Safe ukulele storage and humidity

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Hi everyone,

I've recently purchased a solid mahogany tenor ukulele (Ohana tk-35g specifically). I love it. I'm worried about storage and humidity. I've searched this site, read Google articles, and listened to podcasts on humidity and I'm feeling more confused than ever! I'd love some help.

I live in a region of Canada that has cold winters (below freezing) and hot summers (up to 38 degrees Celsius). It generally low humidity (about 40% rh now, less in winter). We have indoor heating in the winter.

I have a hardcase and an oasis case humidifier.

Do I need more for humidifying?
Should I leave my humidifier turned on inside the case to monitor humidity?
Do I need to store my case flat on its side or is upright in a closet okay?
Do I need a soudhole humidifier too?
I keep reading humidity horror stories. How likely is this?

I really love my new ukulele and your advice and help would be greatly appreciated!
 
Start with the articles by Andrew on the Ukulele Review website. The general rule of thumb is to humidify below 40%.

What you need is a small hygrometer, which measures the relative humidity of the air in your case. You can keep that in your case (D'Addario has a new Bluetooth model, which I am interested in). I run 2 humidifiers in my cases in the winter (in the Twin Cities are of Minnesota/Wisconsin). One is an Oasis, which is really nice. It clips on your strings and hangs on your strings in the sound hole, and gets "wrinkly" as it needs new water. I check it once per week...it is part of the routine with 6 ukuleles this year. The other is a Herco humidifier, which I consider "insurance". I think my Oasis humidifiers are from Mim (you can get them anywhere), and the Herco was from eBay.

You can also make a cheap humidifier with a sponge and container with holes poked in the top.

As a result, I haven't seen any problems with my ukuleles...but my school drops to 16% humidity and has been up to 70% humidity in the summer. On our ukuleles with wooden necks (e.g. Not the Waterman ukuleles), the frets start to stick out and need to be sanded/filed back. On one or two of the ukuleles, a buzz can occur during the dry winter months.

So I believe the humidity stories; and I have no reason to not believe The Ukulele Site; they believe it enough that they have been known to throw a humidifier in a box with a new ukulele if one has not been ordered.

So...to quickly answer the other questions...the hygrometer (I bought mine from eBay) are small and fit in your case. You can spend a lot, but just get an idea of how it reads and be aware of changes (e.g. An expensive one may be tested for a specific reading--but a cheap one may not...but as one drops, the other will, too). With a humidifier in the case, it should be likely stored flat, particularly with a hanging humidifier in the sound hole.
 
No offense to Choirguy he offers good information. :)

Like everyone searching for something also, I realized the sponge approach was adding in humidity. You have to monitor the sponge approach to make sure this isn't to much humidity, and making sure your sponge hasn't dried out, there is more work to this involved, not to mention, getting water spilled inside a sound hole, I've read a lot of horror stories over that.

A company called Boveda makes Humidification packs that work two ways, they add in humidity if needed, or take it away if to much, they maintain a correct level/balance.

Here's their site, they make packs for many applications.

https://www.bovedainc.com/

D'addario uses their packs in a system they call the Planet Waves Two Way Humidification System.

http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProduc...523&productname=Two_Way_Humidification_System

I've been using these in my Uke for around 8 months, it's the greatest hassle free approach.

Don't forget this, the pouch for the sound hole is pretty big. Last time I checked, they changed over to a pouch with a clip, which is big for a Uke. Contact D'addario and ask if they'll send you out a soft velvet like pouch, so that you can use it for the sound hole, it's what I did, and they sent me one. ;)

All you have to do is keep an eye on the packs, if they start getting hard, you can get a glass with distilled water, place it in a tupperware container, place your pack inside next to the glass, then cover the tupperware, and in time the pack will get soft again, and you can then reuse it over like this, or toss it out and buy new ones.
 
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I share the confusion about safe ukulele humidity measures. I live in Maryland, where it gets below freezing in Winter and gets hot in the summer (so we turn on the heat in the Winter and turn on a/c in summer). My local music speciality store (sells ukuleles and high-end guitars) said that I really only needed to worry about humidity in the colder months-October through April or so, and to just use an oasis humidifier and refill it when it gets wrinkly. (No mention of a hygrometer.) Is that bad advice?

