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  #16  
Old 01-19-2011, 10:05 AM
gordee gordee is offline
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I use a Sears room humidifier that holds about 3 gallons of water. Set at medium it's very easy to keep the room at between 45-50%.
I used to use various types of in-case or in-guitar humidifiers but I don't like that approach unless the guitars are really dry for some reason. I always keep them in the case when not being played.
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  #17  
Old 01-19-2011, 02:23 PM
Toolman1 Toolman1 is offline
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A few years ago I use to make cigar humidors as a hobby using exotic hardwoods, kept some, sold some. It takes months to fabricate a precision and eye popping humidor and not only do the stogies need care so does the humidor.

I use the simple Oasis in the sound hole and a cigar style humidifier in the case. I've read of people using damp sponges but I should caution against using tap water as it can and will creat bacteria and mold. I'm suggesting using DI water as it is mineral free and will not allow mold spores to grow. Typically I fill my Oasis and the other humidifier with cigar humidifier activation solution and keep it charged with DI water. Humidifier solution lasts three times longer than DI water as it contains a small percentage of glycol. Display cases are great and a good way to show off your stuff and easy to keep regulated. I wish I had a room were I could display and humidify but I don't like to dust. Last weekend a buddy pulled a guitar off his wall and it had spider webs in the tuners.

My wife works in a Microbilogy lab and I learn a lot about this stuff from her. She gets lab equipment shipped with the moisture pack crystals and brings them home so I can change out the absorbant crystals any time I feel the need. In a pinch you could use the moisture crystals that are found in garden centers but they are a bit larger.

What one could do is get a plastic box or small glass jar from sporting good stores or fishing supplies and drill small holes in the lid. I program my CNC machine in a circular hole pattern so the lid at least looks nice. Put about 1/4" of crystals in the container bottom and fill with DI water. Let the crystals absorb to the saturation point and place it in the guitar case and since the water is completely consumed, there will be no leakage in the case while transporting.
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  #18  
Old 01-19-2011, 02:27 PM
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Brent Hutto Brent Hutto is offline
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I do worry about mold but after 2+ years of keeping damp sponges in my guitar cases I've never found any. And my sniffer is very sensitive to anything that has even a trace of mold (to which I'm allergic).

The first winter I used distilled water and discarded the sponges at the end of the winter even though they looked clean.

The second winter I used distilled for a while then switched to tap water. At the end of the winter I stored them away, dry, and used them again this year. So far after several months not a hint of mold.

So it's definitely something to watch for but I've never seen it happen. FWIW, the sponges I use are synthetic and not natural sponge.

P.S. No way I'm putting a glass jar or plastic container in my instrument case. It could do more damage is two seconds if it gets loose than low humidity could do in a whole winter.
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  #19  
Old 01-19-2011, 02:33 PM
shawlie shawlie is offline
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When it's dry, I get my plastic bag with a sponge and holes in it and put it in the sound hole. I hang it from a garbage tie around the D string or G string or so, and it kind of dangles a bit inside. The holes are not at the bottom, so it does not drip. I also have a small sponge in plastic near the headstock.

Also we will put a couple of liters of water on top of our gas heater sometimes. Drying out sheets works better, actually - we live in a small place and a sheet from the washing mashine (or even a couple of sweatshirts) will get the humidty going from 35 to 65 or higher in a half hour or so. It's actually just a bit damp here all the time - 65 feels pretty bad in the winter, to tell the truth.
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  #20  
Old 01-19-2011, 02:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent Hutto View Post
I do worry about mold but after 2+ years of keeping damp sponges in my guitar cases I've never found any. And my sniffer is very sensitive to anything that has even a trace of mold (to which I'm allergic).
Hi Brent…
Yes - have the same experience with using sponge type devices.

I've been using Kyser lifeguard for about a dozen years without every having one get moldy.

We dry out too quickly here to develop mold.

