Humidification.....Arghh!!

[GuitarLuva]

I know how you feel trust me. Living in certain climates can really suck when it comes to maintaining instruments. I gave up fighting against humidity it's a constant battle and one that I grew tired of. I converted my acoustics to carbon fiber. My electric guitars I'm not too worried about. It sure is nice to be able to leave a guitar on the stand all day long. It also makes me play more vs having them in the case.

[Birdbrain]

Here in Denver, it's awfully hard to keep the humidity up indoors. We have room-size units running day and night on each 800 sq. ft floor, and my hygrometer rarely reaches 40%. That's routine, happens every year, but this year was different. My electric's neck shrank to a back-bow after I left it out on a stand for two weeks in an unhumidified room. It buzzed all over the neck, and needed a new setup. And my Folk is still at the shop, waiting for the frets to be glued in. They were popping up out of their shrunken slots, causing buzz at random places. This is my oldest guitar, having seen 17 years of our climate, and it has been in a humidified case at least half the time.

Keeping acoustic guitars fed and watered here in the Rocky Mountains is pure heck, but there's a silver lining. I've read threads here where Southerners complain that their guitars get muffled and lifeless in high humidity, so there's that. Imagine how good Nashville music would sound like played here!

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Ozark

https://americanmusicfurniture.com/p...uitar-habitat/

The price for something like this seems considerably outrageous to me. I am a woodworker in one of my other hobbies and could make something like this for far, far cheaper. Have a local furniture maker or cabinet shop build you something like this. Keep your instruments secured, readily available and humidified.

I have seen them closely, several times. They are surprisingly sophisticated with their humidity control. Like you say,making the case is no biggie if you are good with wood.

Fazool's suggestion about changing filters is a very good one. Minerals in our water is why mine stay in their cases when the RH gets low. I grin and bear it.

[Kittoon]

I live in Minnesota. Current temp is 3 degrees above zero. I just checked my three hygrometers in music room. 44% !!! I have used Venta (s) -I have two, for several seasons. No wick. No white dust. Quiet. I have found nothing better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOvsXL0pk8Y

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

It seems like either your two whole-house humidifiers or your hygrometers aren't functioning properly.

I have to agree. I live in Northern Ohio and our climate is pretty similar to yours.
Our house is 2500 square feet with one Aprilaire whole house humidifier directly connected to our furnace. I can easily maintain 45-50% RH.
How do you connect two whole house humidifiers to your furnace?
I'm not sure what you have but it doesn't sound like what I have.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Ozark

https://americanmusicfurniture.com/p...uitar-habitat/

The price for something like this seems considerably outrageous to me. I am a woodworker in one of my other hobbies and could make something like this for far, far cheaper. .

My Father is a cabinetmaker by trade. That's more than he charges for an entire kitchen. (a small one)

[The Kid!]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

I know how you feel trust me. Living in certain climates can really suck when it comes to maintaining instruments. I gave up fighting against humidity it's a constant battle and one that I grew tired of. I converted my acoustics to carbon fiber. My electric guitars I'm not too worried about. It sure is nice to be able to leave a guitar on the stand all day long. It also makes me play more vs having them in the case.

I'm constantly checking humidity levels and I keep my gigging guitars in cases, but I have an old Yamaha laminate that stays outside the case and I never have problems with. An Emerald would be nice though someday!

[StringMeUp]

I fought that battle until I got an Acoustic Savor display case.

I would not want to risk damaging my house by keeping the humidity too high. I have an Aprilaire 800 whole-house humidifier. The manual, which is available online, has a good discussion of recommended levels when the temperature outside drops.

Also, your hygrometer(s) may be inaccurate. My Oasis was fine for years, but now is off by 10%.

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by The Kid!

An Emerald would be nice though someday!

The only thing better than an Emerald guitar is......two Emerald guitars!

[nolegsfngrpickn]

I live in a tiny apartment, but the way the complex HVAC is set up, it pulls a substantial amount of air out of my apartment. I struggled to maintain good RH% with the Vornado I had (up for sale in marketplace but would work amazing for a home where you have control over the HVAC setup).

I recently upgraded to a Lasko Recirculating Humidifer. Now I can finally keep my place at a good level. It's pretty small for a humidifier that holds 4.5 gallons of water, and it has a pump that basically waterfalls water over the wick, keeping it wet, which is amazing.

I used to have to take the top off the Vornado and pour water over the filter to re-wet it, because after a few days the wick touching the water would be wet, but the rest of it would be dry.

I'm very happy with the Lasko so far.

[Kh1967]

I am in the NW suburbs of Chicago and weather is very similar to Iowa. We are in a massive cold snap right now.

I have a whole house humidifier, and Venta systems in two rooms. Humidity is about 35% and dropping as the cold continues over the last couple of days. The furnace is running almost non-stop, and our house was built in the early 60’s and we have a lot of windows, which are newer.

In spite of doing as much as I can to keep the humidity up, the house and Mother Nature, always win. I cannot, nor can my humidifying efforts, beat variables bigger than me.

So, while I always like having a guitar out to play, when the weather is like it is, the guitars go in their cases with Humidipaks and water beads.

My suggestion to the OP...bring out the guitar cases for a couple of weeks until the weather breaks. It’s an uphill battle right now.

Good luck!