If I do need a hygrometer, is there a simple one? The ones I've seen online look somewhat confusing.
 
I share the confusion about safe ukulele humidity measures. I live in Maryland, where it gets below freezing in Winter and gets hot in the summer (so we turn on the heat in the Winter and turn on a/c in summer). My local music speciality store (sells ukuleles and high-end guitars) said that I really only needed to worry about humidity in the colder months-October through April or so, and to just use an oasis humidifier and refill it when it gets wrinkly. (No mention of a hygrometer.) Is that bad advice?

If I do need a hygrometer, is there a simple one? The ones I've seen online look somewhat confusing.

Regardless of the time of year, you want to make sure that the humidity is within a range, that's why with the Planet Waves Two Way Humidification System, you're always kept in that range...

To much humidity is also not good, so summers where you live might also be to high, this is where these packs shine, by maintaining the balance! ;)
 
There are few things that are insecure to your ukulele. You should take too much care when you store the solid wood instruments.
- Normal temperatures are best for the wooden instruments. Storing in hot and cold temperatures would result in cracking, warping, glues loosening etc.
- Change the strings once or twice in a year. Otherwise, it produces undesirable tones.
- Maintain your humidifier. Keep your ukulele in its case with a humidifier else it cause cracking. It is better to set the humidity 45% and 55%.
- If you are storing the ukulele in the storage facilities provided by any company, ensure that it is being kept in the climate controlled spaces. Ensure that it doesn't go too dry or too moist.
- You should clean the instrument properly before you store it. Clean it like you clean the guitar. Don’t allow any sweat to reside on your instrument, it can damage your instrument.
 
There are few things that are insecure to your ukulele. You should take too much care when you store the solid wood instruments.
- Normal temperatures are best for the wooden instruments. Storing in hot and cold temperatures would result in cracking, warping, glues loosening etc.
- Change the strings once or twice in a year. Otherwise, it produces undesirable tones.
- Maintain your humidifier. Keep your ukulele in its case with a humidifier else it cause cracking. It is better to set the humidity 45% and 55%.
- If you are storing the ukulele in the storage facilities provided by any company, ensure that it is being kept in the climate controlled spaces. Ensure that it doesn't go too dry or too moist.
- You should clean the instrument properly before you store it. Clean it like you clean the guitar. Don’t allow any sweat to reside on your instrument, it can damage your instrument.

Good one MagdaJo!

Yes good points about cleaning, everyone is just talking about the humidity and you are so right, very important to store it cleaned off too!

A Shiny Uke is a Happy Uke! ;)
 
I share the confusion about safe ukulele humidity measures. I live in Maryland, where it gets below freezing in Winter and gets hot in the summer (so we turn on the heat in the Winter and turn on a/c in summer). My local music speciality store (sells ukuleles and high-end guitars) said that I really only needed to worry about humidity in the colder months-October through April or so, and to just use an oasis humidifier and refill it when it gets wrinkly. (No mention of a hygrometer.) Is that bad advice?

If I do need a hygrometer, is there a simple one? The ones I've seen online look somewhat confusing.

I have a cheap hygrometer that I bought at a home and garden store that I have out and I look at it occasionally, but what you said is what I do. I mean, when I turn on the furnace, I start using my Oasis. For me it isn't any more complicated than that. I've not had any cracking, or fret lifting, or anything else.
 
Like the OP I live in Canada where it is cold and dry in the winter. I have a number of solid wood instruments and usually staring November they all live in their individual hardcases with an Oasis sound hole humidifier. That is all you really need to do. I have high quality reliable hygrometers to measure the humidity levels, not all are equal or reliable. I put one in a case every now and then and humidity level is usually around 45%.

