best hygrometer placement...

myke232 · #1 02-09-2009, 06:17 PM

what is the best location for a hygrometer in the guitar case for the most accurate reading?

should it be moved every couple of days (i.e. under the headstock, down near the body...)?

also, i don't have a cutaway...

inthishope · #2 02-09-2009, 06:36 PM

If you have a Taylor case, you can put it under the neck by the joint with the body. Right next to the compartment. That's where i keep mine, right in between the two sides of padding.

iDanFL · #3 02-09-2009, 06:44 PM

I keep my guitar hanging in my master bedroom walk in closet and have been wondering if I should put a hygrometer in the closet? I live in Florida so it's not really all that dry like up north and the closet is pretty large, roughly 8'x12 with 12' ceilings. I like having it hang on a neck hanger as I have 2yr old and it keeps it out of his reach and there is so much dead space on the one the wall anyways, I hung it so that the bottom is about 6' off the ground. Makes it easy for me to just grab and play versus keeping it in a case.

sthompson · #4 02-09-2009, 08:05 PM

Regarding hygrometer location/placement, I conducted a comparison test last summer. I have
several cases and each has its own calibrated hygrometer. I borrowed a couple of them from other
cases and compared the simultaneous readings in one case from three different case locations. One
in the cutaway area, one in the headstock area and one inside the closed storage compartment itself.
What I found was that if the case is left closed long enough to stablize, a day or two, the humidity
levels in the three areas did not vary more than 1 point. What this led me to believe is that the
location of the hygrometer is not critical. Put it where it fits for you, however, I wouldn't place it
too close to a humidifier of any type.

Keep in mind that if the humidity levels between a stabilized case and the surrounding,
ambient atmosphere are significantly different, the case reading will change very rapidly
when opened and take some time, a couple of hours, to rehydrate if fitted with a dampit or oasis.
Getting a case dried out is harder. Zorb-its help with dampening a fluctuating humidity level
by absorbing and/or releasing moisture. Sometimes desiccants, which I don't like in a case, are
necessary or even hair dryer use. It's easier to hydrate than to dehydrate.

Sometimes I think we get a little too crazy about these things....well, at least I know I do.
st

myke232 · #5 02-09-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthishope

If you have a Taylor case, you can put it under the neck by the joint with the body. Right next to the compartment. That's where i keep mine, right in between the two sides of padding.

Cool, the one I got actually wedges into that area and stays tightly positioned there...

Quote:

Originally Posted by sthompson

Regarding hygrometer location/placement, I conducted a comparison test last summer. I have
several cases and each has its own calibrated hygrometer. I borrowed a couple of them from other
cases and compared the simultaneous readings in one case from three different case locations. One
in the cutaway area, one in the headstock area and one inside the closed storage compartment itself.
What I found was that if the case is left closed long enough to stablize, a day or two, the humidity
levels in the three areas did not vary more than 1 point. What this led me to believe is that the
location of the hygrometer is not critical. Put it where it fits for you, however, I wouldn't place it
too close to a humidifier of any type.

Hey, that's a great experiment. Good info. It also leads me to another thought that if the stats are the same in all 3 areas, is it really necessary to have a humidifier both in the body and up by the headstock - currently I have an Oasis in the body and a homemade soap dish one up by the headstock. If the humidity can make it's way into the closed compartment then I would think it could make it from the body to the neck/headstock area, provided you only had 1 humidifier placed in the body...

inthishope · #6 02-09-2009, 08:40 PM

I would think the same thing...but depending on your climate you might need both of them going at the same time to keep up with it. I live in CO and it is about 15% in the winter. I have to keep up with it by having the guitar always in the case with two sponges kept damp. So it just makes sense to have one near the body and one near the headstock, that way there is a more uniform release...if it actually makes any difference

sthompson · #7 02-09-2009, 09:33 PM

In severely dry areas like Colorado in the winter, I'm pretty sure two humidifiers are going to be a must.
In my area in west Tennessee where humidity levels get to 30-35%, one oasis humidifier gets the case
to about 52% if kept closed most of the time. Personally, I believe that the moisture from one humidifier
slowly spreads throughout the case, regardless of where it's located. However, in very dry areas, I'd be
sorely tempted to use a dampit inside the body, just to be sure.
st

dagostin · #8 02-11-2009, 01:51 PM

Interestingly, my findings/tests aren't consistent with some findings in this thread. I have a small oasis hygrometer that I've put in diff places of the case and even carefully placed inside the soundhole, resting on the inside bottom of the guitar.

