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  #16  
Old 02-02-2020, 11:31 AM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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I haven't logged mine up here in the Northeast but I try to refill my D'Addario soundhole humidifers once a week. In fact, today (Sunday). They will be bone dry so I should do it after three days or so. They are kept in cases and my living room uses a small humidifer with the humidity generally about 35 percen to 40 percent, with a low of around 30 (ish) and a high of about 45 percent. This morning it was 35 percent/34 percent and is now a "normal" 39 percent.

Btw, why are those tiny replacement sponges so expensive? Yes, I know, profit is a good thing ... but they're just cheap little things, aren't they?
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  #17  
Old 02-02-2020, 11:41 AM
PeterM PeterM is offline
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I use the same humidifiers. 4 to 5 days and they are dry. Room humidity about 40%
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  #18  
Old 02-02-2020, 11:57 AM
Drak Drak is offline
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All very interesting data, thanks everyone.
Now I have a reasonably sound baseline to work with.
And will expect closer to about a week.

If they went dry every three days in a hard case, I would be worried about over-humidification.
That would seem to be quite a bit of moisture intake?
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  #19  
Old 02-02-2020, 12:15 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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When i gets dry enough to warrant using in-guitar humidifiers, I usually re-moisten the sponges every 4-5 days...

If it's not that dry, I don't use them. My guitars seem to sound and feel the best when they're in ~45%rh; a little drier than that is okay... heck they're even happy when the humidity is up towards 60%rh...

There's really a wide range that's "doable" for acoustic guitars - and mine are fairly lightly built handmade instruments that I've had for between 9 and 40 years...
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  #20  
Old 02-02-2020, 12:26 PM
PeterM PeterM is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drak View Post
All very interesting data, thanks everyone.
Now I have a reasonably sound baseline to work with.
And will expect closer to about a week.

If they went dry every three days in a hard case, I would be worried about over-humidification.
That would seem to be quite a bit of moisture intake?
I thought the same thing...4 or 5 days is too fast to go dry. But the room is only 40% or so, and inside the cases never gets to 50%. I do not overthink it.
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  #21  
Old 02-02-2020, 01:16 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drak View Post
So I bought 6 of the D'Addario in-between-the-string-hanger sponge humidifiers two weeks ago.
Checked one tonight out of curiosity, dry.
Checked another, then another, they're all bone dry in two weeks time.

Mildly interesting, didn't think they'd be dry this fast.
The new D'Addario (between strings) humidifiers are garbage. These are the newer ones with the removable top. Specifically the sponge is terrible. I wouldn't consider them good for more than 3-4 days.

The old D'Addario units with the little fill hole were much better. They used a Phenolic sponge that held about 3x as much water as the new ones.

Since you are already out money for the humidifiers, I recommend you buy a large block of phenolic sponge from Amazon and cut pieces to fit your string hangers.

I hate it when a company cheapens a product like this, but it is what it is.
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  #22  
Old 02-02-2020, 01:38 PM
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JayBee1404 JayBee1404 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drak View Post
All very interesting data, thanks everyone.
Now I have a reasonably sound baseline to work with.
And will expect closer to about a week.

If they went dry every three days in a hard case, I would be worried about over-humidification.
That would seem to be quite a bit of moisture intake?
Do you have a case-hygrometer in the case(s)? If not, you need to get one for each case, and monitor the RH in the case(s). If it’s within range, 40%-55%, you aren’t ‘over-humidifying’.

Without a hygrometer in the case(s), it’s all guesswork.

Here’s what I use, they’re decently accurate, but there are other brands... https://www.oasishumidifiers.com/pro...al-hygrometer/

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.
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  #23  
Old 02-02-2020, 01:49 PM
catfish catfish is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiberty View Post
The new D'Addario (between strings) humidifiers are garbage. These are the newer ones with the removable top. Specifically the sponge is terrible. I wouldn't consider them good for more than 3-4 days.
I humidify only one guitar, two others are bare in the room - they are o.k.
The one I humidify is exactly with this garbage D'Addario in-between-strings, removable top. I also use a DIY soap case with holes (sponge inside) under the headstock. So, I have two in one case for one guitar.

I moisten both sponges every second day, in the end of the second day both are bone dry.
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  #24  
Old 02-02-2020, 01:51 PM
steelvibe steelvibe is offline
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Another vote for Music Nomad. I previously had an Oasis and liked that too but I think the Music Nomad is better. I use 3 humidifiers for the arid Colorado high desert climate. My Martin is a hardwood and doesn't seem to soak up humidity quite like spruce topped guitars I've had in the past but it still is a bit thirsty.

You can make your own too. My favorite idea- water jewels! Get them at your local hobby store and a used spice shaker with holes drilled. I have 3 of them in my case; the Nomad in the soundhole, the long spice shaker one by the headstock and the short tupperware by the neck heel.



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  #25  
Old 02-02-2020, 02:27 PM
mawmow mawmow is offline
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You have to consider the cases are also dry and need much more water to achieve equilibrium state.

As I had a dozen cases to watch every week, that is how I came to the hung wet towel solution in the large closet.
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  #26  
Old 02-02-2020, 02:55 PM
AcousticDreams AcousticDreams is offline
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The Music Nomad sponges are generally a denser sponge material, that some other manufacturers. Sponge material density does vary from piece to piece however. But Music Nomad does seem a lot denser.
As a general rule, I get at least 3 weeks and sometime 4. Even in winter time with heater on. However I am in California where the humidity levels are nearly always pretty good.
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  #27  
Old 02-02-2020, 03:12 PM
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Really?


Mine lasted 2-4 days, max
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  #28  
Old 02-02-2020, 03:20 PM
k_russell k_russell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johbren View Post
I get about 3 days with mine.
Me too, radiators.
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  #29  
Old 02-02-2020, 03:56 PM
TJN TJN is offline
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I started using the D'Addario sponges after reading about humidity issues on this forum. I have to re-wet the sponges by day 3. My wife just gives me a "look" when I tell her I have to water the guitars.
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  #30  
Old 02-02-2020, 09:35 PM
Drak Drak is offline
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Well yes, the sponges that come with them are pretty gnat, granted.
My first thought was to get some bigger sponges that should hold more water.
But the carriers themselves I don't really have a problem with, they're worth the five bucks I paid for them.
I like that idea of the wet towel in the closet, that's along the lines of how I think.
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