D'Adarrio humidify paks on sale

ukeinfused

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
805
Reaction score
21
Location
st. paul, MN
Not a bad price on these! I've always wondered if the protective covers are really necessary for ukes? Probably yes if draping them over the strings, but I tend to only use the paks near the headstock. I've never covered them and haven't had an issue.
 
Last edited:
Not a bad price on these! I've always wondered if the protective covers are really necessary for ukes? Probably yes if draping them over the strings, but I tend to only use them near the headstock. I've never covered them and haven't had an issue.

So you think the body gets plenty of humidity even if positioned at the headstock?
I'm an anxious one... and MN is crazy dry mid sub-0 temps.
 
So you think the body gets plenty of humidity even if positioned at the headstock?
I'm an anxious one... and MN is crazy dry mid sub-0 temps.

I use a refillable oasis in the sound hole and a pk at the headstock.
 
Last edited:
So you think the body gets plenty of humidity even if positioned at the headstock?
I'm an anxious one... and MN is crazy dry mid sub-0 temps.

No. I used an Inkbird hygrometer to measure the RH in the body of an tenor ukulele in two different hard cases. I placed a new 49% Boveda Pack in the headstock area of the case, then a pack in the heel area, and then hanging inside the ukulele body from a string. (I used a Velcro-type cord tie to hold it in place.)

This was not a scientific, carefully-controlled experiment. I used an Inkbird hygrometer/thermometer that was +/- 1% of two larger hygrometers when measuring room RH. I also placed the packs inside a Boveda pouch. I left the case open for a day in order for the case to air out between measurements. Note, the lining materials in hardcases, and the wood in the construction of the Oahu I used for this can absorb moisture over a period of time. This experiment was probably too short for this to be an issue.

The RH inside the uke body read 22-25% with just a pack in the headstock location. (I had read a comment in an article that the storage compartment in most hard cases blocks the air in the head area from flowing to the body area. It seems to be true.

The RH inside the uke body read 43-47% with a pack placed in the case by the heel of the uke. I kind of cram it into the space.

The RH inside the uke body read 52-55% with a single pack hanging from the strings into the body of the tenor.

If you are worried about the pack providing enough humidity, I encourage you to get an hygrometer as well. The Inkbird remembers the highest and lowest readings as well as the current one.

The Boveda and the D'Addario pouches have a permeable coating inside the pouch that is supposed to prevent a leaking pack from damaging the instrument. I use it because I think the cloth is better touching the finish of the uke than the paper of the pack. (No proof one way or the other.)
 
Thanks to Tracie for sharing and Kenn for the data. I've been looking for a good humidification solution and I think this in the headstock area plus a body humidifier should do. Price drop is pretty good--was $55 yesterday. Will be good to have a few of these in the case, and doing the recharge rotation as described by people in the reviews.

Stacked with the Amex discount made it even better--click to check whether you're targeted: https://amzn.to/2KQjnNa
 
Thanks Tracie! Just grabbed the 12 pack. Way more than I need since I mostly use my homemade humidifiers for my ukes, but I've been meaning to grab some for my guitar
 
Pretty dang impressed with your research, Kenn2018, thx!!
I'm gonna take advantage of all your hard work.
It's the reason I'm using disposable paks, sadly. I just can't keep track of all these cases, LOL
 
Your research is interesting. It suggests we should store the packs with the body of the instrument or inside and NOT at the headstock which provides the most space.

So are you all shoving these at the bottom? Underneath? The uke? The packs are a little too big to shove inside. Should we be buying smaller packs?

What do you all do?
 
Your research is interesting. It suggests we should store the packs with the body of the instrument or inside and NOT at the headstock which provides the most space.

So are you all shoving these at the bottom? Underneath? The uke? The packs are a little too big to shove inside. Should we be buying smaller packs?

What do you all do?

I scrunch a pack up in the space for the heel of the neck. Sort of conform it to the space and then tuck the ends back towards the center. So far. there has always been room for the pack and the ukulele. I did have some 25% packs that I placed in the headstock area, but I stopped doing that.

One caveat: I also run room humidifiers once the humidity outside drops into the low 40s. I assume that slows the RH in the case from dropping much except when it's open.

I actually have some tenors that do not like the humidity to be over 45%. I had a pack hanging from the strings and the ukes quickly told me that was too much for them. The back and top of them started to ripple or show signs of swelling. A 2009 Pono PTEC-CE Cedar/Ebony cutaway seemed to be particularly sensitive to excess humidity. That was the impetus
for me to test the humidity with the packs placed in different areas of the Oahu case.
 
I know I'm probably not the 1st to reply that these packs can be "rehydrated" when they start to dry up. I use 2 of these packs in each of 2 airtight wall display cases in which I keep my "quick grab" ukes. The inside hygrometer shows they keep the interior around 50% and when they are drying up. I put them in a plastic cup that I float in a larger plastic container with water and a snap lid. I have alternating sets of packs so the spares are always "floating" and ready to use. That said, I'm not sure I would put them up tight against the body of my uke in it's case. Not sure if the rehydration process makes the packets weaker. I've been recycling 8 packets for 4 years.
IMG_5397.jpgIMG_5398.jpg
 
I know I'm probably not the 1st to reply that these packs can be "rehydrated" when they start to dry up. I use 2 of these packs in each of 2 airtight wall display cases in which I keep my "quick grab" ukes. The inside hygrometer shows they keep the interior around 50% and when they are drying up. I put them in a plastic cup that I float in a larger plastic container with water and a snap lid. I have alternating sets of packs so the spares are always "floating" and ready to use. That said, I'm not sure I would put them up tight against the body of my uke in it's case. Not sure if the rehydration process makes the packets weaker. I've been recycling 8 packets for 4 years.
View attachment 130999View attachment 131000

I also re-charge mine. I keep a hygrometer in my case, and haven't noticed a difference in RH from new vrs re-charged pks. Although the manufacturer recommends throwing the packs away once hard, I think it’s more of a marketing scam for consistent re-purchase.
 
Top Bottom