Do you use a humidifier in all your acoustics?

I have the planet waves type sound hole humidifier in all my acoustics. The Yamaha 12 string and my Gibson jumbo are the two most susceptible to changes, but I do them all regardless.

my Gibson got so dried out last year from keeping it in its case in my studio but without keeping the humidifier going that I had to give it 2 weeks in its case wrapped in a garbage bag with 2 huge wet sponges inside the body (in plastic bags) to bring it back to life.

That experience helps me remember to re-wet the little sponges on all of them every few days.

 

I don't humidify my guitars - I humidify my house. ~50 guitars over 30 years without an issue. I live in the Adirondacks where it can get quite cold and dry in winter. I have had several old and newer Martins that had repaired cracks in them when I bought them, and they never opened up and never developed new cracks. I do keep most of my acoustics in their cases when not on the stand, but there is always at least one on the stand. My electrics don't seem to be an issue.

I do get seasonal changes in my guitars - but nothing dramatic. mostly exposed fret ends (then I sand them off) and perhaps a neck adjustment. I try to not let the house get below 45-50% humidity using a large 5 gallon "whole-house" humidifier. BUT, if you cannot maintain your house within a reasonable range of temp and humidity, definitely do what you can to keep your guitars stable!

 

I have a 27 year old Martin D-1 that has been played so much, and left out/near me 24/7, that I actually never bothered seriously with a humidifier, and I think I've just lucked out with it.

But 2 years ago, I received a very nice Blueridge 000-28 style ( all solid) as 60th Birthday gift, and out of respect for those that got this for me ( and the guitar!),
I now try to keep both acoustics humidified during cold dry weather with the Planet Waves soundhole humidifiers.

It's hard for me to be consistent with this, as when home, I really like an acoustic 2 feet away from my easy chair as I'm always playing. Don't like keeping it in the case!

 

I always use humidifiers in all my acoustic guitars and my mandolin too.

 

I have sound hole humidifiers in all of my acoustics. I check on them occasionally but I'm not religious about it. Everything has held up so far.

 

All of my humidity needs are satisfied by living in central Florida

 

I have a few soundhole humidifiers ready to use, but I also have several high-quality, accurate hygrometers in various parts of my home and my studio, so I can always get a reading on the ambient humidity.

For most of the year, the humidity begins around 60% in the early morning, then drops to around 45% by the evening. Which is pretty much right within the healthy range for solid acoustic guitars. With them stored in their cases when not in use, I don't imagine they swing that much - I think they're stable at around 50% all the time.

If it is winter and the ambient humidity is already quite low, and you leave a guitar out on a stand, be careful: if you rapidly warm your house up (especially with forced air HVAC) the ambient humidity will drop very fast. The only trouble I have had is when I have tried warming up a cold room quickly, while a guitar is out. I severely dried out my Seagull that way. It's the rapid swings which really stress a guitar.

 

Whole house humidifier for me. I leave my guitars out and have had no issues.

 

These things are pretty great if you haven't tried them...they supposedly humidify and dehumidify.

 

I know should, but I don’t.

 

No house humidifier for me, I live in ms, let mine sit out for 50 years, no issues

 

Other than having a humidifier in a room here or there, I didn't do anything to humidify my guitars. Last year, my Guild 12-string split and I had to have it repaired. My other acoustics have been fine for years (knock on wood!), but this Guild was in a bag and not a case so I wonder if that had something to do with it. The repair is fine but I think it's getting a bit of a belly too, and I don't know if it will be the same as it was when new.

We are having a whole-house humidifier installed in a couple of weeks. It's really to keep our noses and skin from drying out, but the guitar was quite a litmus test.

 

I have an older, 74' D-35 and have had it for about 12 years now. I randomly started using one of the soundhole humidifiers below about a year or two ago. I figured it cant hurt and I've probably been lucky with nothing having moved on the guitar prior to then. It gets dry/cold here in the winter and I dont have a whole house humidifier. You just wet the sponge once a week or so and you are set. The key is damp, not dripping. You need to be careful these things are not soaked and leaking into your guitar. Just soak it and squeeze it out until no more water comes out of the sponge. Damp, not dripping!

 

No, but I live in a part of the country where it's basically close to ideal conditions for acoustic guitars most of the year round.

 

I get to fix a lot of guitars that crack because they were not properly humidified. I'm asked to set up a lot of guitars that are improperly humidified - I usually do a very temporary one and tell them to come back when they are stable.










Even a Martin backpacker will crack



Every one of my guitars lives in its case with a sponge/baggie humidifier in the headstock area of the case

 

Yes, pretty danged dry here.

 

Not here in Portland, no. I learned the hard way that you need one in Alaska (the top split on an older Fender my Dad gave me).

Whatever you do - a cheap 'weather station' sitting in the room(s) where you store your guitars will tell you whether you need to do anything.