Ukulele Humidifier Questions, Recommendations and Logistics


Interesting idea. How well does it keep humidity up around 50% in the winter? Is it consistant? How often do you have to change them or put more water in?

A hygrometer just measures humidity, it doesn't do anything to change humidity levels. To change the humidity you'd need a humidifier, either a small one that fits in a case and humidifies the ukulele, or a larger one that would humidify the room. I think the point of the hygrometer suggestion was to take the guesswork out of knowing what the humidity in the room (or case) actually is.
 
I thought that in south Texas that humidity wouldn't be a problem so I keep my ukes on the wall. The winter freeze that we had earlier this year, combined with a loss of power meant that the humidity dropped to a low of 24% inside the house. I had fret sprout on one of the ukes. Now I keep two hygrometers ($10 from Amazon) on the wall with the ukes and keep an eye on humidity. I have hard cases and boveda packs ready for the spendy ones just in case.

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I recently picked up the boveda packs and use a 49% pack on top of the strings over the sound hole. I've only had it a few weeks, but I don't see any disadvantage to that position. My thinking is that it will provide better access to the surfaces inside the uke than smooshed into the area at the heel. I also use a D'Addario Humiditrack which uses an app-based interface to show temp and humidity fluctuations over time. It's interesting to see how the humidity moves after the uke goes back into the case after being played. Also how the numbers move when traveling with the uke in it's case. I'd guess this has to do with temperature effects. The humiditrack probably isn't the most accurate device, but I think it does a pretty good job of helping me keep the uke in the proper temp and humidity zones and understand how daily activities may affect this.
 
I'm curious. What hygrometer do you use?

Like the guy with more than one watch, I never know exactly what the real RH is.

I have an Extech digital hygrometer/thermometer combo. The airecare has a readout from it's built-in unit. I also have an analog hygrometer/thermometer combo from Stew-Mac. I periodically check the Extech and Stew-Mac against what the weather app on my phone says my RH is by putting them outside.

I don't obsess over humidity. My grandpa's 1880's German trade fiddle spent most of it's life in the high, dry mountains of NM where RH is often single digits with no humidification at all. It still plays and sounds great with no cracks or issues.
 
I don't obsess over humidity. My grandpa's 1880's German trade fiddle spent most of it's life in the high, dry mountains of NM where RH is often single digits with no humidification at all. It still plays and sounds great with no cracks or issues.

It's a good point mandobart.
 
I live in Buffalo. We're practically neighbors. On the advice of this message board I decided to keep my Ukes hanging on the wall in the basement in the summer where it's so humid that I keep a dehumidifier to keep the room at 45 percent, or else it would hit 70. In the winter, I use sound hole humidifier in cases. You don't have anything to worry about for the summer, just throw it in a case with a humidifier in the winter.
 
Humidity isn't a problem, except when it is. There is no need to impulsively hydrate when there isn't a need, but you only know if there's a need by using a hygrometer. Take the guesswork out of the equation.
 
A hygrometer just measures humidity, it doesn't do anything to change humidity levels. To change the humidity you'd need a humidifier, either a small one that fits in a case and humidifies the ukulele, or a larger one that would humidify the room. I think the point of the hygrometer suggestion was to take the guesswork out of knowing what the humidity in the room (or case) actually is.

Actually, I was asking how well the Miracle Grow water crystals keep the humidity to an acceptable level while storing the instruments in a cabinet. I'm fully aware what a hygrometer is used for.
 
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