Time to start deploying your humidifiers!

mikelz777

mikelz777

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As I was listening to the news this morning they were reminding the audience to set their clocks back one hour tonight for daylight savings time and added that it was also a good time to check/replace batteries in your CO2 and smoke detectors. That and the increasingly cold weather got me to thinking about my ukes and when I checked the humidity levels in my house, I saw that they were dipping into the mid-30s. It's time to start using humidifiers again!

This will be my 2nd winter with a solid wood uke that definitely requires humidification so it's the 1st time I've needed to remember to start using a humidifier again.
 
I keep my case humidified all the time. It's during summer I am just more casual about letting it sit out. Now I gotta remember to put it back in the case all the time. Dang.
 
sukie said:
I keep my case humidified all the time. It's during summer I am just more casual about letting it sit out. Now I gotta remember to put it back in the case all the time. Dang.
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I'm relatively new to the humidification game so I've been keeping a closer eye on the humidity levels in my house. From Spring to early Fall, the humidity levels in my house have ranged from the low 40s% to 50%+ so I didn't bother with a humidifier during those months. It looks like I'm back in the game until next Spring.
 
I'm relatively new to the humidification game as well. In the thirty odd years I've played the banjo I've never had any problems with heat or humidity problems. I suspect humidity is less of a problem with wooden necks and pots. Well now that my house has been invaded by ukuleles I'm not sure where to start. In the basement where the boiler is we actually humidify the space but occasionally have mold problems. My attic space is cross ventilated. Never had any problems there. The rest of the house is heated in winter, (hot water) and cross ventilated in summer. Outside temperatures seldom swing more than 30 degrees per day year round. Inexpensive instruments for measuring RH are notorious for bad calibration. IE three different "calibrated" devices located a foot apart register up to 30 degree variation in temperature for wet bulb or dry bulb temps.

What type of instruments do you use to determine the relative humidity in your house? When I use humidification for my ukes: what precautions do I need to consider for the materials of the cases they are stored in? I know the ideal RH recommendations for wooden instruments is cited at 40% to 55%. I've read that in high RH conditions a very small change in RH ~ 5% has vastly different effects ie 80% to 75% RH drop has a different impact than 70% to 65% drop.

This is rather confusing to me. Of the five elements earth,air,fire,water, and wood; I understand wood the least. I see no reason why my ukuleles should have to suffer because of my ignorance.
 
I use a LaCrosse Weather Station with 2 remotes (they also have simpler/smaller/cheaper models). This gives me my house inside temp and humidity, outside the house temp and humidity and inside my uke cabinet temp and humidity. To check calibration I bring both remote sensors inside near the base unit. They all read within a couple of % RH of each other. I repeat the check in a steamy bathroom with same result.

large.jpg

http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/9037/index.php
 
I live in the land of humidity, but we do have gas heat, so I am keeping my instruments away from exterior walls and thinking of getting an essential oil ultrasonic diffuser to help with the humidity in our house.
 
It's very humid here in the summer, so there is no point putting humidifiers in the cases then. I just started humidifying last week. When it gets really dry, more than one humidifier goes into each case. My ukes are stored in a walk-in closet without any heating vents, so the temperatures and humidity don't change rapidly. An Oasis goes in the body and I have various other small humidifiers that can go in the headstock area. Planet Waves makes a nice one that's the perfect size.

I was able to get through last winter with no problems. I figure it was the worst case scenario weather-wise, so I must be doing something right.
 
Sometimes I think the Oasis people would not eat without my business. :)

Having had an unfortunate experience with a uke two years ago, I've become quite obsessive about both case and room humidity.

Anyway, yes, time to start filling things more often. My room humidifier, which goes year-round, needs to be refilled about every 24 hours during the heating season, but only about every two weeks in the summer. The room usually runs about 45 to 55%, and that pretty much matches the in-case measurements.
 
