Humidifiers

Fez

Having bought decent acoustic guitar I was wondering if it would be advisable to get a humidifier. The guitar is kept in it's Taylor semi-hard case. So does anybody use a humidifier? Any product recommendations?

VimFuego

I assume you are in the UK? TBH I can't think of anywhere in the UK that gets dry enough to require a humidifier. Unless you're storing the guitar against a hot radiator, and if that's the case I'd suggest moving it. My larry lives on a stand most of the time, and I have seen no signs that it is either drying out or getting too moist.

Kebabkid

Should you feel that you have to go down that route, have you seen things like these? These are Taylor recommended and cheap.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/taylor_guitar_humidifier.htm?glp=1&gclid=COiXvZK9ydMCFY8Q0wodRzACvg

Fez

Yes in the UK but these houses can be quite dry. Thank for the link K, I think I will get my Mrs to put a plant in the room.

richardhomer

It a fallacy that rooms don't get 'too' dry in this country. Centrally heated houses can get very dry in the winter.

I have a hygrometer in the room where my acoustics are kept - the RH sometimes drops below 35% in the coldest months - which is definitely too low if sustained over a reasonable length of time. This morning it was 41% - couple of towels drying in there have bright it up to 43%.

That's how I usually deal with it - rather than using humidifiers.

thermionic

Before you buy a humidifier, you should buy a hygrometer. 

You need to know what the humidity is first, before you go about attempting to control it. Much of the advice you read emanates from the USA, where they have dry summers and whack the heating up during long and cold winters. Over here we have damp summers interspersed with a week or so of dry weather every now and again, and usually a rainy and not too cold winter. Humidity in my house is often around 60% and my guitar has shown symptoms of absorbing water (bellying up of the top so that the action raises) even though it lives in a case.

Lewy

thermionic said:

Before you buy a humidifier, you should buy a hygrometer. 

You need to know what the humidity is first, before you go about attempting to control it. Much of the advice you read emanates from the USA, where they have dry summers and whack the heating up during long and cold winters. Over here we have damp summers interspersed with a week or so of dry weather every now and again, and usually a rainy and not too cold winter. Humidity in my house is often around 60% and my guitar has shown symptoms of absorbing water (bellying up of the top so that the action raises) even though it lives in a case.

Exactly my experience - I only ever have to dehumidify, never humidify. 

Threads on this subject always seem to throw up very different opinions so really the only way forward is to buy a hygrometer and see what your situation is.

You can take it a step further and get a Planet Waves Humiditrak which will tell you what's going in inside your case via Bluetooth and an app.

Fez

Thanks guys I will look into getting a hygrometer.