Guitar Display Cases

[kkfan]

Hey Guys,
Sorry to open this back up. I need some help.
I am buying 2 of these wall hanging cases;

Attachment 26702

For my DA's. They are sealed pretty airtight. I want to put a case humidifier in each one, like an oasis or similar. Can you you guys tell me with which one works to keep humidity within 45%? I use a whole house unit that keeps the room between 35 and 50% but I want the sealed display case to keep it at the required 49%. Let me know what you think.
Thanks guys.
Joe D.

Hi Joe,

Place two two-way humidipacks in the case and the humidity will be maintained between 45 and 50 without any problems at all. As an added measure, you can place a hygrometer in the case so that, at a glance, you know the humidity in the case.

Here's a link to the product I'm talking about. It's truly amazing how well and hassle-free this thing works.


http://smile.amazon.com/DAddario-Hum...aves+humidipak

[Jabberwocky]

Joe, get one of those digital hydrometers from Korg and put it in the wall case where you can monitor the humidity. They are inexpensive.

No thoughts on humidifiers. Don't hang the wall cases on an 'outside' wall, if you know what I mean or on a wall that gets a lot of direct sunlight. I don't like sun-bleached guitars.

[Max405]

Hi Joe,

Yes, I expect that would work. You'd have to have a sampling regime.

Humidity management can be such a PITA, but once you get it dialed in, it's awesome. Interestingly, I use a Vornado brand that holds a fair amount of water in it's reservoir, and it sits in the small bathroom that is attached to my study, so I leave it in there, and keep the door open. The latest problem is the outside temps dropped into the 20's, the inside heated floors dry the house out into the teens, the safe refuge of the study is ideal, but by chance, I glanced over at my large window and saw a pool of condensation at the base of the window. Fortunately, I saw it. Now, when it's really cold out, And I'm pushing a lot of water into the air, I need to keep a towel against the bottom of the window.

Always something, isn't it. So, I don't think you'll have that problem, but I recommend close monitoring until you get it dialed in.

Steve

Hi Joe,

Place two two-way humidipacks in the case and the humidity will be maintained between 45 and 50 without any problems at all. As an added measure, you can place a hygrometer in the case so that, at a glance, you know the humidity in the case.

Here's a link to the product I'm talking about. It's truly amazing how well and hassle-free this thing works.


Robot Check

Joe, get one of those digital hydrometers from Korg and put it in the wall case where you can monitor the humidity. They are inexpensive.

No thoughts on humidifiers. Don't hang the wall cases on an 'outside' wall, if you know what I mean or on a wall that gets a lot of direct sunlight. I don't like sun-bleached guitars.

Hi Guys, This is perfect. This is exactly the kind of advice I needed.

I didn't realize how neurotic I would become as being the steward for my DA. I don't want to be the one who hurts it in any way.
Thanks, Joe D.
Thanks, JD

[Stringswinger]

Joe, we have become caretakers of an important part of Americana, no doubt. It is a responsibility that we cannot take lightly.

[lawson-stone]

Hmm. Sounds like the statement is true for D'A's that is also true of cats:

They don't have owners. They have staff.

[lammie200]

...also true of cats...

Thanks for sparing us the pictures and/or gifs

[Max405]

Hmm. Sounds like the statement is true for D'A's that is also true of cats:

They don't have owners. They have staff.

Its not that bad. If I was like everyone else, I'd leave it in the case and there would be no problems. But I like to look at it and play it for hours so I leave it out.
JD

[kkfan]

Hi Guys, This is perfect. This is exactly the kind of advice I needed.

I didn't realize how neurotic I would become as being the steward for my DA. I don't want to be the one who hurts it in any way.
Thanks, Joe D.
Thanks, JD

It's a good thing that you are neurotic. Maybe if you were not so neurotic, you shouldn't be having it?

[kkfan]

Hmm. Sounds like the statement is true for D'A's that is also true of cats:

They don't have owners. They have staff.

Or like Patek-Philip:

"You don't actually own one. You merely look after it for the next generation."