Living in the Great Mojave as I do, one of driest plases on Earth, I am seriously concerned about keeping my Ukuleles properly humidified. I keep a Herco in each case, and hang a Humistat in each sound hole. I find that I have to replenish the water about every 10 days. If I let it go for 2 weeks, some of them will have run dry.
 
At the risk of being called a Ukulele Heretic, I must ask why does everyone insist on buying solid Ukes? I can see why Jake and others might need one, both for looks and for sound (?). I have one with a solid top and one solid one, and I don't think I'll buy anymore solids. A number of Ukers on this forum have howled about cracked Ukes.

All my Ukes sound okay to me except for the mistakes. My old ears can't hear anything wrong with any of them except that the Banjoleles are a bit loud. Also, I've seen some really nice looking Ukes that aren't solids.

I don't like problems. I'd much rather just grab a Uke and whale away at it. Putting them all in cases and filling hydrometers with water and checking them and the room humidifier is just too much of a pain. And then they still might crack!

Again, if I was a young person, hot to be a professional, or playing at open mikes all over town, or even someone who can hear the difference between Koa and plywood, maybe it would be different. Any of you other oldies agree with me?

Up with Plywood! :eek:ld:
 
IamNoMan said:
What constitutes "really dry"?
Click to expand...

When the hygrometers in my cases tell me one humidifier isn't cutting it--that is, if the humidity is reading at 40% or below, it's time to augment the Oasis.

Down Up Dick said:
At the risk of being called a Ukulele Heretic, I must ask why does everyone insist on buying solid Ukes? I can see why Jake and others might need one, both for looks and for sound (?). I have one with a solid top and one solid one, and I don't think I'll buy anymore solids. A number of Ukers on this forum have howled about cracked Ukes.

All my Ukes sound okay to me except for the mistakes. My old ears can't hear anything wrong with any of them except that the Banjoleles are a bit loud. Also, I've seen some really nice looking Ukes that aren't solids.

I don't like problems. I'd much rather just grab a Uke and whale away at it. Putting them all in cases and filling hydrometers with water and checking them and the room humidifier is just too much of a pain. And then they still might crack!

Again, if I was a young person, hot to be a professional, or playing at open mikes all over town, or even someone who can hear the difference between Koa and plywood, maybe it would be different. Any of you other oldies agree with me?

Up with Plywood! :eek:ld:
Click to expand...

Oh, I'll answer!

Starting off, I'm sure your hearing is better than mine. I'm 100% deaf in my left ear and have recurring tinnitus in my right ear. Can I still hear the difference between my koa soprano and my plywood one? Yep. It's not snobbery or anything like that. I don't have any customs, I only have 3 ukes (which, around UU, is a pittance) and my nicest one still cost less than $1000. I also have played clarinet and own both plastic/resin and solid wood models. They sound different, even when using the same mouthpiece. The wooden one resonates more.

It's not just hearing the difference between koa and plywood, it's also the build quality. Laminate ukes can sound great--my Kala soprano is very nice sounding when strummed. As you say, it "sounds okay." It's when I try to fingerpick I hear issues--intonation is certainly a big one. And it's not the setup, it's just that it's a cheap uke. (Another reason why my wooden clarinet sounds nicer--it's better made.) Setup can only do so much. Blackbird may be the exception when it comes to laminates, but those cost as much or more than solid wood factory-made ukes. I can buy a lot of humidifiers with the price difference. I don't find it too hard to fill humidifiers and check hygrometers, either. And there's more than one place in town I can take a ukulele if something happens to it. Instruments have to be repaired all the time; things happen. It's not the end of the world if there's a crack, IMO.
 
DownUpDick, you big old brother from another mother.......mom must have given me more sensitive ears. I can hear the difference between solid and laminate. I have two laminates that sound very good and I can leave them out all year round so I can grab a uke on a whim and wail away. But my solid wood instruments do sound better then their laminate brothers, more note seperation, more projection and sustain. I will never bet rid of those two laminates, they are that good but just like wine until you have really experienced something better you have no point of reference.