I have an oasis case humidifier by the headstock and also have another hygrometer there. I've found that the headstock is definitely consistently in the 40 to 50 range. However, the hygrometer inside the body of the guitar was definitely lower, sometimes by up to 10, 15%.

I've also read inconsistent information about how humidity travels/disperses. A few sources indicated humidity DOES NOT travel well and this would explain what I'm seeing.

My solution is to also use my planet waves soundhole humidifier which raises the humidity level inside the actual body of the guitar.

All this being said, I am a little wary about over humidifying the guitar but the gauges just don't indicate that I'm doing this.

I'm in NYC btw with oldschool heating so the in-apartment levels generally are between 20 and 30%.

Has anyone experienced or seen what I've seen here? Any input is much appreciated.

sthompson · #9 02-11-2009, 08:04 PM

Nor am I fond of placing a humidifier inside the body of a guitar. Maybe I'm paranoid....but
I still don't like doing it.

In response to Dagostin's experiences, I used four calibrated hygrometers and placed one
inside the body of a Grand Symphony in its factory case, and three hygrometers placed
each in the headstock area, the closed storage compartment, and in the cutaway void.
After about 3 hours with the case closed and latched, the hygrometer in the guitar read 43%.
All the other three read 48%. Interesting. This GS has been in its closed case for a couple of
weeks and the case hygrometer read 49% when I opened it. I have never tried to measure the
humidity inside of a guitar before. I think what this tells me is that the case material holds
more moisture than the guitar. That makes perfect sense as I have found that in a wood
paneled room the humidity reads significantly lower than in other areas of the house. I think that
aged wood is just drier than a padded case. So, all would tend to validate Dagostin's readings.
Not a very exciting way to spend a afternoon. Perhaps the inside of ALL guitars inside of a case
are drier than the surrounding case area until they have acclimated over time.

In any event, I never place a hygrometer very close to an oasis as I think it invalidates any
reading. One thing I am certain of: if I take a guitar out of the case and place three calibrated
hygrometers in the three distinct areas previously mentioned, I will have three readings either
exactly alike or within one point. I'm comfortable with the moisture or humidity averaging out
within the case itself. It seems inside the guitar, it's drier. As I indicated, it would appear that
an acoustic, wood guitar is somewhat hygroscopic at this time of year. I'd like to recheck
all this in six months when we have dehumidifiers and desiccants working.

Then again, I'm thinking maybe we're taking this too seriously. For sure, I don't work for NASA.
st

dagostin · #10 02-11-2009, 08:20 PM

Thanks for the information!

HoneyboyHart · #11 06-05-2019, 04:41 PM

Obviously it's very humid in the summer in Florida. I keep my guitar in a bedroom with AC and the humidity gets very low (25-30%). I had problems with my Martin so now I keep it in the case in the room with humidifiers in the case.

So... when I put my hygrometer in there what should I expect. Will inside the case reflect the cases humidity or will the room AC override the case?

Any thoughts? I just got the hygrometer so not sure what to expect.

I guess I'll report back my findings.

JayBee1404 · #12 06-06-2019, 12:28 AM

There’s a Golden Rule regarding humidification - Don’t. Over-think. Things.

Works perfectly here...

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The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

DCCougar · #13 06-06-2019, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sthompson

...if the case is left closed long enough to stablize, a day or two, the humidity levels in the three areas did not vary more than 1 point....

That's what I kind of figured, but thanks for the confirmation!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Works perfectly here.....

Yeah, that's where I put mine - for quick and easy reading when case is opened - alongside the neck, atop the compartment. It also doesn't bang around much there.