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  #1  
Old 09-06-2009, 05:45 PM
catnine catnine is offline
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Default A question about a dampit and brace

I wet my dampit under a faucet with a small stream of water , I don't sink it in water . Then I wring it out by keeping it unfolded and squeeze it from one end to the other then wipe it dry . I don't bunch it up and wring it out . I also cut a small section off another dampit and forced this over the black end plug so that I was certain there is a tight fit . So there is the plug and the green tube and over the plug and green tube where the plug fits into the tube I added a second outter section like a rubber band to add more pressure .

Long story short I never really looked inside my guitar and looked today and saw a small like clear coat of dripped finish on the top of the back brace just below the soundhole and the next back brace that is lower in the lower bout has a three inch area on the side only that is the same color like clear finish . It's not like the yellow color of the glue and it is only on the side of the brace not the top edge of the brace or on the back . It looks like either a thin smeared coat of glue or clear finish which does make the brace look just a shade darker than raw wood . Where the brace fits into the side to back linings ( notched angle strip holding back to side) there is no evidence of this color.

I can't determine if this a water stain but the grain is not raised . My question is if any water got on the brace and this is the entire height of the brace wouldn't it have gotten onto the laminate back and stained that too as also on the top edge of the brace ?

I don't see any area where the dampit could leak and I do squeeze out the excess water and wipe it down well. I do place the guitar in the case standing up and sometimes the plug end of the dampit touches that brace as a stop and also touches the back .

I wet it last night , pulled it out today wrung it and only got about 6 drops of water which seemed about right.
I can tell the one brace is clear finish below the sound hole because there is a bit of a dried small lump on it and the color is the same as the other brace where the dampit rests . The end of the dampit tube has no holes for about three inches and the plug which is tight and I see no signs of it leaking after I dry it off .

Sorry for the LONG story .

Is this anything to be concerned about . The only way I can tell is to remove the strings and reach in and feel the side of that brace , if slick it has to be finish or glue right?

Last edited by catnine; 09-06-2009 at 05:55 PM.
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Old 09-06-2009, 05:53 PM
mhs mhs is offline
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I use those for one guitar that I leave in the case a fair bit, and I use them just as you do. I don't recall it ever leaking, but they do seem to touch a brace somewhere no matter how I put them in.

I just leave the case upright in a closet to sort of let the dampit dangle in the body instead of laying on the wood. I really don't think it matters unless you've overfilled it and not squeezed it out. I also don't squeeze the thing to death, just give it a quick pat-down and wipe and forget about it.
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Old 09-06-2009, 06:02 PM
catnine catnine is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Papol View Post
I use those for one guitar that I leave in the case a fair bit, and I use them just as you do. I don't recall it ever leaking, but they do seem to touch a brace somewhere no matter how I put them in.

I just leave the case upright in a closet to sort of let the dampit dangle in the body instead of laying on the wood. I really don't think it matters unless you've overfilled it and not squeezed it out. I also don't squeeze the thing to death, just give it a quick pat-down and wipe and forget about it.
I just wedge mine between the D and G strings and let it hang . I watched a video today of taylor dipping on in a bowl then folding it and wringing it out then wiping it off . he did not twist it , he only did that to show how much water a dried guitar used in one day.

I took the dampit out and wet it and did not wring it a much as I usually do and hung it the same way out of the guitar so the end is on a piece of note paper just as a test . Been over an hour not a drop so far .

Last edited by catnine; 09-06-2009 at 06:49 PM.
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Old 09-06-2009, 07:13 PM
Grenvilleter Grenvilleter is offline
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I don't mean to slag a mfgr but, dampit's are lousy for guitars. I do use it on my mando and fiddle but only because it fits in the "F" hole.

There is too great a possibility for dampit's to leak water onto a brace seam if you are the least bit careless in removing the excess water. Then, when the excess water is removed, it's capacity is far smaller than what a guitar needs in 35%< humidity.
Just my opinion ...fwiw.
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Old 09-06-2009, 07:16 PM
catnine catnine is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grenvilleter View Post
I don't mean to slag a mfgr but, dampit's are lousy for guitars. I do use it on my mando and fiddle but only because it fits in the "F" hole.

