So, tell me about this Humidity thing...

mythidiot

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As you've probably ascertained from the title of this post, I'm pretty new to this whole owning an instrument thing...

So I've had a few ukes for a few months and everything seems to be fine. I live in South Eastern Idaho in a basement. I'm not sure if that matters, but I like these ukes and I'd like to keep them nice... so my question is: do I need a humidifier in the room or in the case or something?

Thanks in advance for any help...

Oh, if it helps, I have an Ohana SK20S (Solid top, lam back and sides) and Ohana SK25Z (solid all around) photo 1.jpgstand.jpg
 
Someone will likely come along with a better answer but here is my take.

From my understanding, usually if you are comfortable the uke is, but they need to be kept at around 40% minimum. I live where it is usually 50-70% near the beach (at this moment it's 85%) , but still case mine with mostly Herco humidifiers, the cheaper one with clay as the moisture reservoir. In one old Kamaka's case I keep two. You laminate is less affected, but the solid top could conceivably show some shrinkage eventually as could the necks if the humidity isn't right.

You can get a hygrometer for the room where you keep them which measures humidity, I don't believe they cost too much, I just saw some on eBay selling in conjunction with Oasis humidifiers which are made for cased instruments. All but two of mine are cased with humidifiers and one of those is a CBU on I did notice that the koa neck shows some shrinkage by the frets sticking out a bit. It was made in Hawaii, and I've had it about a year and a half. So if you have a case just put in a humidifier.

If you leave them out and want to keep them that way, then you can go to the weather channel online and check the humidity for your area, that's a start, but if you run a heater or air conditioner in your abode it will dry out the air. So then you could run a humidifier but I am always nervous about mold.

So I would say the less worrisome take is a case with a humidifier for the solid, maybe take a chance on the laminate, depending on how much you like having a uke out on a stand, and how attached you are to that uke.

Or, if you start with the hygrometer, just keep them out and keep an eye on things. If your nose starts to feel dry inside or you are more thirsty than usual, the humidity is low! Boil a pot of water and let it cool in the room or run a hot bath, leave the door open and the tub drain plugged for awhile. ;)
 
Greetings from another high desert dweller, and former S. E. ID spud (I lived just down the highway from you in Blackfoot for quite a while). I agree with what Teek said and I find the easiest way to keep the humidity up for my solid ukes is the Planet Waves small instrument humidifiers (check Amazon), I also have a collection of Herco's and Humitron's but have found the Planet Waves to be the least work for the most benefit, but as Teek said the ukes need to be cased for them to work well. In the summer I just keep some of my ukes in my fish shop which has a pretty constant 50% humidity, but can't really recommend that, keeping a hundred or more Japanese Koi indoors is more work than I'd wish on anyone:)! I've found the cheap digital hygrometer/thermometers on eBay help give an idea of what the humidity is, I don't think they are increadibly accurate but seem good enough for our purposes.
 
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Howdy from the desert valley.
I got my Kala from MGM, he suggested a Herco, and I keep the uke in it's case with the humidifier. When I found the Kamaka, it was dehydrated, so Jeff at Acoustic Vibes kept it in a humidified room for a week before working on rehab. I got an Oasis humidifier specifically made for the ukulele that I stick in the Kamaka while it's in the case. A little more money, but worth it if only for peace of mind.
You can also make your own humidifers out of old plastic film containers and sponges.

Cheers!
 
Thanks for the help guys. I really appreciate hearing from people who've actually lived here too! UU is rad. I'll be heading over to amazon now...
 
FWIW-- I live in upstate NY. In the summer it gets very humid here, and indoors in the winter it's bone dry. I have NEVER humidified any instrument of any kind, including wooden pennywhistles, guitars, ukes, mandolins etc. Never had a lick of trouble, and I've been playing good quality instruments for about 45 years.
 
in extreme cases i would recommend a few things.

