Is this even possible? (Fret ends adjusting)

Chopped Liver

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So, on Thursday, my new Flight arrived! :D. The review is here (post #7 under bazmaz's review).

When I was checking it out, I rubbed my hand along the neck edge and noticed the fret ends were sticking out slightly. Not enough to cut but you could definitely feel them. I checked the fretboard and it looked dry. So, I ordered so fretboard butter from Uke Republic. It has not arrived yet.

BUT . . . what I noticed yesterday is that those ends are not really sticking out any more. They are just as they should be.

Is it possible that the humidity in my area has changed that? It came from Arkansas and I am in NC. We've had a lot of rain lately.

Just wondering . . .
 
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Yes, that's exactly what happened: there is a lot more moisture in the air where you live. The dry wood absorbs some of that moisture and the fretboard swells ever so slightly. The sharp fret ends are now buried in the wood and you don't feel them anymore.

Congrats on you new pineapple. I'm sure that this one will get lots of love!
 
Yes, that's exactly what happened: there is a lot more moisture in the air where you live. The dry wood absorbs some of that moisture and the fretboard swells ever so slightly. The sharp fret ends are now buried in the wood and you don't feel them anymore.

Congrats on you new pineapple. I'm sure that this one will get lots of love!

Thanks! I do love it already! It makes me want to play! Haven't felt that in years!
 
Congrats on your new uke. I hope you enjoy playing it!

However, it's likely that the next time you have drier conditions (particularly in cooler weather when the heater is running), the wood will contract again and the frets will start to stick out. The easiest way to prevent this is to store your ukulele in a case with a humidifier (and keep it filled regularly). There's a ton of info available here and other online sources on the proper use of a humidifier, including do-it-yourself solutions.

(Fretboard butter/oil/conditioner will make your fretboard look nice, but it will not solve the humidity issue.)
 
Congrats on your new uke. I hope you enjoy playing it!

However, it's likely that the next time you have drier conditions (particularly in cooler weather when the heater is running), the wood will contract again and the frets will start to stick out. The easiest way to prevent this is to store your ukulele in a case with a humidifier (and keep it filled regularly). There's a ton of info available here and other online sources on the proper use of a humidifier, including do-it-yourself solutions.

(Fretboard butter/oil/conditioner will make your fretboard look nice, but it will not solve the humidity issue.)

Thanks for the info. That is good to know.

Now a question: the solid wood Pono stays in its case (I never play it) and has no humidifier and is fine. (I've had it for three or four years).

Here is my concern with humidifiers: I am afraid that it will get too moist and mold will grow. (I actually found a spot of mold in one closet - EEK!)
 
Instrument humidifiers are basically designed to be self-regulating such that they can't add moisture to air that's already too moist. not really a concern IME. But you can also just keep an eye on them and adjust their use as needed year-round. No need to have one in the case when humidity is high during the summer, for instance.

Paying attention to humidity and keeping it adjusted in the instrument's case will be a better solution long term than adding "butter" or other oil products to the fretboard. Non-drying oils don't really tend to change the moisture absorption characteristics of wood very much, and they can make future repair work more complicated (because they're essentially a contaminant). And at any rate, if you're getting humidity changes drastic enough to cause fret sprout, you really need to make sure you're protecting the entire instrument, not just the fretboard. Frets sticking out is an annoyance but not really a serious or irreversible issue. If the instrument is going through humidity cycles drastic enough to cause fret sprout, then the thing you really need to start getting concerned about is the structural integrity of the top, the braces, etc. because humidity changes can cause serious issues there.

Then again you may find that the humidity in your environment is constant enough that you don't need to do anything. The best way to know is to check with a meter. The new instrument may have reacted like it did due to conditions where it came from, or during transit and you may find that it's okay in your home without any added humidity. I moved to a new home a few years ago and no longer have to use humidifiers in cases since I'm sitting right at ideal conditions year-round now.
 
Thanks for the info. That is good to know.

Now a question: the solid wood Pono stays in its case (I never play it) and has no humidifier and is fine. (I've had it for three or four years).

Here is my concern with humidifiers: I am afraid that it will get too moist and mold will grow. (I actually found a spot of mold in one closet - EEK!)

