Humidity Questions

**Jeff Budz** · Mar-11-2011, 6:19am

I just bought a used mandolin on the classifieds, and when I received it it seemed very dry and very low action, fretting out up high. The truss rod was backed off all the way, but sill very little relief on the neck. I figured this mandolin must have been kept without a humidifier for a long time. So I put 2 dampits in the case with it along with my "digital weatherman" and it has been improving a great deal. Every time I take it out of the case to play now, it has gone sharp. Am I correct in assuming that the body is "swelling" as it absorbs the humidity?

If the mandolin is dry, will it "suck" the moisture from the humidifier till it has reached it's optimal level, or will it keep "sucking" till it explodes? Do I have to worry about over humidification?

Digital weatherman says the humidity in the case is about 55%, is that too high?

I've always just kept a case humidifier full and kept the mandolins in the case. Is this a good method?

My other mandolin doesn't go sharp in the case, does that mean it's at "humidity equilibrium"? Will my new mandolin get to that point?

How long does it take to re-humidify an instrument in the manner I am using?

How long does it take for a mandolin to dry out if left in a room with humidity in the low 30%'s?

It's amazing that the sound is becoming so much better as it is humidified.

**David Rambo** · Mar-11-2011, 6:32am

Check out this link: http://www.burgessviolins.com/humidity.html It will answer some of your questions.

**Rob Gerety** · Mar-11-2011, 6:48am

If it were me I would go real slow with the re-humidification unless an expert advised a quicker process. I have a room that I keep at about 45%. I would just put the instrument in that room for a couple of weeks. But, maybe a faster approach is ok - I don't know. My experience is that once an instrument is property humidified it will be fine if you take it out for an evening to play - maybe even a day or two. The dry out process is days or maybe even a week or more - not minutes or hours. It depends of course on how dry the environment is. Most of my home and most homes here in our area are at about 25 - 30 RH in the winter months and a day or two out in that does no harm to a humidified instrument in my experience - but don't rely on me. But I try to keep mine in the humidified room 95% of the time in the winter months. 55% is fine and won't hurt things. But my instruments seem happiest at about 45%. The instrument will gradually rise to the level of the ambient humidity level - in your case it sounds like you are at 55%. It won't go over the ambient humidity level. Nice canoe shot! I was once completely addicted to white water canoeing. Now in my "elder" years its wilderness canoe tripping. I tend to walk around the crazy stuff now. Getting soft in my old age.

**Jeff Budz** · Mar-11-2011, 7:16am

Hey Rob, I love canoe tripping too, heading to the East Machias river in May and Saranac in June. I actually bought this new mando to take on canoe trips. Thanks for the humidity info, probably it's time to take the second dampit out of the case.

**Rob Gerety** · Mar-11-2011, 7:21am

I'll probably be on the St. John or the Machias in mid may - somewhere up that way for sure. I just pack for a week and drive up to my buddies place in Bangor, play music all night and figure out where to go the next day. We have never carried instruments on trips. How do you keep it dry and safe? Seems like it would be a little chilly on the fingers in the evenings in northern Maine in May, no?

**Markus** · Mar-11-2011, 8:02am

Jeff, I would keep an eye being sure you don't keep the case so humid you encourage mold.

Perhaps airing the case out every few weeks might also be good - you're going to have that case for decades, a long time for mustiness to build. Leaves the case dry ... which in a sense is what you're humidifying, so you have to monitor more again ... but I don't think it a bad idea.

**Jeff Budz** · Mar-11-2011, 9:07pm

Originally Posted by Rob Gerety

I'll probably be on the St. John or the Machias in mid may - somewhere up that way for sure. I just pack for a week and drive up to my buddies place in Bangor, play music all night and figure out where to go the next day. We have never carried instruments on trips. How do you keep it dry and safe? Seems like it would be a little chilly on the fingers in the evenings in northern Maine in May, no?

I ran the Machias last year, had a great trip, hope to do the St. John one of these years. I've got a long, narrow dry bag from NRS that holds a mandolin or backpacker guitar, or both. Doesn't offer much crush protection, but keeps it dry and a gig bag helps some. It's a little cold in May, but it's nice around the campfire. And some people wait 24 hours to open the case when getting a mandolin in the mail... LOL.

**Rob Gerety** · Mar-11-2011, 9:51pm

The St. John is a great spring trip. Allagash is wonderful most of the year. Lake and river combined. Chamberlain Bridge to Allagash Village is a great trip. Norman L'Italien In St. Francis is the guy to call for a shuttle on the St. John and Allagash. Great guy. 100% reliable.