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Hydration Conversation
Winter is Coming! I am curious how other TAC players are protecting their instruments from low humidity conditions. Are you using Dampit, Oasis, Humidipak, or something I haven’t heard of or tried?
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8 Replies
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I have inexpensive instruments and I live in Florida where we only have a few dry days per year. Don’t do anything special, just check the tuning before each session. Lately it’s been dead on for over a week, so nothing changing.
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Wow Pete, That sounds like a sweet environment for acoustic instruments. I live in Vermont and my woodstove is running 24/7. I’ve had pretty good luck with all of the “Inside the case” systems that I listed above. I’m always willing to try something new.
Keep on playing!
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I live in Utah, and the winters can be very dry, sometimes in the single digits with less than 5% humidity. Quality solid wood instruments will start to crack with sustained exposure to humidity under 35% or so. I have three Martin solid wood guitars that I keep in a humidity controlled “tent”. Very easy to keep constant humidity. Humidipacks in the case can help, but you really need to stay on top of your humidity if it gets too low. I would recommend picking up some hygrometers, calibrate them, and keep one in the case with the instrument, and one in the room.
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Hey Skyman, Thanks for steering me toward the tent. That looks like comprehensive solution. Now I need to find the space to house such a wonder.
I have skied in Utah, marvelous snow much better than our eastern “frozen granular.”
I remember that oranges never got moldy, they just dehydrated.
Hygrometers are a great idea. Thanks again.
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Did you make that or buy it?
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I made it. About $80 in total. The “tent” is just a garment bag made for hanging in a closet. I just built a frame inside to hold the guitars. You could hang the guitars from the neck if one didn’t want to build the frame. I have a “wicking” system where I can control the amount of humidity by the amount of wick I have exposed. Need more humidity, extend the wicks, less humidity, shorten the wick. I only need to fill the water every three months or so. Pretty hands off. I’ve got two of them holding 4 guitars.
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This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Skyman911.
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This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by
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In Germany there are combined thermometer/hygrometer for refrigerators for sale. I placed one of these cheap but surprinsingly good working instruments in almost every room. When humidity changes I put all guitars exept my favourite into their hardshell cases and the cases in the wardrobe. My favourite guitar changes to the room with a better fitting humidity once in a while. The humidity differs in the rooms because of the sunlight oder shadier side side of the room and the possibility to keep the rooms door closed (almost) all the time. If it gets to dry I use a venta humidifier, put all guitars from the wardrobe back on the wallhangers in my homeoffice/guitar romm and my guitars are happy. The venta humidifier is easy to program and very low maintenance. Just change the water once a month and add a liquid. And fill it up in between if needed
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Wie gehts Kristin,
This is a wonderful idea. Only one of my cases has a built in hygrometer so finding out about these little gems will be really helpful. Thanks for adding to the discussion.
Keep on playing.
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