There is too great a possibility for dampit's to leak water onto a brace seam if you are the least bit careless in removing the excess water. Then, when the excess water is removed, it's capacity is far smaller than what a guitar needs in 35%< humidity.
Just my opinion ...fwiw.

No problem , that's what I came here for , honest opinions.
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Old 11-30-2022, 01:26 PM
RockyMtnGuy RockyMtnGuy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grenvilleter View Post
I don't mean to slag a mfgr but, dampit's are lousy for guitars. I do use it on my mando and fiddle but only because it fits in the "F" hole.

There is too great a possibility for dampit's to leak water onto a brace seam if you are the least bit careless in removing the excess water. Then, when the excess water is removed, it's capacity is far smaller than what a guitar needs in 35%< humidity.
Just my opinion ...fwiw.
I had a dampit drip inside a Martin D35 which caused some swelling in the bottom of the instrument (it still plays fine...for now).
It could have been user error on my part, but still.
I now think a very good room humidifier is the way to go.
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  #7  
Old 11-30-2022, 06:45 PM
Athens Athens is offline
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Default Dampit

I’ve never been comfortable putting anything with moisture in the sound hole of any guitar.

I’ve used the Sponge in a Soap Dish method for decades and never had a problem.

Humidity equalizes in a closed case vey quickly. If it’s in the area under the head or anywhere else it’ll keep the guitar hydrated. It doesn’t have to be in the sound hole.

Most people don’t have a problem, but if your that one in a thousand and it’s your custom guitar, that’d suck....
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Old 11-30-2022, 08:03 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Athens View Post
...

Humidity equalizes in a closed case vey quickly. If it’s in the area under the head or anywhere else it’ll keep the guitar hydrated. It doesn’t have to be in the sound hole.

....
I have heard this before but have never heard anything that resembled proof. So, I am curious if this has been proven true or merely seems reasonable.
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Old 12-01-2022, 05:48 AM
Italuke Italuke is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
I have heard this before but have never heard anything that resembled proof. So, I am curious if this has been proven true or merely seems reasonable.
Proof? My good man, this is the AGF, where proof of any claim is optional and in some cases even discouraged. We are free to believe anything we want, as long as it gets enough internet reinforcement. What was previously not "a thing" now becomes one, here on these pages. Witness those who insist - without proof - that they can tell with their eyes closed a difference in sound among various bridge pin materials. Hard to argue with religion.
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Old 12-01-2022, 05:52 AM
rmp rmp is online now
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I've never had a problem with a dampit, I am pretty diligent about getting all the excess moisture out of them before I use them.
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Old 12-01-2022, 10:13 AM
slimey slimey is offline
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Is it possible , if you're using regular and not distilled water, that it's some kind of growth? An Algae or something similar?
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Old 12-01-2022, 10:40 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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I don't understand why dampits and other solutions are used which involve placing things inside a instrument or case when a simple solution is to use a humidifier. I use a whole house humidifier made for up to 2700 sq ft placed in my music room. In the winter, I add water about every 4th day.

I'm even considering installing a central humidifier for the whole house. That way I wouldn't even have to add water to a humidifier. Both a simple solution that keeps all a person's instruments at a good level of humidity. Although the later one would only be good for owners of a residence.
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  #13  
Old 12-01-2022, 11:17 AM
Athens Athens is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks View Post
I have heard this before but have never heard anything that resembled proof. So, I am curious if this has been proven true or merely seems reasonable.
Well, decades of working in the process control industry dealing with liquid and gaseous flow measurement and control for a start.

How technical do you want to get? There are numerous formulae for calculating the characteristics of water vapor and its behavior. This one for instance......



But, if you’re talking about a sponge in a soap dish in a guitar case, I think you’re way overthinking things.

Just my less than humble opinion.........
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