy

[Gazza]

I'm in Colorado, at this altitude just about as dry as anywhere. I keep my guitar room humidified at 50-60%. I also use the kyser sound hole humidifiers in each guitar.

[Avenger]

I have a whole house humidifier on my heater, but I still like to keep my Taylor in the case with a Dampit for the entire heater season. I think Dampits work just fine. Just squeeze the water out of the sponge and there will be no water drippage. The other suggestions about cigar humidifiers and the soap dish with sponge sound like great suggestions too.

[mrfjones]

I use a dampit right now but the cigar humidifier sounds like a very good idea to me too

[LesPaulMan]

I keep a small humidifier going in my bedroom, and usually have it set to where the humidity is in the low 40% range. Never had a problem at this level with any guitar.
The only time I would REALLY start to worry is if the level ever approached the low 30's (or lower).

[rodr55]

I use a dampit, just make sure to squeeze all the water out and dry the outside. You also want to make sure you don't over humidify. I would get something to measure the Humidty such as the Lacrosse Wireless Temperature and Humidity Station (http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/).

On the Collings guitar site there is some useful information on guitar care and feeding: http://www.collingsguitars.com/carefeeding.htm

[riffmeister]

April Aire whole house humidifier......it mounts on the furnace. Works very well.

[elambo]

Been using the Planet Waves wedges here in Chicago. It's almost impossible to keep the room up in the 40% range, but hopefully, with the wedge, the case itself is fine.

[syxxstring]

I use the little clay deals in the plastic boxes and the planet waves humidity system. Yeilds about 55% for my Breedlove.
The Breedlove care and feeding instructions say not to use the body humidfiers because they over humidify the body.

[Chris Rice]

I have a 20 gallon fishtank with a fairly large opening in the back. With a bubbler going, I lose a little over a gallon of water due to evaporation every week and my bedroom has been at 45-60% all winter. It has been unusually warm, so less heater than normal.

[Ganderson]

Holy Smokes...

I had no idea owning a decent acoustic was so high maintenance. I am gearing up to buy one but is it really necessary to control humidity to this degree? Does this only apply to all solid wood instruments? Will it damage the instrument if you don't control humidity carefully? I am very curious about this.

[sws1]

Will it damage the instrument if you don't control humidity carefully? I am very curious about this.

Yes - My mint condition Taylor 810 which spent the winter in my living room at 20-30% humidity developed a 6 inch crack right through the wood and finish. And by crack I mean I should shove something between the crack into the body. Fortunately it was covered under warranty.

[Ganderson]

Yes - My mint condition Taylor 810 which spent the winter in my living room at 20-30% humidity developed a 6 inch crack right through the wood and finish. And by crack I mean I should shove something between the crack into the body. Fortunately it was covered under warranty.

:eek:

It's been REALLY dry in Texas this winter...

*rethinks getting all solid-wood guitar*

[Den]

I use a cool air room humidifier from Sears that easily keeps the humidity in my home studio above 50% and what I really like is that its almost silent when its running ... I have to get right next to it to tell if its running.

When the Santa Anna winds come through, I find myself filling it more often, but it's become such a habit, I don't even think about it anymore.

One big advantage ... since I got it, I spend a lot less time retuning my guitars and fooling around with seasonal set-up changes.

[AaeCee]

Nobody's asked this yet, so here goes. Assuming you humidify your studio sufficiently to accomodate your guitars, can that level of humidity have any negative effect on your amps? AC

[scottcw]

When using a case or soundhole humidifier, do you use tap water or distilled water? I recall reading somewhere never to use tap water, only distilled. Thanks.

[sws1]

Nobody's asked this yet, so here goes. Assuming you humidify your studio sufficiently to accomodate your guitars, can that level of humidity have any negative effect on your amps? AC

50% humidity is really not that high at all. I wouldn't put the amp right next to the steam source (if you're using steam), but 50% is nothing to worry about. In fact, 90% humidity probably won't do any damage. 100% will, because that means rain.