The first thing to do is get yourself a hygrometer (a fancy name for a humidity meter) and regularly monitor the humidity in the room where the uke is stored. If it's between 40% - 60%, you're good. Above or below for an extended period needs remedial action.

You can purchase an inexpensive, digital hygrometer for $10-$15. It's a cheap investment that can save you hundreds of $$$.
 
Instrument humidifiers are basically designed to be self-regulating such that they can't add moisture to air that's already too moist. not really a concern IME. But you can also just keep an eye on them and adjust their use as needed year-round. No need to have one in the case when humidity is high during the summer, for instance.

Paying attention to humidity and keeping it adjusted in the instrument's case will be a better solution long term than adding "butter" or other oil products to the fretboard. Non-drying oils don't really tend to change the moisture absorption characteristics of wood very much, and they can make future repair work more complicated (because they're essentially a contaminant). And at any rate, if you're getting humidity changes drastic enough to cause fret sprout, you really need to make sure you're protecting the entire instrument, not just the fretboard. Frets sticking out is an annoyance but not really a serious or irreversible issue. If the instrument is going through humidity cycles drastic enough to cause fret sprout, then the thing you really need to start getting concerned about is the structural integrity of the top, the braces, etc. because humidity changes can cause serious issues there.

Then again you may find that the humidity in your environment is constant enough that you don't need to do anything. The best way to know is to check with a meter. The new instrument may have reacted like it did due to conditions where it came from, or during transit and you may find that it's okay in your home without any added humidity. I moved to a new home a few years ago and no longer have to use humidifiers in cases since I'm sitting right at ideal conditions year-round now.

Good info, thanks.
 
The first thing to do is get yourself a hygrometer (a fancy name for a humidity meter) and regularly monitor the humidity in the room where the uke is stored. If it's between 40% - 60%, you're good. Above or below for an extended period needs remedial action.

You can purchase an inexpensive, digital hygrometer for $10-$15. It's a cheap investment that can save you hundreds of $$$.

OK, I will do that. Going to surfing for one now . . .
 
I know my little Flight is a laminate and won't be affected as easily, but it is thin laminate. Besides, I really like this uke and I want to keep it safe. Yes, I could get another one if something happens to it, but it wouldn't be this uke. And if you are going to get one, you should take care of it.

I'm attached to it already . . . :rolleyes::cool:
 
I have four Pono tenors (don't ask) of various ages, and I have found that because of their robust builds they seem to be less susceptible to humidity changes than other solid wood tenors. That does not mean they are immune to the changes.

Fret ends protruding is one of the first signs that the air is too dry for your instrument. The air can also be too damp as well. Which can cause the body to ripple and fret wires to be pushed up by the swelling wood. I put all of my ukes in their cases with humidpacks this summer because the relative humidity here in Mid-Wisconsin was staying at 60 percent plus. Even with A/C. And the sound boards on two of my tenors were warping a bit. They have since returned to their previous shapes.

There are two ways to handle humidity:
1. Control the humidity in the room with air conditioning (or dehumidifier) and a humidifier. (Cool evaporation is best. I like the ones with an electronic control that maintains the humidity to the level you set.) Use a room hygrometer to monitor the RH.
2. Control the humidity in the case with a humidifier like an Oasis (you have to refill it with distilled water) or a Humidpack (absorbs and releases moisture). One thing to be aware of is that the 45% Guitar Humidpacks start out maintaining a 50% humidity and at the end of their life keep it at about 40%. I use one pack in a case. The material inside the Humidpacks crystallizes as it gets older and you are supposed to replace the packs then. This summer I had removed the old packs and had them sitting out for a couple of weeks before disposing them and they all "reliquefied!" (I'll use them again and see if they continue to work.)

If you make a schedule to check your case humidifiers once a week, it's pretty easy to keep your ukes happy.
 
THANKS! I'll go check those out!