Look we can all get a little too paranoid about this. If the humidity in the case is a constant 35% you are ok. It is the real low stuff below 20% and constant quick huge swings that cause the damage. I have a friend who always keeps two humidiifers in his uke and the back developed a small crack. That piece of wood was going to do that regardless. Then there are guys who leave their instruments out all the time for years and years with no problems. Just keep it in the case with a sound hole humidifer in place when not being played and you will be fine
 
Like the OP I live in Canada where it is cold and dry in the winter. I have a number of solid wood instruments and usually staring November they all live in their individual hardcases with an Oasis sound hole humidifier. That is all you really need to do. I have high quality reliable hygrometers to measure the humidity levels, not all are equal or reliable. I put one in a case every now and then and humidity level is usually around 45%.

Look we can all get a little too paranoid about this. If the humidity in the case is a constant 35% you are ok. It is the real low stuff below 20% and constant quick huge swings that cause the damage. I have a friend who always keeps two humidiifers in his uke and the back developed a small crack. That piece of wood was going to do that regardless. Then there are guys who leave their instruments out all the time for years and years with no problems. Just keep it in the case with a sound hole humidifer in place when not being played and you will be fine
I'm a born skeptic, so I often times wonder how obsessed I need to get as far as monitoring the humidity. But my Grandfather's 100 year old fiddle just flat fell apart because the glue dried up and let loose, so I do believe that eventually a lack of humidity will affect it. But regardless of my skepticism, my logic tells me that it doesn't take much to stick an Oasis in the sound hole and put it in the case when the air gets dry. Why take a chance? I certainly don't want to wake up some day with a crack across the face of my uke because I wanted to prove a point.
 
No offense to Choirguy he offers good information. :)

]

D'addario uses their packs in a system they call the Planet Waves Two Way Humidification System.

http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProduc...523&productname=Two_Way_Humidification_System

I've been using these in my Uke for around 8 months, it's the greatest hassle free approach.

Don't forget this, the pouch for the sound hole is pretty big. Last time I checked, they changed over to a pouch with a clip, which is big for a Uke. Contact D'addario and ask if they'll send you out a soft velvet like pouch, so that you can use it for the sound hole, it's what I did, and they sent me one. ;)
.

Do the internal packages fit a concert sized? Saw the outside bag and it seems obvious that wouldn't fit. I figured the sack could be cut and edge duct taped. Do you think sizing would work? Don't want to waste $20 on something that won't fit. Thanks
 
get a room humidifier for winter

I have 10+ solid wood/tops uke's, and I find the most convenient way to keep them healthy is using a room humidifier that keeps humidity at 40-45%. I have one hygrometer to monitor the humidity in the room where they are stored/played. This also keeps the indoor atmosphere nice for us, humans.

Eugenio
 
Humidifying your home to 40-45% is not always a good idea and could potentially damage your home. Recommended humidity levels in the home vary with relation to outdoor temperatures.

outdoor temps 20-40F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 40%
outdoor temps 10-20F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 35%
outdoor temps 0-10F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 30%
outdoor temps (-10)-0F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 25%
outdoor temps (-20)-(-10)F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 20%
outdoor temps less than (-20)F - indoor rh should be less than or equal to 15%
 
To the original poster, I think you are going to be perfectly fine with an Oasis humidifier in the sound hole and storing the uke/humidifier in your hard case when you're not playing it. I live in Minnesota so our situation is very similar if not the same. If you humidify it in the case from Oct/Nov to Mar/Apr (the big heating/lower humidity months) you should be fine.
 
Kept the humidity between 45 & 55% this winter—at the recommendation of TheUkuleleSite in the spare bedroom where my ukuleles are on stands. The wood frame on the bedroom window developed mildew/mold growing on it! Had to wash it with tilex to get rid of it this spring.

This winter they will be kept in their hard cases with an Oasis in the sound hole.
 
Someone told me that when the leaves fall from the trees in the fall it is time to start using the humidifier. :)
I had one running 24/7 in an upstairs area. Unfortunately I had the same windows dripping with condensation and mold problem.
 
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I live in Thailand. A very humid and hot country. All of my ukuleles and guitars hang on the wall in a bedroom that is air condtioned 80 percent of the time or more. At times it still feels warm/humid in the bedroom. We also have two ceiling fans. I only really worry about my Tenor Ukulele because it is solid Acacia. Do I need to do anything to protect my instruments?
 
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