Which humidifier?

[RockyRacc00n]

Does anyone have any feedback from personal experience on these? My son has the dampit for his cello and despite what one might think just from looking at it, (that it might leak water through those holes), it’s safe and does a good job with the cello. So after many years of using the Nomad sponge humidifiers, I wanted to try the dampit. But I was surprised by the price, $42. But I see Martin has its own brand of similar looking thing for much less. You can’t see in the picture but the Martin one is about $15. Why the big price difference?

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[sinistral]

I’ve been using a combination of the Martin humidifier pictured, Oasis humidifiers, and Humidipaks. I’m slowly weening myself off of Humidipaks, so when they harden I’m not replacing them. I haven’t used the DampIts, but if they are like the Martins, you can’t really tell when they need to be replenished. I have no idea why the DampIts are so much more expensive, but I think they come with a soundhole cover, etc. The Martin humidifier and s pretty basic.

The Oasis humidifiers shrivel up, so it’s much easier to tell when they need to be refilled. The more I use them the more I feel comfortable that they won’t leak, or at least I haven’t heard any horror stories about them as I have with the Humidipaks.

All that is to say that I would add the Oasis humidifiers to your list. Not sure if that helps or not.

[RockyRacc00n]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I’ve been using a combination of the Martin humidifier pictured, Oasis humidifiers, and Humidipaks. I’m slowly weening myself off of Humidipaks, so when they harden I’m not replacing them. I haven’t used the DampIts, but if they are like the Martins, you can’t really tell when they need to be replenished. I have no idea why the DampIts are so much more expensive, but I think they come with a soundhole cover, etc. The Martin humidifier and s pretty basic.

The Oasis humidifiers shrivel up, so it’s much easier to tell when they need to be refilled. The more I use them the more I feel comfortable that they won’t leak, or at least I haven’t heard any horror stories about them as I have with the Humidipaks.

All that is to say that I would add the Oasis humidifiers to your list. Not sure if that helps or not.

I agree with you on the humidipaks and also the perpetual cost. I've used many of these various water based ones and checked with hygrometers in the sound hole to be comfortable that humidity is being maintained. I guess the only concern would be if I had to go away for while, but haven't had to do that.

You also mentioned Oasis. Where do you keep it? In the soundhole? If so, doesn't the cap make it impossible to close the case without pressing down a lot on the strings? I wanted to try it but I haven't because of that reason.

Thank you for sharing your experience on the Martin one. It's not too expensive so I am about to order it and try.

[Mandobart]

I briefly used dampits in my fiddles. At that time I didn't own a hygrometer. One day I opened a case to find my D string (on a violin) had snapped the morning after replenishing my dampit. I believe the excessive humidity caused the neck to swell, raising the tension, snapping the string.

Now I'm done with sponges, beads, packs, etc. I have all my instruments hanging up in my music room, maintained at a pretty constant RH and temperature using wicking filter humidifiers. On the coldest, driest winter days I go through about 6 gallons of tap water a day to maintain 40% RH in a 70 F room.

Whatever route you go, you really need a hygrometer to monitor the RH of your instrument whether in a case or out in a room. Not doing so is like running the heat without a thermometer or thermostat.

[RockyRacc00n]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I briefly used dampits in my fiddles. At that time I didn't own a hygrometer. One day I opened a case to find my D string (on a violin) had snapped the morning after replenishing my dampit. I believe the excessive humidity caused the neck to swell, raising the tension, snapping the string.

Now I'm done with sponges, beads, packs, etc. I have all my instruments hanging up in my music room, maintained at a pretty constant RH and temperature using wicking filter humidifiers. On the coldest, driest winter days I go through about 6 gallons of tap water a day to maintain 40% RH in a 70 F room.

Whatever route you go, you really need a hygrometer to monitor the RH of your instrument whether in a case or out in a room. Not doing so is like running the heat without a thermometer or thermostat.

I’ve check with hygrometers inside the case and also the soundhole from time to time to feel comfortable.

How big is your room? Unless you have a spare room not too big and kept shut, I found room humidifiers to be not very effective.

[sinistral]

It depends. Sometimes I keep the Oasis humidifiers in the headstock compartment, particularly if I have a Martin humidifier in the soundhole. I find that the Oasis humidifiers are not as easy to fit between the strings, but haven’t had any issues (that I’m aware of) with interference with the top. I’ll put a piece of soft foam under the strings to see if the strings compress into it when the top is closed.