[Max405]

Or like Patek-Philip:

"You don't actually own one. You merely look after it for the next generation."

yeah one of those are on my hit list. Problem is, right now for me to own one, I'd have to pull off a couple of "hits"..

[kkfan]

Seriously, Joe, try those humidipacks. They have ZERO maintenance and work like a charm for several months in a row.

[Max405]

Kkfan,
i will for sure. Next week.
thanks buddy, Joe D

[Max405]

Guys, I got my 2 cases last night.
i hung them on the wall. I put the 2 DA's in them.
i woke up in horror this morning. Outside temps dipped into the single digits (wind chill). My heat was blasting all night. The wick on my humidifier needs replacing and the room was at 29% relative humidity.
Inside the cases? 45% humidity!!!!!
the cases are sealed. I put a small container with water and a sponge inside the cases. Works like a dream.
I couldn't be happier..

[Max405]

I just wet the wick on the room humidifier. Here is a reading 10 minutes later.

[citizenk74]

Joe, you are a man who has indeed been blessed with both talent and tools to employ that talent at the highest level. Take good care of yourself, as you are taking care of them, and play them in good health!

[iim7V7IM7]

Regarding the maintenance of the % RH outside your wall cases (and I assume your other guitars), you need to find a way to close the doors to the room where they are stored. Otherwise, you just wont have the capacity in a humidifier like yours to to maintain the environment. As you know, I have the same weather as you, but do not have a forced air heating system (I have hot water base-board). I have been able to maintain 40-50% RH throughout the weather changes in a 10' x 20' room with a large floor standing wick unit that holds 5-1/2 gallons. Even in the coldest snaps when the house %RH drops to 10-15%, I can go 4 to 5 days between refills and normally a week or more. So in a closed room with no forced air convection to I put more than a gallon or more of H2O into the air per day in the colder months. I will be curious to see how well your wall cases maintain humidity if the outside gradient to the room becomes larger. Fortunately, 32% RH to 45% RH is not too large of a gradient.

[BigMikeinNJ]

Joe, that looks great. Having heard lots of discussions about keeping improvised humidors made out of Coleman coolers may I suggest some of the green stuff florists use to stick flowers into when they are making arrangements ??

I don't have room (at the moment) for a case nor would I feel comfortable having a case in my home. But I do have a good case story as a little Wednesday morning threadjack. Back in 2001-2003 I worked with this very talented programmer while I was at Fujitsu in Santa Clara. Everybody was pulling in money left and right on that Internet Bubble thing, me no exception. This friend of mine at work, Steve, he bought himself a great big Hummer, you know those diesel powered mil spec beasts of the road, when they weren't trendy just yet. He belonged to a Hummer Rally Group and once a month they'd all get together and parade through some scenic part of the Bay Area en masse. At the end of the rally they'd all meet up at Steve Wozniak's place (one of the three founders of Apple Computer). Perfect, a bunch of rich nerdy guys hanging out partying after the rally. I've never been there but I hear Woz's place is pretty damn nice. I think it's in the upper hills of Woodside (Neil Young, Steve Jobs, Joan Baez and other talented folks have lived up there). Anyway Woz had one room for hanging outing and in it was a grand case, like many we have seen in this thread. Except this one had one guitar: the Epiphone Casino John Lennon played at the last Beatles concert in America, performed at Candlestick Park in 1966... Believe it or not Woz was crazy enough to leave the case unlocked and many a nerdy guy took the doggone piece of history out and played it !! Jeez I would be afraid to even touch it being what it is. Evidently Woz didn't seem to mind at all...

[destinytot]

https://reverb.com/item/1010449-cnb-...i_xRoCUe_w_wcB

"Please note: guitar is not included with case."

Now they tell me...