And sponge/ziplocks are easy to change sponges in 2 seconds to new ones. I usually end up giving a sponge/zip humidifier away every few weeks and then going home and making a new one.


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  #21  
Old 01-19-2011, 03:11 PM
JackD JackD is offline
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Originally Posted by doublescale1 View Post
hang an Oasis humidifier between the 4th & 3rd strings - then check to see if it needs a re-fill every 5 to 7 days. best one I've seen or used in a long time - under 20 bucks. I have one in my Gibson Advanced Jumbo and Taylor 710 - also get one of those Radio Shack (or any other vendor of your choice) digital hygrometer's - those are not a lot either, and you can track what the humidity is in your case - I used velcro, stapled the hook stuff to the outside of the wall of what is the interior storage pocket in the area that holds the body of the guitar - then used the adhesive to stick the fuzzy part on the back of the hygrometer. It is held firmly in place regardless of which way the case is sitting. Michigan winters keeps the furnace running a lot - in spite of having a "whole house" humidifier on the furnace, the basement still gets really dry. had the Oasis for two winters now and no issues at all.
I second that! The Oasis works great. Much better than others that work with a sponge.
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  #22  
Old 01-20-2011, 08:35 AM
gordee gordee is offline
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I was reading this thread again and remembered the "hi-tech" case humidifiers we used to use. I'd take an apple and poke a few holes in it with a fork. You'd just leave it in the case until it was dried out. Added moisture and a nice, fruity aroma.
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  #23  
Old 01-20-2011, 10:56 AM
Thrillhouse Thrillhouse is offline
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Is this common among most guitar players or is it something that is seen mostly with high end owners? Reason I ask is because I've been playing guitar for over a decade and have many guitar playing friends and I've never heard anyone talk about this other than online. I've kept acoustics hanging on the wall, on floor stands, and (currently) in cases in my closet and never had an issue with any of them. I'm not doubting that there is good reason for keeping the humidity at a certain level but just don't personally have any experience with it and wonder if this is something I need to worry about in the future.
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  #24  
Old 01-20-2011, 11:33 AM
TwoMartinMan TwoMartinMan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thrillhouse View Post
Is this common among most guitar players or is it something that is seen mostly with high end owners? Reason I ask is because I've been playing guitar for over a decade and have many guitar playing friends and I've never heard anyone talk about this other than online. I've kept acoustics hanging on the wall, on floor stands, and (currently) in cases in my closet and never had an issue with any of them. I'm not doubting that there is good reason for keeping the humidity at a certain level but just don't personally have any experience with it and wonder if this is something I need to worry about in the future.
Where do you live? What's the weather conditions like there year round? If you live in an area with little varience in humidity levels it may not be a serious issue for you.
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  #25  
Old 01-20-2011, 12:01 PM
rodmeister rodmeister is offline
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For those of us using sponges to humidify and worry about mold: a sponge mold killing tip. Put the wetted sponge into a microwave for 2 minutes periodically. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0423120145.htm
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  #26  
Old 01-20-2011, 02:33 PM
coldshot coldshot is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thrillhouse View Post
Is this common among most guitar players or is it something that is seen mostly with high end owners? Reason I ask is because I've been playing guitar for over a decade and have many guitar playing friends and I've never heard anyone talk about this other than online. I've kept acoustics hanging on the wall, on floor stands, and (currently) in cases in my closet and never had an issue with any of them. I'm not doubting that there is good reason for keeping the humidity at a certain level but just don't personally have any experience with it and wonder if this is something I need to worry about in the future.
Most of the guitars i set up, the owners say something like this.
" I've never done anything about humidity and always leave my guitars out on stands, why is now that the action is really high".

In oz on the coast especially, we have pretty high humidity with the exception of winter.

Wood soaks up the moister in the air just like it dries out when there is very little moister in the air.

I tell most of the guys i repair guitar for, to buy a hygrometer and see what the humidity level is where they keep their guitars.

If it's somewhere between 40 and 60 % they don't have too much to worry about.
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