Humidifier for Archtops

[mrblues]

Hi jazz guitar members!

What kind of humidifier do You use to preserve your beloved archtops?

thanks

[wintermoon]

I've been using a couple Venta-airs I picked up cheap from the thrift store. They're supposed to be good and I like them but the only problem is they leave a film of white dust on everything in the room if you don't use distilled water which isn't exactly cheap.

edited to add: geez I see these things cost $400, I got 3 of them for under $10 ea

[v281]

I've been using an evaporator humidifier called "Oskar" from Stadler Form for a few years now. It works perfectly and gets the job done.
The one I have is the small version and it keeps my small home office, which doubles as a music room, properly humidified.

[JSanta]

I have a generic humidistat humidifier in my office with my guitars that does a really good job (measured with a different humidistat in the room). I have the same white dust issue Wintermoon discussed, but nothing some Pledge and a rag can't quickly take care of.

I keep the guitars cased up, and have the D'Addario Humidipaks in there as well.

[AllanAllen]

I have two fish tanks in the same room. That probably does something.

[wintermoon]

John D'Angelico used to leave plates of water around the shop

[Archie]

I posted a thread about this subject just last week.

It's here.

Environmental Control

It's not a bible. It's just what I've been up to. The wicking type of humidifies seem very good as they don't have to be used with distilled or softened water, by the sounds of it. Otherwise I use a RAM humidifier that costs about £35 but I have softened water.

Inkbird humidity control units are very good and seem accurate. They cost around £40. Plug your humidifier into one socket and de humidifier into the other and the Inkbird will turn one or the other on keeping the humidity at a % set by yourself.

[marcwhy]

I use the Boveda system [for "wooden instruments, " not "weed!"].

[Gitpicker]

I use the Boveda system [for "wooden instruments, " not "weed!"].

Same here, I keep my good guitars in hard cases when I'm not playing them and I always have a couple Boveda packs in there too. Additionally I usually have a small cheap room humidifier on in the room where they are being stored for added insurance. Where I live it's extremely dry in the Winter and I have never had any issue keeping my guitars humidified this way.

[skykomishone]

Vornado makes decent units. The Venta is also good.

[sbeishline]

Also use Boveda with 2 packs in my case where I keep my archtop. Easy to use and nice system.

[bmw2002]

I use an Oasis humidifier, the kind that attaches to the inside of the case, rather than the sound hole version. Also, following some advice on the Acoustic Guitar Forum (where, at this time of year, humidity questions are common), I've been using a small Govee temperature and humidity mini-sensor inside the case. These provide real-time data via a smart phone app so you can monitor the inside of your guitar's case. Seems to work pretty well. $14.99 at Amazon.

[Zigracer]

I take a Ziplock sandwich bag, poke a bunch of holes through the bag with some scissors. I cut a new kitchen sponge in half, soak it, wring it out and put the sponge inside the ziplock. Wringing out the sponge gets rid of any water the might run out of the sponge and ziplock. I put the ziplock into the guitar case and re wet the sponge when it starts to get stiff. Has worked fine for me for years. I also run a humidifier in the room where the guitars are stored and have a humidifier on my furnace.

[marcwhy]

Also check out ideas here and here.

[sgcim]

I use an Oasis humidifier, the kind that attaches to the inside of the case, rather than the sound hole version. Also, following some advice on the Acoustic Guitar Forum (where, at this time of year, humidity questions are common), I've been using a small Govee temperature and humidity mini-sensor inside the case. These provide real-time data via a smart phone app so you can monitor the inside of your guitar's case. Seems to work pretty well. $14.99 at Amazon.

I also use the Oasis, but they say you have to buy new 'flakes every year. I bought new flakes last year, but the surge got me so flaky, I forgot to flake this year!

[whiskey02]

A great and inexpensive in case humidifier; One new green kitchen scouring pad, wet it and shake off any excess water and place it in a zip sandwich baggie with several holes punched through one side. When you take the guitar out of its case to play, leave the case closed. I've had great success keeping in case humidity close to 50%. I do hate to keep guitars in a case but if we get a cold snap that keeps the heat running I'll case them for as long as needed.

[marcwhy]

A great and inexpensive in case humidifier; One new green kitchen scouring pad, wet it and shake off any excess water and place it in a zip sandwich baggie with several holes punched through one side. When you take the guitar out of its case to play, leave the case closed. I've had great success keeping in case humidity close to 50%. I do hate to keep guitars in a case but if we get a cold snap that keeps the heat running I'll case them for as long as needed.

When I used to play classical, I had a phenomenal guitar by RE Brune from the Chicago area; at the time, his guitars were in the $6k range, and he used: a cut up piece of kitchen sponge, wetted, and placed in a "35mm film roll case" (remember those?!) with holes poked in it! He would hang it in the sound hole, between the 3rd and 4th strings! It was good enough for Brune, so ...

[RJVB]

Those 35mm cases were great, sadly I never had any ideas what to keep them for...

Dunlop sell a variant of the sponge-in-case idea that can probably be recreated at home. Instead of a sponge they use some kind of clay. Flip the lid open, put in a glass of water for 10min or so, take out, close, shake & wipe off and you're good for quite a few days.

Florists used to sell block of green foamy material that served as both a support to keep stems upright and as a water reservoir. I haven't seen it in a while (nobody ever sends me flowers ^^) but I'm guessing you could cut a piece of that to fit inside a film case as an alternative to using clay.