how to control temp/humidity?

[Shadowfox]

Looks like Amazon Indonesia has some: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OMG0KI...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[slianto]

Originally Posted by Nayoud

You can use any desiccant, you can buy them from hardware stores, you also find them in electronic equipment as small pouches.

I'm sure you have them in Indonesia, they can be sold as pellets. You put some in a cloth pouch, they change color when they are full of water. You then put them in an oven for a few minutes to dehumidify.

I had this problem in some of the places I went. this what I used

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVZE86A?psc=1

Originally Posted by N+1

I've written at length about my solution to the problem of high humidity here:

A simple home-made in-case dehumidifier

It was arrived at after a lot of experimentation. It works well, it requires minimal maintenance, and I doubt there are many solutions that are cheaper.

N+1 awesome works!

Originally Posted by Nayoud

Excellent work N+1

To the OP
Yup that's it. I just used the pellets instead, it works great BTW. Just use a hygrometer to tell you the rh inside you don't want it to go below the limit.

Originally Posted by Psfam

I live in a more temperate climate, with 70-90 degree summers but fairly humid, although not as high as yours. Without running the AC I find it nearly impossible to keep case humidity low enough. By the end of the summer, they are creeping into the high 50s despite my best efforts. That isn't dangerous to the guitar, but I am glad when fall comes. I have resorted to running the AC which is the best solution.

Humidipaks and silica gel will help but in that environment year round I am not sure it will work too well. You will certainly need to replace them often.

How about carbon fiber? Then you don't need to fret about it, and they really do sound great. A wet wooden guitar won't sound as good.

Originally Posted by LSemmens

I lived in Darwin for 26 years and all I ever did with my Maton was keep it in its case with a big bag of desiccant which I used to place in a warm oven from time to time, to dry it out. Depending upon your instrument, this may be all you need, I also used to keep a smaller bag inside the guitar, too.

thanks all for the usefull info,
I guess desiccant can be used well for lower the humidity level.
as for temp, is AC... no other way I guess..

[kydave]

how to control temp/humidity?

The method I used was to move to Coastal Northern California.

Works like a charm! The guitars live happily on stands year round.

[Earl49]

There is nothing dangerous about 88-104*F as long as it isn't in direct sun for prolonged periods. (I sure would not be comfortable though). The glues won't soften until well above that range. I would focus on dehumidifying, which is easy enough using desiccant packs or pellets in the case. The desiccant can be periodically dried in an oven. Short term exposure to higher humidity while playing will not hurt it either.

Many guitars don't sound their best when waterlogged - we hear the phrase "stuffed full of socks" used a lot. It might be best if you chose a guitar built in a similar tropical region. If built under humid conditions, it will remain happiest when humid. Or consider carbon fiber, which removes all concern about humidity either high or low. Just stay out of the sun with a black CF guitar - ouch!

[N+1]

Originally Posted by Psfam

Humidipaks and silica gel will help but in that environment year round I am not sure it will work too well. You will certainly need to replace them often.

Actually I'm very pleasantly surprised how well the system works, just with two 10g packs per guitar. I can maintain the relative humidity in the cases comfortably under 50% with not much trouble at all. Humidity in the room varies, mostly 60-70% at present. At the moment I'm changing the 10g packs about once every 10-14 days. I have a few bundles of them, so I always have dry replacements ready: then about once a month I have a session in the oven to resuscitate all the wet ones. If a particular case seems to be creeping consistently over 50%, I add another couple of 10g packs and that nails it.

Of course when I started (when the guitars were wet) a lot more frequent attention was needed, because a fair amount of water had to be absorbed. I'm finding that now I've reached a steady state, the whole thing has become much more relaxed. Soon, I may even be able to stop thinking about humidity (!!), except for a few minutes, once a week or so.

[N+1]

Originally Posted by kydave

The method I used was to move to Coastal Northern California.

Wish you'd told me sooner. Anyone want to swap a homemade in-case dehumidifier for a plane ticket?

[Fairlight]

Keeping your guitar out of the sun, in the case you'll have no problems with heat. I didn't catch if you're in the States or not. If so, a portable room dehumidifier is not that expensive. $50-$100 for a decent one. With doors closed it can stabilize a room quite well.

[N+1]

Originally Posted by Fairlight

... a portable room dehumidifier is not that expensive. $50-$100 for a decent one. With doors closed it can stabilize a room quite well.

It's not the cost of the machine that's the chief problem, though. It's the ongoing running costs, which are not negligible; and the noise it makes (even a quiet dessicant type) is very audible: it doesn't trouble everyone, but we found the noise intrusive.

I tried going down that road, and I know people who have preferred it, and of course it works fine. But for me, it proved much easier, much cheaper, much quieter, and generally more convenient, to keep the guitars in their cases and dehumidify the tiny spaces inside, than to dehumidify a whole room.

[N+1]

Originally Posted by Fairlight

Fleet Foxes: Blue Ridge mountains

Could I just step right outside the topic of humidity for a moment, and say that I've just been listening to the music in your signature, and enjoying it very much. Lovely playing, lovely recording - full of air, light and melody. Thank you, and congratulations. I'm listening to some of the other things you have on soundcloud, and oh gosh. It's gorgeous stuff.

[Fairlight]

Thanks!

Can't argue with costs. I've not done a breakdown of what a unit will draw. I run mine in humid summer months in my basement and turn off when I'm down there working. Does a good job. Looks like your only option is a humidipak. Though that will cost you as well to keep up with replacements. I hope you can find a good, working solution.

[rmsstrider]

Buy a carbon fiber guitar. Never any worries. There are some excellent CF guitars out there, although a bit pricey and hard to find used.

[N+1]

Originally Posted by Fairlight

Thanks!
Can't argue with costs. I've not done a breakdown of what a unit will draw.

I did a calculation of typical cost many months ago - I've forgotten the result now, but it was high enough to lift my eyebrows and think twice.

I run mine in humid summer months in my basement and turn off when I'm down there working. Does a good job.

Ah, I can see that solves several problems at a stroke. All I need is a basement. I'll start digging.

Looks like your only option is a humidipak. Though that will cost you as well to keep up with replacements. I hope you can find a good, working solution.

No, I don't need one of those. I've spent the last six months trying out the options and developing my own personal working solution:

A simple homemade in-case dehumidifying system


I'm still listening to your music. It's fabulous stuff.