My lovely 'cruz and winter humidity levels.

[Doc Wilson]

I've had my wonderful handmade acoustic for a year now, its starting to play in and bloom, and has developed a nice little pre-war belly under the bridge. The top of this thing is like a speaker when you play, it sings. And thats the fastest neck you'll ever play on an acoustic.

http://www.santacruzguitar.com/scgc_catalog_photos/dpw_sm.jpg

After having to take an emergency trip to a luthier early on, I've learned to defeat the ravages of low humidity Iowa winters.

I bought several case humidifiers, a hygrometer, and a room humidifer for my recording space. I'm able to keep my guitars at an RH of 44 pretty reliably, even when levels outside approach the teens.

[Smokey]

Just move to Florida already. :mad:

[daddysguitar]

What ended up being the "magic bullet" for you, Doc?
I remember a great thread on this, and it seemed like keeping the room temperature low while you weren't using the room seemed to be one trick to keeping the room's humidity up a bit.
But, it looks like maybe you went with the whole room humidifier?

[Doc Wilson]

The room humidifier, definitely. Bought it at lowes for about eighty bucks. Its pretty much automatic, it'll keep my room at 44 which is just about perfect. I found if I try to get it to fifty I start getting uncomfortable, it messes with my head.

[booty0bandit]

The "kind" just gets way to sticky over 50%, eh Doc? :D




Don't mind me... I'm just jealous. It's been a while...

[Timezarrow]

Any other strategies anyone uses for humidity and their acoustics?

:confused:

[bbarkow]

Originally posted by Timezarrow
Any other strategies anyone uses for humidity and their acoustics?

:confused:

I just use a Planet Waves humidifier - the kind that hangs between the strings. I also bought a hygrometer from a cigar dealer on ebay ($10.00) and attached it inside the case with velcro. That was when the guitar was new and I was pretty anal about casing it. Now I usually just leave the guitar out on a stand since it lives in the basement family room. Haven't had any problems, and if the guitar does start to dry out I can always case it for a while to get the moisture back up.

[GPLAYER]

I live in Fl, I just open the windows.:D

[M-1 Fan]

Cut an apple in half and throw them in the case.

[Andrewrg]

I just leave a bowl of water on top of a heater and let natural evaporation do the job.Cheaper than a humidifier and just as effective.:)

[daddymack]

Originally posted by Timezarrow
Any other strategies anyone uses for humidity and their acoustics?

:confused:

:confused: how the heck did you dredge this chestnut up?

the real secret...let your cat urinate in the lining of the case periodically...:p

[mdog114]

Take those plastic film containers and drill/puncture some holes in the top.

Take an old sponge and cut a small section that fits in the container.

Soak the sponge and wring it out, put it in the container. Leave in the case.

[dirtyragamuffin]

Originally posted by booty0bandit
The "kind" just gets way to sticky over 50%, eh



Tell me about it :o

[Fron Bolster]

I feel like a paleontologist in this thread.

But, I must add my solution to the humidty problem: living in North Carolina. Not too wet, not too dry. A nice place to not have to deal with humidifiers.

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by mdog114
Take those plastic film containers and drill/puncture some holes in the top.

Take an old sponge and cut a small section that fits in the container.

Soak the sponge and wring it out, put it in the container. Leave in the case.

I once read on the acoustic forum to do the same thing with one of those plastic soapdishes. That way you can use a full-size sponge and you won't have to dampen it as much.

BTW, the general concensus was that the optimal RH range is 40%-60%.