#1
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Best care when dealing with the deadly "H"... Humidity
What acoustic guitar humidity systems do people recommend that takes humidity in and adds humidity when needed so I can just put the system in the case and not worry about a over humidified guitar or cracked guitar. Please include a brief review of the humidity system while you are at it. I have a couple rosewood Dreads all of them Martins all 28 series up to the 45. Also, what guitar picks do people like to use with the dreads?
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#2
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I run a whole house humidifier, and keep a digital hygrometer in each room that has guitars in it. That way I can monitor the environment my guitars are in to my heart's content. And as far as picks, they can be as personal a choice as strings. I like Wegen bluegrass picks, some here are big fans of Blue Chips and others. I went through a few different ones before settling on Wegens.
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"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." -Zig Ziglar Acoustics 2013 Guild F30 Standard 2012 Yamaha LL16 2007 Seagull S12 1991 Yairi DY 50 Electrics Epiphone Les Paul Standard Fender Am. Standard Telecaster Gibson ES-335 Gibson Firebird |
#3
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I think it really depends on your locality - I know that in some parts of the USA and Far East humidity can be damagingly high.
I live in the UK and humidity isn't much of a problem, although I have made some perforated plastic tubes with high density foam with some water dripped into it - I place the tubes in the cases by the neck support. I also use digital hygrometers like the Oasis kind but can be obtained far cheaper from other sources. |
#4
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I use the in case TUPRWRE system with a few added holes and a Phylum Porifera insert. Just add a little water and monitor with a Chinese hand crafted humidistat. (labour is cheaper than technology) The heat is off in Ontario and I am happy report that all guitars are out of their cases and on stands at least to November.
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A couple of Halcyons and a Canadian made Larrivee "Wish I had more time to hear your reasons, but I have to go get a beer." 00-28 |
#5
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I live in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and I just checked Underground Weather for the current weather data for the small town I live in. Humidity is currently 92%. Another location about 10 miles away reports 80%. This is the way it is here for much of the year. In the summer it can be anywhere from 60% to 90-something%, usually in the higher range. Winter is drier, but probably not less than 50% or 60%, except in rare circumstances. I haven't had any humidity problems with my guitars, either in high or low conditions. The worst thing about the humidity here is when it's hot in the summer, it's just uncomfortable to play (my arm sticking to the top - so I use a guitar polishing cloth over the guitar underneath my arm). The temperature right now (May 5, 8am) is 45 degrees, but it's forecast to get up to 61 today. Summer temperatures are in the 75 to 95 degree range. Winter is anywhere from 10 to 60 degrees, but usually average in the 25 to 35 range. But I've never humidified my guitars, and don't have any air conditioning, and I have not had humidity-related problems. Lucky? I don't know, maybe my guitars are just used to it. I've lived here since 1960, and my main guitar I've had since 1965. So the humidity problem is kind of a mystery to me. If I moved to a different climate, I don't think I'd know how to handle it.
Jack
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http://www.youtube.com/user/JCGuitar?feature=mhee |
#6
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I recently started using Planet Waves Humidity pack. Great system. 1 at the headstock one 2 in the body - the guitar in it's case, and close it. Regulates the humidity right where it's supposed to be. Easy and ready to go...
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#7
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In my guitar room, I run a dehumidifier in the spring-summer-fall months and a humidifier in winter. When I take guitars out of the house, I'll keep a perforated ziplock bag with a wet sponge in it, in the case, to keep the humidity up when it needs it.
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#8
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I have two whole house humidifiers (over kill but I have a lot of wood flooring/paneling), one in my great room and one in my home office/studio, both set at 45%.
My Martins never see a case except for gigs, they are always out and I have never had a problem with humidity issues. Personally not a fan of in case humidification, much prefer whole house humidification. Picks - Blue Chips, haven't touched anything else since I started using them a few years back.
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Rich - rmyAddison Rich Macklin Soundclick Website http://www.youtube.com/rmyaddison Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29) |
#9
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And imo this is perfect!! I think once you start getting over 50% then the guitar starts to become dull/muddy sounding. Lower than 40% you will start to get buzz, from lower action, and possible fret end protruding from the fretboard
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Chad Fengel itunes My YouTube "Only by becoming acquainted with your own self, can you gain the composure to write original music" Michael Hedges ♫ |
#10
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I dedicate a closet to my guitars and run a humidifier in the closet. The humidifier only has to service the smaller space which makes adding water more manageable, less frequent.
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#11
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My guitars reside near Nashville, TN., and so do I. Lack of humidity has never been an issue for me as long as I keep the guitars in a room away from the wood stove in the Winter. Our cabin lacks central heat, so the entire house isn't hyper-dry in the Winter, only the area around the stove, which we humidify a bit. Four Winters ago had one guitar (Martin 00015) develop a hairline crack in the upperbout, and the crack disappeared after re-humidifying. I've since never kept a guitar in the wood stove room during the Winter.
In the Summer our humidity levels can reach Burmese levels, and I have had two or three of my less robustly built instruments suffer some wood-swelling damage.-enough damage to prod me into action. My solution was a min-split ductless AC unit in my music room in the half-basement, which reduces humidity levels to guitar(and human) friendly levels. Works like a charm. |
#12
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I reside at 8,880 feet in Western Colorado. Humidity right now in my place is 31% and that is high! It's not uncommon for me to look at my hygrometer and see more like 19%. I've tried running a room humidifier but I don't like breathing all the other crap that gets pumped into the air along with water. So, I use two Dampits in each of my guitars along with homemade sponge/soap dish humidifiers up near the headstock in the case and I am religious about servicing them. The guitar du jour is out on a stand and it will dry out over the course of two or three days. It just has to live the way I live before it goes back in a case with humidification. It's the price I pay for getting to live in the place I live.
I like the closet idea but I live small and don't have a closet I can dedicate to my guitars. I shipped my Gurian JM off to a friend's in North Carolina so I'd have something to play when visiting and I'm always blown away how good it sounds from drinking in all the moisture. Se la vie. |
#13
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I have a humidifier built into the AC/heat system (only needed in the winter).
My heat pump is a variable speed model (Carrier introduced this concept a couple of years ago), and it'll run from 40% to 100% of capacity. So, my 5-ton unit will run from 2 tons to 5 tons. By running at a lower speed, it'll tend to run longer, which is very helpful in reducing humidity (compared to running full-speed for shorer periods of time). I have all my guitars hanging in my "music room", which also has its own mini-split (wall-mounted) heat pump. I have that one set to "dehumidify" in the non-winter months. If I ever need additional humidity in that room, I'll set up my room humidifier . . but I really don't think it'll ever become necessary. |
#14
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I live in west Texas and it gets incredibly dry. This is also what I run. Works well but it's expensive to keep up with each month.
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#15
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Last edited by tomana; 06-29-2013 at 01:12 AM. |
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humidity martin d-28 |
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