20 percent humidity! Now what?

Lori

Uke Crazy
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So, now I have my ukuleles safe in their cases, with their Herco or Oasis humidifiers. And I have a new gizmo, that tells me what level the humidity is. The wind has kicked up, as it always does this time of year, and with the windows open read 17 percent, and with the windows closed a high of 22 percent. Is it safe to take my ukes out of their cases to play in a room with 22 percent humidity? The case was at about 47 percent, before I refilled the Herco.

So, should I only play the laminated ukes, or is it OK for the solid wood ukes to come out and be played for, say 15 or 20 minutes? I don't want to shock them, but I would also like to play them.

Thanks, Lori
 
I'm in L.A. too with this sudden fierce dry wind, and I saw 17% humidity on my pc weather gadget and thought Oh Crap, because I'm short a couple humidifiers. I never really worry because I'm at the beach, but apparently not close enough today! :eek:
 
i don't keep my ukes in cases or any sort of humidity controlled room....i think here in so ill we usually get to about 20 percent at the lowest..and i've yet to have problems with any of my ukes regarding that...I'm probably reckless, but never be concerned about playing a uke...if it dies...it'll die doing what it loved...would you want to be in a box all winter?!
 
i don't keep my ukes in cases or any sort of humidity controlled room....i think here in so ill we usually get to about 20 percent at the lowest..and i've yet to have problems with any of my ukes regarding that...I'm probably reckless, but never be concerned about playing a uke...if it dies...it'll die doing what it loved...would you want to be in a box all winter?!

I lived in Indiana for a year and left my Taylor acoustic guitar out on a stand, next to my bedroom window. The change in temperature and humidity has caused a hairline crack in the body, the bridge is starting to lift and the neck has become quite bowed. I have it at my local luthier getting fixed and I'll be keeping it in its case with a humidifier from now on.
 
I lived in Indiana for a year and left my Taylor acoustic guitar out on a stand, next to my bedroom window. The change in temperature and humidity has caused a hairline crack in the body, the bridge is starting to lift and the neck has become quite bowed. I have it at my local luthier getting fixed and I'll be keeping it in its case with a humidifier from now on.


"In the case with a humidifier" under all circumstances is just as bad as “by the window in all temps" – and sometimes worse.

Only humidify if it's dry. I'm just as likely to need a desiccant part of the year as I am to need to humidify. Also, cases hide issues and trap heat and moisture. I would only keep it in the case and humidified if it was drastically drying out. I've had a few guitars go south in cases over the years - mostly because I assumed they were fine in there.

Keeping it by the window is clearly a bad call – as extreme and rapid changes are the real issue. Keeping a solid wood instrument trapped in a box with a sponge doesn’t change that. Keep it on a stand – keep an eye on it. Adapt to extreme changes with what you might need, when you need it.

The trick is avoiding extreme and rapid changes.

Mostly, you can ignore the issue alltogether if you play it every day and keep it on a stand in stable temps - you'll notice any issues right away and can react as they happen.
 
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