Far far better than the D'Addario and some of the others that require weekly (or more often) checking and refilling with distilled water, purchase and use a Boveda Two-Way Humidity Pack... I have them in every one of my cases. Using a hygrometer I check each case and they keep the case 'seasoned' to between 40% and 60%.... Good for a full year cycle ( I don't need them in the more humid summer - I keep them in a zip bag then ) they run about $16.00 US for a pack of 4 (single ones are available, but buy the four pack... it's sealed). The one for musical instruments is the 49% 70 gram. When you go to the Boveda website, under Products, select Wood instruments.
use->
https://bovedainc.com/

No, I'm not enrolled in any affiliate program, I just love the simplicity of a product that works. When I saw that they are recommended by makers of highend acoustic classical guitars I looked further. There's also dozens of reviews on YouTube.
 
I know my little Flight is a laminate and won't be affected as easily, but it is thin laminate. Besides, I really like this uke and I want to keep it safe. Yes, I could get another one if something happens to it, but it wouldn't be this uke. And if you are going to get one, you should take care of it.

I'm attached to it already . . . :rolleyes::cool:
Glad you're enjoying the new uke. I've been pretty tempted by some of the Flight ukes myself. I really like a lot of their designs. I did own one of their laminated and plastic travel ukes once which was really great for the price.
Laminates do usually have solid wood bracing. Good on your for taking care of it. I'm the same way with my instruments. To each his/her own of course.

Other than the D'addario humidipak you can also go straight to the source: Boveda (edit: just noticed these were mentioned above too already).. D'addario just rebrands their packs, unless something has changed. They are the same. I got the Boveda last time.. I can't remember if it was direct from them or from Amazon.
 
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So, before I buy any of these, I think I might need a hard case. It doesn't seem like these would be very good in the fabric case it came in.
 
So, before I buy any of these, I think I might need a hard case. It doesn't seem like these would be very good in the fabric case it came in.
There is a cheap alternative. You can close up the uke bag with uke inside in a large plastic garbage bag or similar...Just twist the top around some and tuck it down or whatever to make sure it seals up. Even hard cases leak some air, so to speak. Sure it's not elegant, but it'll get the job done.
 
Thanks for the info. That is good to know.

Now a question: the solid wood Pono stays in its case (I never play it) and has no humidifier and is fine. (I've had it for three or four years).

Here is my concern with humidifiers: I am afraid that it will get too moist and mold will grow. (I actually found a spot of mold in one closet - EEK!)

If your solid wood Pono never experienced any issues over the years, then I wouldn't bother with worrying about adding a humidifier.

Your new uke was probably not stored well at the store and during shipping. The day it's spent at your home helped it get back to a good state. So, everything should be fine without any humidifiers. Adding a humidifier is just going to be unnecessary (and you have to use distilled water, so that's another item to keep around).

Since your new uke was excessively dry, your idea of fretboard butter (which I assume is fretboard oil?; I use Dunlop Lemon Oil on my guitars) is good. You're supposed to oil the fretboard once a year or 2 anyway, so your Pono can probably use some too.
 
There is a cheap alternative. You can close up the uke bag with uke inside in a large plastic garbage bag or similar...Just twist the top around some and tuck it down or whatever to make sure it seals up. Even hard cases leak some air, so to speak. Sure it's not elegant, but it'll get the job done.

WHAT?! Put my beautiful whale ukulele in a garbage bag?!?!?!?!:eek::p

I do have a large plastic storage bin with a lid that I could put it in.
 
If your solid wood Pono never experienced any issues over the years, then I wouldn't bother with worrying about adding a humidifier.

Your new uke was probably not stored well at the store and during shipping. The day it's spent at your home helped it get back to a good state. So, everything should be fine without any humidifiers. Adding a humidifier is just going to be unnecessary (and you have to use distilled water, so that's another item to keep around).

Since your new uke was excessively dry, your idea of fretboard butter (which I assume is fretboard oil?; I use Dunlop Lemon Oil on my guitars) is good. You're supposed to oil the fretboard once a year or 2 anyway, so your Pono can probably use some too.

Yes, I have wondered this, too. The Pono has not suffered. But it probably wouldn't hurt to baby my ukes a little more.

After doing some research here and elsewhere, I chose to get some LoPrinzi Fingerboard Conditioner from Uke Republic.
 
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