1. be sure you have a good hard case (if your uke is a precious one and you can foot the $$, Ameritage is the best I know of)
2. use one humidifier in the case itself (Ameritage cases suspend the uke in the center allowing good 'flow' of air internally)
3. be sure you purchase a hygrometer if your uke case doesn't come with one
4. be sure you check your humidifier and keep it moist (sounds like common sense but sometimes we all forget this part)
5. you can also use a violin humidifier and place it inside of the soundhole (i use this regularly since the inside of the uke tends to be where the wood is left unfinished and exposed to the elements.)

hope this helps some,
shawn

http://ukulelefriend.com
 
I even believe that if you use the air condition daily and heater at nights it will affect the the
stabilty of the wood in exteme cases...better be safe than sorry....
 
My mom has a lovely mid 60s Martin Baritone and was really offended that I bought a humidifier and put it in the case. The woman is a professional musician and was first violinist with a band for years. She said "I never had a humidifier with any of my instruments and they're all fine!"

Her Martin was in nice shape but for where the top had shrunk away from the tortoise binding on both sides at the waist, and for the fret wire ends being a little rough. :p
 
I realize how pathetic I have truly become when I'm happy to see mention of and actually rooting for Herco humidifiers. Not a bad form of pathetic though...
 
I realize how pathetic I have truly become when I'm happy to see mention of and actually rooting for Herco humidifiers. Not a bad form of pathetic though...
I don't think that's pathetic... I fall in love with certain products and get really excited when I hear people mention them...
 
I'm sure the hard cases work better and for a valuable vintage instrument I'd want one just for the protection aspect, but as far as humidifying I've found the rigid foam black (Uke Crazy type) cases work just fine. Especially with the Planet Waves humidifiers, but they do have to be checked regularly.
 
I've used a dampit for years with my guitars. During winter in Minnesota the guitar will start to buzz as the wood drys out. I wet the dampit and stick it in the soundhole and put the guitar in the case. By morning the buzzing is usually gone.
 
I'm sure the hard cases work better and for a valuable vintage instrument I'd want one just for the protection aspect, but as far as humidifying I've found the rigid foam black (Uke Crazy type) cases work just fine. Especially with the Planet Waves humidifiers, but they do have to be checked regularly.

I have 2 Uke Crazy cases for my Mainlands...
 
FWIW-- I live in upstate NY. In the summer it gets very humid here, and indoors in the winter it's bone dry. I have NEVER humidified any instrument of any kind, including wooden pennywhistles, guitars, ukes, mandolins etc. Never had a lick of trouble, and I've been playing good quality instruments for about 45 years.
I hear ya. :)

I own umpteen "good" wooden instruments and have never humidified anything here in SoCal. Granted, it's not Death Valley or a swamp, but I always put my instruments away in their cases when not in use and never had a problem.
 
I hear ya. :)

I own umpteen "good" wooden instruments and have never humidified anything here in SoCal. Granted, it's not Death Valley or a swamp, but I always put my instruments away in their cases when not in use and never had a problem.
I miss California. Unfortunately, South Eastern Idaho can have a 40-50 degree change in temperature in one day. From season to season its even worse, piles of snow in sub zero temps and warm summers. I haven't had a uke long, but I'm trying to prepare it for the coming winter... maybe I'll just move back to California :D
 
Something like a Flea or Fluke may be fine in fairly extreme conditions. All laminate ukes should also fare pretty well.

However, if you have a solid wood instrument of any kind then humidity is something to watch if possible. If the humidity is consistently 50% or above then you're unlikely to have problems. Certainly there is no need to humidify further above 60%, and it may be best not to.

If an instrument begins to dry out you can get problems such as cracks in the top, fret issues from fretboard shrinkage etc. It's not guaranteed to happen, but it does happen.

My good friend Paul has been very lucky to have kept instruments in such variable conditions for so many years without problems: especially during the bone dry periods! ;) .
 
I've used a dampit for years with my guitars. During winter in Minnesota the guitar will start to buzz as the wood drys out. I wet the dampit and stick it in the soundhole and put the guitar in the case. By morning the buzzing is usually gone.
Out of curiosity, would I use the mandolin size dampit or the guitar size dampit... unfortunately, I don't see a Uke-sized one.
 
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