Humidity and ukulele's

Keef

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I'm confused what is the best way to store you're uke most things like to be kept dry are ukes different?
 
Too arid worse than too humid.
 
What about taking one out of an air conditioned taking it outside where it's muggy then back to the a/c like taking it to the beach then home every weekend
 
I took my recently acquired Kamaka in for some rehab today. The shop is going to humidify it for about a week before doing any work.
By the way, Acoustic Vibes shop is even more mind blowing than their website!
 
Get a humidifier for your case when indoors in AC room and keep 'ukulelee cased when not in use. Laminates are allot more stable dimensionally than solid woods so not as effected by severe changes in humidity though even they can form cracks in the top veneer if neglected. Solid wood of cousre will move plenty depending on humidity but arid air will dry it out enough to crack if left too long. I hear some guys in drier climate will even hang their 'ukulele in the bathroom while they shower. In areas where winter is severe, cold, and dry can have more negative impact on wood than summer heat. I'm spoiled living in Hawai'i where the humidity is so consistent that we rarely if ever have to worry about humidity.

How's Florida's humidity compared to Hawai'i? I'm guessing it's similar so the whole issue may be a moot one.
 
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Florida is known for having high humidity, Arizona for being dry.

I'm in SoCal, our humidity is relatively stable, not too high, not too low. I've never used a humidifier with any of my wooden instruments (including guitars and mandolins) and have never had a problem.

But I totally agree with Ahnko Honu about keeping instruments cased when not in use. You might like showing off your ukes on a wall rack, but they subject them to more of the whims of nature (and your use of air conditioning/heater).
 
This is all very good to know I still need to get a case but other than that I think I'm good
here in florida it is mostly humid
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In Hawaii you have just about every climate known yes even snow depending where you are
 
I've got a Herco. Some folks make their own.
There are several types of humidifiers to keep in the case or in the uke.
 
What about taking one out of an air conditioned taking it outside where it's muggy then back to the a/c like taking it to the beach then home every weekend

I talked to you about this a month ago and you didn't have a care in the world about taking your sceptre to the beach! lol...
 
I talked to you about this a month ago and you didn't have a care in the world about taking your sceptre to the beach! lol...
true very true but Im gaining respect for it who knows I might even learn how to play it :)
 
Check some reviews on Amazon or ask a local shop what they recommend. I've seen guys "make" there own using a sponge and a zip lock baggy with some holes in it. Basically gives the same affect only a little more ghetto.

The important thing to remember about any wooden anything is that wood will move. Builders (should) take this into account when they build. However, prolonged exposure to dry (under 30% relative humidity) or humid (50% or better) can make even the best built item break under the pressure. (And there can be an amazing amount of pressure in even the smallest amounts of wood and even without strings attached.)

It's hard to get a good grip on what exactly is the rule-of-thumb for a humidity level of the guitar/ukulele itself. According to this PDF from Taylor Guitars, they build in relative 47% humidity and suggest that you keep your guitar constantly in that relative area by use of a sound hole humidifier. I'm going to go with them on this as my suggestion.

~DB
 
I'll pass along some advice on humidity and solid wood instruments that I got awhile back. I've had a solid spruce top/mahogany back and sides Martin D15 custom guitar for 4 years, and so far no obvious humidity problems that I can tell. I live Illinois where we go from 90+ degree F summers and 70%+ humidity to negative temperatures in the winter with extremely low humidity outside.

When you move your instrument from one climate to another (indoors to outdoors, outdoors to indoors, etc) always keep it in a hard case. Let the instrument adjust to the climate in the case for an hour or two before opening it. This lets the instrument slowly adapt to the humidity/temperature level with the case acting to prevent extreme swings in climate - the humidity will slowly creep into the case, acclimating the instrument to it's environment.

You just really want to avoid going from extremes. Let the instrument adapt.

I've heard laminates are way better than solid woods as far as getting damaged by humidity, and i have a laminate top/side guitar that i've literally taken all over and not cared much about babying it. It's an Alvarez RD8, was my first acoustic, and is my "take anywhere" guitar. It shows no obvious signs of distress despite going from inside to outside and cracked open immediately outside in the summer, spring, and fall. it's also flown in the cargo hold of an airplane and had no issues as a result.
 
What kind of case humidifier do you recommend. I live in DRY country!

I really like the Planet Wave humidifiers available from Amazon. Their guitar model fits between the strings and hangs in the body, and I really wish they made that style for ukes. The one they make for smaller instruments clips inside the case. They both work great up here in the high desert where the humidity often drops well below 20% for extended periods. I also have a Herco, and tube type that is made for violins that goes inside the body but they don't hold much water and have to be checked much more often.
 
Keef, you have no worries. I live on the gulf coast , around Houston/Galveston area. High, high humidity. All I have ever watched out for is leaving a instrument in a car in the summer. or any warm around here.
I hang my instruments on a inside wall yr round. and have never had any problems.
While I cant imagine taking that beautiful uke of yours to the beach,but when I take a uke ,, I just make sure its covered with a white towel when I go into the water , and leave it on the beach. unfortunately , low humidity will never be a problem here
Steve
 
Keef,

Anything warm and moist can be a breading ground for mold. The lesson there is to make sure that you keep your humidifier's sponge or filter clean and never (double that; never) store any instrument in an environment that already has a bad mold problem. (For instance, don't store them in shower where the mold grows in between the tiles.)

~DB
 
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