[Max405]

Regarding the maintenance of the % RH outside your wall cases (and I assume your other guitars), you need to find a way to close the doors to the room where they are stored. Otherwise, you just wont have the capacity in a humidifier like yours to to maintain the environment. As you know, I have the same weather as you, but do not have a forced air heating system (I have hot water base-board). I have been able to maintain 40-50% RH throughout the weather changes in a 10' x 20' room with a large floor standing wick unit that holds 5-1/2 gallons. Even in the coldest snaps when the house %RH drops to 10-15%, I can go 4 to 5 days between refills and normally a week or more. So in a closed room with no forced air convection to I put more than a gallon or more of H2O into the air per day in the colder months. I will be curious to see how well your wall cases maintain humidity if the outside gradient to the room becomes larger. Fortunately, 32% RH to 45% RH is not too large of a gradient.

iim,
I do keep the door closed in that room. The 32% you saw on the Humidistat was when it was outside the cabinet in the room. The humidistat read 35% when I put it in the case. An hour later it was up to 40%. During that time, the floor unit (probably a similar one to what you have) started at 32%. I wet the wick and it went up to 40% when I went to bed last night. Both the room and the cases were at 40%. When I got up this morning, the room was 29% and the case was 45%.
I will get a new wick. I started using this one in early November.

The point I am trying to make is, if you have a guitar that you like to look at all the time, the wall display cases are a great solution. With a simple container of water and sponge (and some water), you can keep the guitar in a healthy environment. It looks cool too. Like what you would see in a museum.

JD

[Max405]

Joe, that looks great. Having heard lots of discussions about keeping improvised humidors made out of Coleman coolers may I suggest some of the green stuff florists use to stick flowers into when they are making arrangements ??

I don't have room (at the moment) for a case nor would I feel comfortable having a case in my home. But I do have a good case story as a little Wednesday morning threadjack. Back in 2001-2003 I worked with this very talented programmer while I was at Fujitsu in Santa Clara. Everybody was pulling in money left and right on that Internet Bubble thing, me no exception. This friend of mine at work, Steve, he bought himself a great big Hummer, you know those diesel powered mil spec beasts of the road, when they weren't trendy just yet. He belonged to a Hummer Rally Group and once a month they'd all get together and parade through some scenic part of the Bay Area en masse. At the end of the rally they'd all meet up at Steve Wozniak's place (one of the three founders of Apple Computer). Perfect, a bunch of rich nerdy guys hanging out partying after the rally. I've never been there but I hear Woz's place is pretty damn nice. I think it's in the upper hills of Woodside (Neil Young, Steve Jobs, Joan Baez and other talented folks have lived up there). Anyway Woz had one room for hanging outing and in it was a grand case, like many we have seen in this thread. Except this one had one guitar: the Epiphone Casino John Lennon played at the last Beatles concert in America, performed at Candlestick Park in 1966... Believe it or not Woz was crazy enough to leave the case unlocked and many a nerdy guy took the doggone piece of history out and played it !! Jeez I would be afraid to even touch it being what it is. Evidently Woz didn't seem to mind at all...

BigMike, Great story.
I will look into the green stuff if the sponge, water and container system fails me. So far, I am thrilled with what happened last night. I've been told, You don't really own D'Angelico's. You just play em and watch them for a couple of decades and then you are obligated to give someone else a chance to do the same. So I have to keep these things nice. I will fulfill my obligation. But I am enjoying the heck out of it at the same!

Joe D.

[Greentone]

Joe,

Looks great! Man, those two D'Angelicos, some bottles of vino--you are set. Keeping the relative humidity in the cases up is a great idea, too.

Here's to many, many years of enjoyment of your sensational archtops.

GT

[Max405]

Joe,

Looks great! Man, those two D'Angelicos, some bottles of vino--you are set. Keeping the relative humidity in the cases up is a great idea, too.

Here's to many, many years of enjoyment of your sensational archtops.

GT

Thanks Greentone.
I am very fortunate indeed.

JD

[lawson-stone]

Wow. Guitars, monster TV, booze… you really are ready for the apocalypse.

[Stringswinger]

Looks great Joe. I would never be able to watch that TV. My eyes would always drift over to those two lovely guitars.......

[Max405]

Looks great Joe. I would never be able to watch that TV. My eyes would always drift over to those two lovely guitars.......

What, I couldn't understand what you were saying.. My eyes kept drifting over to your avatar.. NICE!