Guitar humidification

Petrov

The moustache on my Altamira antique recently fell off. This got me thinking if anything has changed on the guitar or did it just fall off. It looks and plays fine.

Regardless of why it happened it got me looking at humidification for my guitar. I live in Canada where it can get cold and dry.

Anyone have experience with the humidipak system? It will humidify or absorb depending on the situation. But specifically will it fit in the sound hole of my oval hole guitar? Seems like it will be too big.

What do you guys use?

ChrisMartin

These might be worth a look, not expensive either.
http://www.dampits.com/

Pompier

I use the Music Nomad soundhole humidifier. They come in different sizes and the sponge material is very impressive (be sure to watch their Youtube video, or else you may be tempted to squeeze out too much water out of it, as I did at first).

I'm curious what folks here use to measure humidity. I got a cheapo hygrometer at first, but it took me just a few days to realize that it was wildly inaccurate. XIKAR PuroTemp seems more credible, but I haven't done the "salt test" on it.

geese_com

I use the Music Nomad Humitar and a Caliber IV Digital Hygromter by Western Humidor. The combinations works pretty well and keeps the relative humidity at about 55%.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VMB7E0U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=pda0fc-20

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JXOKQVW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=pda0fc-20

I am in Wisconsin so the winters here are pretty cold and dry as well.

Arcticguitar

I am up north of you, in Alaska, and we have low humidity too when it gets cold. I use the oasis humidifiers. One in the sound hole and two in the case. I've used them for years and they work great.
https://www.oasishumidifiers.com/product-category/humidifiers/

Petrov

Thanks for the feedback. I'm leaning towards the nomad. The oasis seems like it would be a issue with my flat case.

Buco

I found dampit to do the best job humidifying. Soak it, lightly squeeze out the excess water and wipe off the drops on the outside. That's the main thing, it does a good job retaining the water otherwise. Re-soak it every few days.
Also like the plastic cover idea to contain the humidity inside the body.

I used to put the one with clay inside the case or a gig bag to humidify the neck but recently I haven't been doing that and didn't notice any difference. The body on the other hand, if I skip only a day during the dry season, the action and set up will change. Dampit for a few days and back to normal.
During winter I always keep the guitar inside the gig bag when not playing.

I used to use hygrometer to monitor but after a few years found it unnecessary. You just need to make sure the guitar is not left dry, put it inside the case/gigbag when not playing. In the summer when humidity is too high I don't leave it out as well and that takes care of it not getting over humidified. Spring and fall are perfect, no need to worry about anything.

Though now I live on the east coast, I took this experience from Chicago, known as cold and dry in winter, hot and humid in summer.

Brad Herman

This brings up a thing I've been thinking about recently... I have a few guitars and right now I keep them on display in my house hanging on the wall. I live in San Francisco where the humidity is typically around 50-75%. Am I doing my guitars a great disservice by keeping them on the wall? I've heard 45-65% humidity is good for a guitar, so my assumption was that leaving them on the wall should be fine.

Bones

Temp is also important so don't store them next to an exterior wall that gets too hot or cold with the outside temp/sun. Best to keep them in the case especially if they are valuable but as long as the humidity is around 50% you should be ok. I keep mine in a case/closet that does not have an wall connected to the outside of the house but I live in an area that CAN get hot and dry although it usually isn't.

juanderer

humidipaks should do fine with an oval hole. they're pretty malleable.

lewischang88

Seattle here. I use Oasis Humidifier. Fits well in the guitar in the guitar case. I like that you can tell it's time to add water (about once a week here).
https://www.oasishumidifiers.com/