[stratofied]

When using a case or soundhole humidifier, do you use tap water or distilled water? I recall reading somewhere never to use tap water, only distilled. Thanks.

I think this would depend on the type of water you have. I've used tap water with no problems but the water is good quality and relatively soft. If you have hard water YMMV.

[stephenyi]

I keep my acoustics in the case with damp-its in my bedrom with a Slant Fin room humidifier constantly running at 40-45%.

[retro]

If it's helpful, here are some pic's of a soap box humidifier...
http://www.psquaredstudio.com/humclosed.jpg
http://www.psquaredstudio.com/humopen.jpg
http://www.psquaredstudio.com/Humcase.jpg

[mojoslide]

Retro - thanks for the pics. I'll be making something like that for sure. I just got a new acoustic - a beautiful Martin 000-15 - not a top dollar axe but absolutely awesome sounding and a pristine example of that model. My wife got it for me as a present (anniversary and valentine's day). Anyway, I put a cool air humidifier in there and it's keeping the hummidity between 45-50%, but I'm gonna make one of the case humidifiers like you did.

[Scott M.]

Planet waves is great. Keyser just came out with a soundhole humidifier that covers the whole soundhole. I've heard the dampits can cause water damage, but I think if you squeeze the excess water out, you'll be fine. The prior two models tend to need water less often unless you use the plastic cover with the dampit.

[retro]

Retro - thanks for the pics. I'll be making something like that for sure. I just got a new acoustic - a beautiful Martin 000-15 - not a top dollar axe but absolutely awesome sounding and a pristine example of that model. My wife got it for me as a present (anniversary and valentine's day). Anyway, I put a cool air humidifier in there and it's keeping the hummidity between 45-50%, but I'm gonna make one of the case humidifiers like you did.

What a great wife! I like triple aughts in all varieties myself :D

[hollywood5150]

The main thing to think about here is you do not want it get too damp, or too dry. I bought a small unit for Raido Shack that I can drop in the soundhole and check temp/humidity. Living in Missouri, I have been supprised to find my Taylor and Breedlove stay between 40%-50% just keeping them in the case closed.

[jimmybcool]

I thing storing in the case is also critical in the first couple of years. These are wood innstruments and they are still drying out. Thats why the tone changes with time. How fast they dry is crucial. Too fast and you get cracks and warping. And fret fray. The case contains some of the moisture the guitar is naturally releasing as it drys. If you had a small room with 100 new Martins they might generate enough moisture to stay in the OK range, Who knows.

I leave mine in their cases, with in case humidifiers, AND I run a humidifier in the room as well. According to the case hygrometer in the McPherson humidity is about 42%.

I know I do NOT want to lose a quilted Maple McPherson 5.0 to lack of proper storage. Not gonna happen now that I know.

[Jon C]

if you read the advice from most master luthiers, they'll tell you that 40-50% or so is optimal, and that much past 55-60% is not nec. good.

We have gas fired old style radiators (I love that kind of heat) yet we still get in the high 20s/low30s in humidity without humidification (forced air is the worst IMO). I have a small Honeywell cold humidifier that I use in a spare bedroom that is our "TV Room" and it keeps it at 35%+ (if the door is left open) or easily 40-50% with door closed (it's set to shut off at around 50% to not overhumidify). It runs through a gallon-plus a day.

I've found that as long as you keep it over 35% consistently, and around 40-50% as much as you can, that things should be OK. Less than 35% with heat on is asking for fret sprout, not to mention the more calamitious things that can happen to an acoustic in dry heat.

best,
Jon

[Scott Peterson]

I bought and am using a "Humi-case"; it was a wise purchase and it works great. Keeps the acoustic here at 50% in the case. Good stuff. Found it at GC of all places, $139.

[Hendrix95]

I have a new acoustic on the way. I'm planning to try the homemade damp sponge in a plastic bag humidifier technique. My question is, should I store it inside the guitar's sound hole, just in the case under the neck somewhere, or in the small storage compartment in the case? Also, about how often does it need to be re-moistened?