Humidifer or no humidifer
- Thread starter thtukeguy
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Rick Turner
Well-known member
You probably don't need to humidify, knowing how much water there is around you, but the question is not based on where you are, it's based on what the average ambient humidity is where you are. If the range doesn't often drop below 40%, you're fine. I'm here in Santa Cruz, right on Monterey Bay, and I don't even consider humidifying, though the wineries here do to prevent too much alcohol from evaporating through the oak barrels.
Do a Google search for your weather patterns.
Do a Google search for your weather patterns.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
The thing about Hawaii is that we have little variation in our daily climate. We certainly have no winter and with rare exception we have no A/C either. On the Mainland and elsewhere winter temperature and air conditioners can really dry out the air. The conditions in your home, where the uke is kept, can be far different from what it is outside and that's what you should be monitoring. Assuming you have a way to measure the humidity, keep an eye on it for a while. If you see if falling you can always throw a wet sponge in a Ziplock bag that has some holes punched in it.
PoiDog
Well-known member
Better to humidify than not.
Unless, of course, you over-humidify. In which case it may be better not to humdify.
Dang. This is tougher than I thought.
Listen to Chuck. I have a feeling he may know a bit about what he's talking about
Unless, of course, you over-humidify. In which case it may be better not to humdify.
Dang. This is tougher than I thought.
Listen to Chuck. I have a feeling he may know a bit about what he's talking about
For a nice uke like that you should really spend the $27 to be able to monitor the room's humidity. As Chuck said, the humidity inside can be very different than outside if you run a furnace or AC. Here's a hygrometer that's nice:
http://elderly.com/accessories/items/OGH2.htm
Hope this helps
http://elderly.com/accessories/items/OGH2.htm
Hope this helps
Rick Turner
Well-known member
I think a lot of folks worry too much about this. If you don't get a lot of sub 35% days, just don't sweat it. I never keep my instruments in cases, I never humidify, I don't worry when taking ukes on the road unless it's going to be ridiculously dry. Sure, there are situations that are bad, but a good instrument made with properly dried wood should be OK in Vancouver.
As was said, the best bang for the buck would be a humidity meter so you actually know what is going on.
As was said, the best bang for the buck would be a humidity meter so you actually know what is going on.
coolkayaker1
Well-known member
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...-Extremely-Effective-(too-effective-)-Humidor!
Here's how I do it when the humidity is under 35% in my house. Basically, a variant on Chuck Moore's sponge idea.
Here's how I do it when the humidity is under 35% in my house. Basically, a variant on Chuck Moore's sponge idea.
BR Ukuleles
Well-known member
I grew up on the West Coast a bit north of Vancouver. You simply would never need to humidify an instrument there. If you take a trip inland to say Kelowna in the winter then it's a good idea.
My wife wants to move back to California, Rick - she says it is way too dry here. (Upstate NY). She also isn't used to it being green in the summer, and doesn't like that frozen water that sometimes falls from the sky.
In the winter, the humidity can drop to 10% easily - inside the house, using hot water heat (baseboards and cast iron radiators) it easily drops to 30% on those dry days. We use an ultrasonic humidifier in the bedroom, and I use homemade humidifiers in the cases for the ukes. - I also have a Herco with my KoAloha Sceptre. In the summer, when relative humidity can be 75-80% and up, I don't need a humidifier My biggest worry then is sweating on the instruments.
My Waverly Street Uke had developed a crack in the soundboard shortly after I bought it, before I got a good hardshell case for it. Now, I keep a small homemade humidifier in the case, and a DampIt guitar humidifier in the instrument - the crack has closed nicely, and while I can't feel it, I know where it is.
O/n/c/e/ If we ever get back to San Jose, I think I'll be able to cut back on my humidification regimen.
-Kurt
Pukulele Pete
Well-known member
Check this out http://www.zorb-it.com/
thanks for all the responses, i'm a lil confused about how the whole sponge thing works and a lil worried by it, i think that the first thing i should defiantly do tho is find out the humidity inside my house, i never thought about the fact of humidity being so different inside due to AC and what not, i'm quite the dunce XD. Also how would a sponge and bag work if i plan to keep my ukulele for the most part wall hung or on a stand or just in general out, or is it only reasonable to have it in the cases to keep it humidity wise safe.
BR Ukuleles
Well-known member
Don't over think this. You live on the wet west coast. You'd have to work very hard to get the house to dry out enough to ever be an issue, even in the dead of winter with everything shut up tight and the wood stove on. In the summer you have the off shore breeze coming direct from Hawaii. The greatest concern for you will be that the uke develops a serious case of home sickness when those winds come in and packs it's self off to the airport for a direct flight home.
BashfulPuppet
Well-known member
I've lived in upstate NY and currently live in western MA and it does get very dry during the heating season. Never worried about until a couple of years ago when I noticed a crack in my guitar. After that I started using a homemade humidifier in the case. Another thing that helped was starting drying our clothes on a drying rack in the house. With a household of six thats about a load every day. The moisture from the clothes humidifies the house and not using the dryer saved us about $1000 (who knew a dryer cost so much to run?). Didnt worry about the guitars humidifier and everything still seems ok.
seneystretch
Well-known member
> i'm a lil confused about how the whole sponge thing works and a lil worried by it,.[/QUOTE]
I bought a couple of $5 humid/temp gauges at the hardware store and hung them up, have a third glued inside the case.
I've tried different humidifiers but the most useful is a homemade one. I snitched a small piece of flower foam from an arrangement (or a florist will give you a chunk) and placed it in a perforated zipper bag made for veggies. Dampen the foam, it soaks up (and holds without dripping) water like crazy, and clip it to the inside of the case.
I have a heating season that runs from late October into April and the indoor RH dips into the 20%s for weeks on end. Inside the case stays in the 40%s and 50%s. My cheap ukulele just gets stuck in a trash bag with the flower foam so the frets will stay put.
I bought a couple of $5 humid/temp gauges at the hardware store and hung them up, have a third glued inside the case.
I've tried different humidifiers but the most useful is a homemade one. I snitched a small piece of flower foam from an arrangement (or a florist will give you a chunk) and placed it in a perforated zipper bag made for veggies. Dampen the foam, it soaks up (and holds without dripping) water like crazy, and clip it to the inside of the case.
I have a heating season that runs from late October into April and the indoor RH dips into the 20%s for weeks on end. Inside the case stays in the 40%s and 50%s. My cheap ukulele just gets stuck in a trash bag with the flower foam so the frets will stay put.
Harold O.
Well-known member
What they all said.
...or get yourself something like this case. It isn't airtight, so there's little chance of things growing in there, but you can readily control the smaller space than you can a big room. Just use a basic passive humidifier. And you can show off your pretty uke.
...or get yourself something like this case. It isn't airtight, so there's little chance of things growing in there, but you can readily control the smaller space than you can a big room. Just use a basic passive humidifier. And you can show off your pretty uke.
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stevepetergal
Well-known member
Here's what I think you should do. Call Koaloha and tell them that you received the instrument NEW, as a gift. But, you received it without the required humidifier. This is very important. Give them the serial nimber or the build date stamped inside the uke and buy one from them, whatever they recommend. They may agree to honor the "better than the weather" warrantee. Normally, you are required to prove you bought a humidifier with the ukulele for this perc. I'd do it today!!!!
callmemario
Well-known member
OOOOHH great idea. Thanks for the reference!
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