I use SensorPush wireless hygrometers with their wi-fi gateway, so I can check on the RH in my cases even when on vacation, etc. With the cases closed, the RH stays stable for quite some time with the Oasis/Martin combo (several weeks). I’ve read a number of horror stories about Humidipaks leaking, and I had a close call with one recently leaking into its pouch (but not through it). As the Humidipaks harden, I’m ditching them and not replacing/recharging them.

[RockyRacc00n]

Originally Posted by sinistral

It depends. Sometimes I keep the Oasis humidifiers in the headstock compartment, particularly if I have a Martin humidifier in the soundhole. I find that the Oasis humidifiers are not as easy to fit between the strings, but haven’t had any issues (that I’m aware of) with interference with the top. I’ll put a piece of soft foam under the strings to see if the strings compress into it when the top is closed.

I use SensorPush wireless hygrometers with their wi-fi gateway, so I can check on the RH in my cases even when on vacation, etc. With the cases closed, the RH stays stable for quite some time with the Oasis/Martin combo (several weeks). I’ve read a number of horror stories about Humidipaks leaking, and I had a close call with one recently leaking into its pouch (but not through it). As the Humidipaks harden, I’m ditching them and not replacing/recharging them.

Are you using the Oasis thing that looks like this? You can close the case while you hang it in the sound hole like in this picture? Doesn’t the cap stick out too much?

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[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by RockyRacc00n

How big is your room? Unless you have a spare room not too big and kept shut, I found room humidifiers to be not very effective.

It's pretty big - about 300 square feet. It's in my basement, which has an open stairway up to the main floor. So I'm humidifying my whole house.

I have a forced air gas furnace which I rarely use since my wood burning fireplace insert upstairs (which draws outside air for combustion and circulates room air around the firebox) does a good job of keeping the whole upstairs warm.

This is why I don't have a whole-house humidifier in the HVAC system - when I need it the most I'm not running the fan. Sure I could run the fan alone without the furnace, but since the ductwork always draws some fresh outside air (at about 10 F) that just makes the house colder and drier, using more wood/energy.

In the basement I put thermostat-controlled electric radiant heat elements under the tile when I remodeled several years back. Walls are well insulated and moisture-proofed.

What works for me wouldn't be necessary or even useful in every home and climate.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by RockyRacc00n

Are you using the Oasis thing that looks like this? You can close the case while you hang it in the sound hole like in this picture? Doesn’t the cap stick out too much?

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Only in a couple of guitars, mainly because it’s a pain to work the cylinder between the strings compared to the Martin humidifier. As I mentioned above, I’ll put some soft foam under the strings to see if the strings compress as a result of the lid of the case pressing on the cap. I’ll try both arched and flat cases to see if there is a difference.

I could probably get the same or better results with a sponge in a Ziplok bag with holes punched in it… Perhaps it’s irrational, but I do like the idea of having a humidifier that releases moisture inside the guitar. To your point, when the case is closed, there might not be a lot of space for air to circulate to the interior of the guitar.

[gbesson]

I've tried several different soundhole humidifiers and the music nomad humidifiers are working well. The sponge stays moist for a week so far. I soaked it again anyway. The hygrometer placed in the soundhole appears reliable.

https://www.googleadservices.com/pag...BAgEEDE&adurl=

[Riakstonic]

I use these .

Guitto Guitar Humidifier 2-in-1 Humidity Care System for Acoustic Guitar Humidifier Hygrometer GHD-03 https://a.co/d/ey6or89

[aK_bAsh7]

Originally Posted by RockyRacc00n

Does anyone have any feedback from personal experience on these? My son has the dampit for his cello and despite what one might think just from looking at it, (that it might leak water through those holes), it’s safe and does a good job with the cello. So after many years of using the Nomad sponge humidifiers, I wanted to try the dampit. But I was surprised by the price, $42. But I see Martin has its own brand of similar looking thing for much less. You can’t see in the picture but the Martin one is about $15. Why the big price difference?

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FYI: I've used Oasis for over 10 years and have never had a leak.

[The Bard Rocks]

I still have some dampits left. Whn they are dry, they feel hard. A very short dunk softens them up. Dampit, by brand, has a plastic soundhole cover attached by a string. and there is a ball-point pen-like clip to fasten it to a string if you do not use the soundhole cover. When they get really old, the rubber cover will start to fall apart near where it is most often bent the most.

I've pretty much switched over to flower beads using my own system. It costs next to nothing as my wife does the sewing, using scraps. Nothing to leak. They absorb FAR more water than Dampit, Oasis or Kyser and last proportionately longer. When they get crunchy, it's time for a swim. That's the drawback - they take time to re-absorb water, which gives me an excuse to play for a while.