Wintertime humidity controll

[JohnnyRebKy]

Well as we all know, winter is knocking on our doors and the heaters are comming on. I bought my first all wood acoustic ( Martin D28) in june this year. During the hot months of using AC my house kept a steady humidy of 50-55%. So i didnt have to worry much about humidy or dryness damaging my beloved martin :). Now that the heater usage has started, what should i expect? So far i havent noticed much of a change in humidy levels, but i expect to see a decrease soon. Should i start keeping the guitar in the case for winter, and what do i need to do to protect it? Im against having a big humidifier in my living room. What options to i have to keep it humidified in the case?

[JohnnyRebKy]

Sorry made a mistake, the guitar is a d28 not a d2 lol

[TaylorPlayer]

Hey Johnny...

I am not sure what your winters in KY are like, but here in Minnesota my humidity levels will soon drop below 40% in my house. I always keep all of my solid wood acoustics out on stands in my music room untill the humidity levels go below 40%. Most of the major manufactures and luthiers out there will say that humidity between 40% to 60% is safe for your guitar. Let it go above or below for any length of time and your guitar will suffer without some help.

First, if RH drops below 40% (I use a $10 hygrometer from Walmart that has always been very accurate) start to keep your Martin in the case if your not humidifing the room to at least 40%. My house gets into the low 20% range during our long cold dry winters here, you probably will have an eaiser time.

I have 4 solid wood acoustics that I maintain the humidity levels on during winter. It is a weekly job that I don't mind as it keeps my babies in great condition. I always keep 2 home made humidifiers in each case and rewet them about once a week. I use the small Glad plastic containers and ziplock sandwich bags along with some large sponges I cut into strips. Just poke or cut small holes in the plastic top on the Glad containers or snip a few holes into a baggie and put a damp (not wet) sponge in each one. Each one costs next to nothing but they do what is needed. Depending on the case, I keep one at the headstock area and one at the neck heel.

I also use either a Bass/Cello size dampit or a Planet Waves humidifier that sits in the soundhole in each guitar while in the case. I have measured my cases with my hygrometer overnight and using my system it keeps the RH between 40 and 45%. I personally like my acoustics tone best when the RH is close to 40. They seem to sustain better and just have a really sweet tone. Too much humidity and they can get muddy. Too little and you will get cracks that you can see as well as interior braces getting dried out and possibly cracking. In reality, it is a 5-10 minute weekly job that will keep your Martin in great shape. My 1993 Taylor 612C has been getting this treatment since I got it new back then and I have never had to adjust the truss or have any major repairs completed. My 1964 Gibson LG1 I got a few years ago never sounded better after getting properly humidified and my 2005 Gibson Advanced Jumbo will have a long healthy life as long as I keep humidifing them. Hell, I even keep my beater 1969 Framus 12 string which was cracked and broken when I got it, in the case and humidified since I fixed her up.

Here are a few shots of my humidifers. They are a breeze to make if your cheap like me, or go to any guitar store and pick up at least a soundhole humidifier for your Martin. I would assume in Kentucky you might not really need more than that.

[rstaaf]

I know most people, myself included, would prefer to leave the guitar out on a stand but the fact is humidity control is the most effective and consistent with the guitar in its case.

For the dry months I really like Oasis humidifiers.

Oasis offers different models with differing rates of humidification. For me it took some experimenting to find the setup that would work best in my environment. I generally use 2 Oasis humidifiers, one in the headstock area of the case and another in the sound hole of the guitar. I am currently using the Ukelele model as it provides a lower humidity output level which works best for my environment as the climate here is pretty mild.

http://www.oasishumidifiers.com

[javabirds]

Having a hydrometer is important and they are cheap. I keep my stuff hanging in a humidified room. Cheap hydrometer, cheap humidifier. There really is no need for me to upgrade because I find that I can easily keep the room between 40% & 60%. Too many guitars for in-case humidification!!! If I spent a lot of time away from home I would invest in a larger unit that holds more water and is automatic.

[javabirds]

I forgot to mention that since I have been keeping track of room humidity, I have been feeling better personally! The "ideal" humidity range for instruments also happens to be the "ideal" range for humanity...

[TaylorPlayer]

Originally Posted by javabirds

I forgot to mention that since I have been keeping track of room humidity, I have been feeling better personally! The "ideal" humidity range for instruments also happens to be the "ideal" range for humanity...

Tis true! I have always heard that if you are comfortable, you're guitar is comfortable.

I know my skin gets very dry when the RH is below 40%.

[JohnnyRebKy]

Thanks for the info guys! Our winters in ky are up and down. It can hit single digits for a week, then one day feel like spring! I know all about the minnasota winters. Im a truck driver and a frequent visitor to minn and wisconsin. Im thinkin the soundhole humidifier may be best for me. Im gone 4 or 5 days a week in my big rig and id just feel safer if it was in the case

[3 Chord]

As long as the guitar is kept in a case, the humidity shouldn't change that much inside the hard case in just 4-5 days.

But to invest in some sort of humidifier before the heating season is here. Yea, the planet waves humidifier works pretty good.

[davenumber2]

We just replaced our furnace this year and had a whole house humidifier installed for a couple hundred extra. Keeps it between 40-45% when the heat is on and is zero maintenance. Just throwing another option out there.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by javabirds

I forgot to mention that since I have been keeping track of room humidity, I have been feeling better personally! The "ideal" humidity range for instruments also happens to be the "ideal" range for humanity...

Thank you... Thank you...I've been Preachin this for years to Folks that have

Kids and Pets....Everyone will benefit...Including your Guitars.

[PopsCC]

Living on the coast, I don't worry too much about too little humidity. . .

I grew up in central Texas, and always assumed that your skin cracked and lips bled every winter. After a couple of winters in Corpus Christi, I realized that wasn't happening, and that my body really needs and likes the humidity. So yes, if you're comfortable, your guitar probably is too.

[howlin]

I found this post the same day that I pulled out the humidifier.
This is how I currently keep my acoustic humid in winter:



There's a gauge in top of the cupboard that reads around 23C & 45-50% humidity.
Its not even winter yet so I hope those numbers hold...

[ravindave_3600]

My new (to me) house has a humidification system. I don't know how to use it, but I've got the stuff! Kinda like me and my guitars.....

[braderrick]

Hello fellow Kentuckian. I like to keep my guitars in the cases as much as possible with humidification but sometimes we just like to show them off right?

Anyway, I bought my humidifier from lowes and it is a good one for one room. It is an Idylis brand (around $50-$60 maybe) and is one that doesn't require a filter (I have another that takes a filter and it's a hassle). It has a hygrometer that kicks the unit on and off as needed, pretty handy as I just set it to 50% or so and let it go. Mine holds several gallons of water which is also nice as you don't have to refil as often. It is a good idea to get some of the additives that you put in the water to keep the bacteria and stuff from growing and provides a nice fresh smell.

Like the guys posted above it makes a big difference for me as well, I'd like to be able to do my whole house as my skin gets so dry in the winter time from the dry heat and ya just seem to breath better and everything with the right humidity.

[callmemario]

I still haven't really found a way to humidify my Tele while it is in it's preformed/shaped plastic/fiberglass type case. There simply is no room to put a dampit in there or a sponge inside a plastic container. The only place it would rest would be at the top of the body where there is a little space left for the Stratocaster inprint in the foam and maybe a dampit along the neck but it would get squeezed by the foam wich is well fitted.

Any tips other than changing my Fender telecaster hard shell case for a vintage rectangular shaped one?

Thanks! :-)