Tell me about case humidifiers please.

[Riverside]

Using a pair of digital humidity meters, I see that the relative humidity in my house currently runs between 30% and 40%.

 

If I use a commercially available humidifier (it appears to be a paper filament inside a rubber hose with holes in it...) placed in the accessory compartment in the guitar case, with the digital sensor placed in the same compartment, the humidity can rise to over 70% within a 5 or 6 hour span.

 

Realizing that the humidity in the compartment does not equal the water content of the guitar, how do I figure out what's the right way to do this?

 

I think I don't want big swings, but is it OK to just let the guitar get used to the prevailing conditions and leave it at that?

 

Or is there some way to split the difference using some type of humidifier?

 

Thanks in advance.

[BigKahune]

Here's a bit -

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/62586-over-humidify-with-a-damp-it/page__view__findpost__p__848039

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/26996-proper-humidification/page__p__371674__hl__hygrometers__fromsearch__1#entry371674

 

I watch my hygrometer, but if the guitar has been in the case with a humidifier for a week, I take out the humidifier for a few days. You can tell where your at by the belly swell and how sharp (gaining moisture) or flat (lossing moisture) the strings go.

 

Planet Waves has a case package called the "Humidipak" which keeps RH at 45%. http://www.humidipak.com/

[DanvillRob]

I got a humidifier with my DIF, but I never knew how to use it.....

 

Now I can!

 

When I got the DIF my luthier said it was too dry. I bought it from GC in San Francisco, so it was probably somewhere dry before it cam to SF.

 

Thanks for this post.

[Riverside]

Well, I'm still trying to figure it out.

 

There's about a million ways to get some damp into the case, but no one seems to be able to nail how much is enough.

 

For me, I bought a $24 humidifier, only to find out that a 99 cent store sponge and soap dish will do the same thing - that is, blow some relative humidity into the case without leaking liquid water.

 

What I really want to know is whether leaving the guitar to acclimatize to its surroundings (which are pretty much stable) is the goal, or rather, should I be shooting for a number inside the case.

 

FWIW, even though the relative humidity seems low, I've had zero problems with my electrics. No fret sprout, nothing. I don't have cracks or warpage in furniture, either.

 

I suspect that I might do just as well by doing nothing.

[BigKahune]

Well, 30% is kind of dry, but 40% is okay (but not optimal).

 

If you're not noticing anything going on at the fret ends you're probably okay. BUT, keep a hygrometer around to you can keep track of the RH in the winter.

 

I've got to be more careful - where I'm at, the winter time RH in the house can get into the 20% to 30% range, which is way too dry.

 

Over the course of this year I'm going to either switch over to Humidipak package, or bite the bullet and commit a room to use for winter time guitar haven with a room humidifer - I anticipate resistence from the wife on the later. B)

[vincentw]

planet waves has the latest and greatest products. Gibson was recommending the humidipak to consumers 2 years ago and I have not heard of any changes, so that is definitely recommended.

[Craig910]

I've never fooled around with guitar humidifiers - didn't really understand how they work and didn't want to cause and damage in an attempt to avoid damage. I've never had any issues at all with finish checking or crazing or cracks or whatever kinds of evil occurs with dry guitar wood, but I live in Illinois, which is pretty humid on it's own most of the year (excepting maybe Nov-January, when I run a room humidifier). In fact, the only guitar out of the dozen or so I own that DOES have finish checking/crazing problems is a J-180 that was formerly owned by an Arizone resident. Now THERE's some dry conditions for ya. But, on the flip side, the J-180 has amazing tone. So go figure.

[brians356]

Don't you have an unheated room or closet in your house? The RH will shoot up in a space which does not get heated. If you keep your guitars in such a room, you probably won't need to humidify.

 

Brian