Humidipaks

[Randmo]

I've had my J-15 for about a month, I bought a humidipak with the guitar. The guitar sleeps in its case with the humidipak every night. The other day I got a hygrometer for the case and it read 26% and the month old humidipak is beginning to harden so I put a dampit in the sound hole with the humidipak and the humidity went up to 36% and the humidipak is softer. I'm thinking a humidipak will not work very well in Phoenix, at least not by itself. Any thoughts?

[duluthdan]

I live in the semi-atid mountains of Colorado, 3 humidipaks for each guitar and a room humidifier, my guitars are routinely at 30%+, as is the room. I get about a month and then have to re-charge. The drop in sponge things go bone dry in 3 or 4 days. I think they ought to work in Phoneix, just might not last too much longer than 6 weeks or so.

[Pittgibson45]

I don't like humidipaks because they aren't reusable, so they are expensive. They are the easiest system on the market, but there are a lot of other choices that aren't difficult to use and other than the water they are reuseable. Dampit is good but I like the Oasis brand ones. The water turns to a gel so it can't leak out like a Dampit. They make one that just goes in the case and one that you can put in the soundhole. Make sure to use distilled water in them though. I only need them in the winter and the same jug of distilled water has lasted me 3 years. The sales people will try to push the Humidipaks because they know you will be back for refills. They try to sell you on the ease of use of them but none of them are hard to use.

[6stringTom]

I've been using damp sponge in baggies for quite a while, including over a year in the desert. They work fine and are very inexpensive. With our single digit humidity you have to check them regularly, but that's true of any system. I use tap water, which for us has gone through a water softener. I haven't had to replace a sponge yet, but if I do, they are about $2 for a four pack. You can put the baggies in the sound hole or in case, or both.

 

Recently Jeff at AcousticVibes in Tempe gave me a Music Nomad Humitar, with a new guitar. (Great store, by the way). They cost $15, I think. May be a little more convenient than sponge-in-baggie.

[Randmo]

Dampit is good but I like the Oasis brand ones. The water turns to a gel so it can't leak out like a Dampit. They make one that just goes in the case and one that you can put in the soundhole. Make sure to use distilled water in them though. I only need them in the winter and the same jug of distilled water has lasted me 3 years.

 

I think I'm going to try the Oasis, probably safer than the sponge and cheaper (long term) than Humidipak

[Pittgibson45]

Give them a try and see how they work for you. They aren't a huge investment. I have tried just about all of them out there and like these the best.

[Dave F]

Give them a try and see how they work for you. They aren't a huge investment. I have tried just about all of them out there and like these the best.

 

Same here. What like about them is that they're supposed to work either way to control the humidity.