I keep all mine in hardcases with an Oasis soundhole humidifer.
 
Down Up Dick said:
At the risk of being called a Ukulele Heretic, I must ask why does everyone insist on buying solid Ukes?
Click to expand...

Actually, I agree. Except, I love Kamakas and they only come in solid wood. My other Ukes are not solid. And when I was playing Guitar, I bought the Martin High Pressure Laminate models because of where I live. I just have to depend on the humidifiers and on Kamaka's well seasoned wood. Believe me, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
 
After one of my ukes cracked last year during a dry spell here in Los Angeles, I took a book shelf and converted it to a humid control cabinet. Sealed the edges with closed cell foam tape, put on plexiglass doors and have two trays for water at the bottom. I use a analog hygrometer and keep the humidity between 45 and 55 percent. Been working great for the last year.

1 Shelf.jpg
 
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mine are deployed 7/24/365...

I just keep oasis humidifiers in the cases for my C1K and CK-80. No humidistat, just make sure they're filled weekly at the very least. The Style 0 has been in AZ for years and seems to do fine kept in a case w/no humidification...I do put it near the humidifier when I start running it when it gets cold...maybe sometime in Dec.
 
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wayfarer75 said:
When the hygrometers in my cases tell me one humidifier isn't cutting it--that is, if the humidity is reading at 40% or below, it's time to augment the Oasis.



Oh, I'll answer!

Starting off, I'm sure your hearing is better than mine. I'm 100% deaf in my left ear and have recurring tinnitus in my right ear. Can I still hear the difference between my koa soprano and my plywood one? Yep. It's not snobbery or anything like that. I don't have any customs, I only have 3 ukes (which, around UU, is a pittance) and my nicest one still cost less than $1000. I also have played clarinet and own both plastic/resin and solid wood models. They sound different, even when using the same mouthpiece. The wooden one resonates more.

It's not just hearing the difference between koa and plywood, it's also the build quality. Laminate ukes can sound great--my Kala soprano is very nice sounding when strummed. As you say, it "sounds okay." It's when I try to fingerpick I hear issues--intonation is certainly a big one. And it's not the setup, it's just that it's a cheap uke. (Another reason why my wooden clarinet sounds nicer--it's better made.) Setup can only do so much. Blackbird may be the exception when it comes to laminates, but those cost as much or more than solid wood factory-made ukes. I can buy a lot of humidifiers with the price difference. I don't find it too hard to fill humidifiers and check hygrometers, either. And there's more than one place in town I can take a ukulele if something happens to it. Instruments have to be repaired all the time; things happen. It's not the end of the world if there's a crack, IMO.
Click to expand...

Preach! I'm also a clarinet player and there is no comparison in the sound, the quality, and the way the instrument will sing for you and with you when you are using a well-built wooden instrument. If I were as proficient on ukulele, I'm sure the differences would be just as glaring to me, but I can still feel and hear a difference between my solid instruments and my sons' laminate instruments. The laminates are very nice, especially for the price we paid, but my solid wood instruments are easier to play, more in tune, and have better tone/sustain.
 
Well, to each his/her own I guess, but one doesn't need a Stradivarius to fiddle out Turkey in the Straw. Again, if I was someone like Jake I'd want the very best uke possible, and I'd probably have someone to humidify it for me.

To humidify or not to humidify, that is the question. :eek:ld:
 
Down Up Dick said:
Well, to each his/her own I guess, but one doesn't need a Stradivarius to fiddle out Turkey in the Straw. Again, if I was someone like Jake I'd want the very best uke possible, and I'd probably have someone to humidify it for me.

To humidify or not to humidify, that is the question. :eek:ld:
Click to expand...

I hardly equate my Kelii and Kamaka ukes with a Stradivarius. Just because a uke is made of solid wood doesn't mean it's ridiculously expensive or requires constant hovering to make sure it's properly humidified. And for what it's worth, my plywood Kala gets a humidifier too, so the fretboard doesn't shrink. I don't want the frets to stick out.
 
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