Humidity in Southern California

jinsk90

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Does anyone in Southern California face humidity issues? Its been getting a little bit warm lately and I've noticed the humidity is dropping in my hydrometer, even though I have a PlanetWave Humidifier inside my case. Will surrounding the case with a wet towel help?

Thanks.
 
I live in the San Diego area within (far) view of the ocean and have always kept my guitars and ukes out of the case on stands with no humidifiers and no problems. YMMV (my legal disclaimer).
 
Sometimes, just sometimes I feel so lucky to live Hawaii where humidity is pretty consistent so nobody even has to think about it, we just sweat all day. :shaka:
 
I'm in Huntington Beach, never even thought about it. Ukes in cases and hanging on the walls, no problem.
 
Oh yea its getting pretty hot over here. I usually leave my uke and my bass in its case and my guitar is usually sitting around somewhere not in its case. im not sure if thats a good thing or bad thing other than getting stratched.
 
I live near the beach in SB so I don't have any problems. But I used to live in SD and I know it can get pretty dry inland. Did you try putting another humidifier in the case?

On another forum I read about a guy who warped his uke by putting a humdifier in a hermetically sealed case. I guess he didn't realize that with that kind of seal, nothing is coming in and nothing is getting out so it was probably near 100% humidity. But he had locked it in there for a week. If you were to get a hermetically sealed case, you can do the same but you need to open it probably every day to let the excess moisture out. THIS IS JUST A THEORY so don't sue me if it doesn't work. lol

EDIT: I think the guy actually warped a violin, not a uke. Doesn't really matter though.
 
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in and out of a case

We live about 4 miles from the ocean, and we get those dry Santa Ana winds from time to time. I have only had my ukuleles now for a few months, but they are laminates, and I don't think I have to worry so much. But my husband bought a semi-hollow bodied electric guitar last August, and it appears that the humidity changes may have changed the bow of the neck. He keeps it in the case when not in use (without a humidifier), to protect it from the dust and sun, and because there is not enough room for it to sit out on a stand safely. Anyway, one guy from the music store said that it was better to leave the instrument out, so that it can adjust to the humidity changes gradually. I guess the concept is that when it goes from the case environment to the room environment, it is more of a shock to the instrument. We will seek out a second opinion on this idea, and see if his guitar needs re-adjusting. Any thoughts on this theory?
–Lori
 
Does anyone in Southern California face humidity issues? Its been getting a little bit warm lately and I've noticed the humidity is dropping in my hydrometer, even though I have a PlanetWave Humidifier inside my case. Will surrounding the case with a wet towel help?

Thanks.

Yep, just depends if you live near the beach or not. Usually 40-60% here in Huntington Beach. Inland it's up and down, depending on the santa ana winds, and the desert is, well, the desert ;o) (which I love too, btw).

If I lived inland I think I'd make a cabinet with humidifier to keep my solid ukes and guitars in.
 
When I read the title of the thread "Humidity in Souther California" I thought, my God someone found some humidity out there! Kind of like life discovered on Mars. I used to live in Chula Vista years ago and when them old Santa Anna winds blew that humidity had to be less than 15%. My dog, Sparky. split it was so dry.
 
Sometimes? i would kill to surf without having to throw on a wetsuit.

fugin says it! full of win this statement! i need a new wet suit to :confused:
 
Thanks for all the advise. Atleast its raining a little in So. Cal right now :)
 
8% humidity today in Los Angeles

I just checked the humidity level on the internet, and it is a warm, dry 8%. So, I am looking at the humidifiers, and they sometime say they work for seasonal humidity down to 25%. What do you do if you get 8% on a regular, seasonal basis?

We live in a leaky apartment, so room humidifiers will not help much, especially since we have no AC and have to keep the windows open when it gets hot like this.

Any recommendations?

Many Thanks!

–Lori
 
I just checked the humidity level on the internet, and it is a warm, dry 8%. So, I am looking at the humidifiers, and they sometime say they work for seasonal humidity down to 25%. What do you do if you get 8% on a regular, seasonal basis?

We live in a leaky apartment, so room humidifiers will not help much, especially since we have no AC and have to keep the windows open when it gets hot like this.

Any recommendations?

Many Thanks!

–Lori


Dominic posted in another thread that he put his ukes in a closet with a regular humidifier - the kind you get at the pharmacy. Maybe you can try that. Not sure what that would do to the other stuff in your closet though. You might want to take the other stuff out.
 
if only!

Dominic posted in another thread that he put his ukes in a closet with a regular humidifier - the kind you get at the pharmacy. Maybe you can try that. Not sure what that would do to the other stuff in your closet though. You might want to take the other stuff out.

What a luxury that would be! But with only 750 square feet (and lots of video, computer, music, and artist gear), the closets are full. Mold can be a problem in the bathroom, and I am allergic to mold. I just bought some Herco humidifiers, but now realize that it won't fit in the soprano case. I am considering the Oasis Plus for that one. I knew it got hot and dry around here but 7% is getting a little alarming. Hey it's up to 11% now. Weather channel and NBC say 11% but google says 19%. I thought that when it was hot and there were clouds in the sky it was humid. I guess not...?

–Lori
 
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