Zero Humidity Environment, oh no!

AirCanuck

AirCanuck

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Hey Guys,

Well my Ukulele has arrived and it is fantastic, what a wonderful smell. But now my frightening part. MGM included some care instructions in his wonderful package, and this got me a bit worried. I work in the High Arctic in 2 week on, 2 week off rotations and would love to take my axe, or hatchet with me. I searched the forums about humidifiers but we're talking about a zero humidity environment here. My skin cracks and bleeds if I don't hit the moisturizers daily. Any good advice about an ultra-dry environment? Even the "leave the uke at home" opinion is appreciated! Thanks guys!

Neil
 
Yep! You said it yourself. Leave your good one at home where it will come to no harm, and take a cheapo Makala to the North Pole. You can leave it there. I doubt if it will come to any harm.

Ukantor.
 
ukantor said:
Yep! You said it yourself. Leave your good one at home where it will come to no harm, and take a cheapo Makala to the North Pole. You can leave it there. I doubt if it will come to any harm.

Ukantor.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to agree with this one. It's not worth the risk if to bring a good uke up there. Get a cheap Kala Dolphin from MGM and take that up.

-UM :shaka:
 
I guess that explains your avatar photo. At first I thought you had a cat wrapped around your head.

If I were you I would bring an inexpensive laminate like one from Kala or Makala. The new Makala Dolphin Bridge uke now has a plastic body and sound board. Maybe bring extra strings in case the weather conditions make them brittle.

–Lori
 
Leaving it at home would probably be best but...

An all-plastic instrument would be ideal. A Flea with a plastic fretboard or the new half-plastic Makala dolphin would probably be a good substitute since either has a lot less wood than a regular uke. That would make whatever attempts you make at humidifying the case go a lot further.

This is just idle thought, but it might be helpful:

You might be able to cut the dry-out rate by putting the instrument and a humidifier in its case and sealing the case in a Ziploc Big Bag at all times except when removing or replacing the instrument. That way, the humidifier will only be trying to equalize with the air in the bag and not the entire North Pole. You could also make a very large version of Aldrine's Pez dispenser humidifer to go in the bag.


--Mark
 
Hola From AbQ New Mexico

I live in new mexico so I know all about it we have like tops 5% humidity at all times I have 3 herco's and run a cool mist at all times I get about 40% humidity in my closet at all times yet I do take her out I may need a Fluke or a flea OmG UAS is kicking in LOL
 
Utah's awfully dry--second driest state in the country--so I LITERALLY keep my ukuleles in their cases with humidifiers when I am not actively playing them. I have Oasis humidifiers in some of my cases and in one week, they can dry out and shrivel to the point where they actually stick to themselves. The herco seems better, but it takes punishment, too.

I wouldn't take a solid wood uke into the icebox where you're going. I don't think you could win the humidity war.
 
I've got a KA-S that just arrived today, it's been friendly to me so far and we're bonding quickly! I am going to go talk to the local music store tomorrow and see what they have to fight dryness. I also saw a little 30 dollar instrument there initially, that I may just go pick up to play while I perch at the end of the earth.

The humidity up there is pretty high right now, but will plunge once the temperature dips below the -30/-40 degree area.

The advice is well received. Thanks again!
 
If you get the $30 uke maybe consider some good strings with it. I bought my kids Mahalo ukes last Christmas and the quality of sound is quite bad.
 
That KA-S you have should do you just fine..

Mine has traveled all around the 4 Corners in a backpack and being a laminate with no humidifier, my only cocern was that the fret board might shrink up and expose the fret ends making them feel sharp and that hasnt happend in over a year of abuse.
When I am not carrying it around it hangs on the wall.

As some of us know the 4 Corners area is so low in humidity that the bread in your sandwich drys out as you eat it!!!!!

Make that KA-S your beater, slap some Aquilla concert strings and save your $$$ for a leave at home Uke...
 
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