Mandolin Humidifier

[Richard Sandoval]

I bought a Schlicting mandolin in Reno Nv. Lived there for 8 years. Now we have been in Phoenix Az 15 years where it is hot and dry. I have never used a humidifier on this mandolin. it looks good and plays good. I cannot see any dry weather damage. I bought a Weber mandolin and every body including Bruce Weber advised me to use one in his mandolin. I do. My question is should I start using a humidifier on the Schlicting from Reno. The mandolin was made in 1994 and never used a humidifier?

[stevedenver]

depending on how long you've been in AZ, you may already know the answer.
I live in Colorado, have several guitars I have never humidified my Martins, for decades, and I now think i've been lucky to have no issues. Not even the pickguard b string crack. I however, have baseboard and not forced air heating, and store my instruments in a cooler damper part of the house. but often they are out.

I think an instrument built from properly seasoned wood will eventually acclimate. It depends on build and wood and stresses and other stuff. But, its impossible to tell about wood and how green it remains. Many builders build in 45-50% climate controlled areas. This automatically creates an instrument that is used to this level of humidity, and any change needs, imho, to be very slow, like over two or more years. You still run the risk of problems. See the Taylor youtube video to really understand the downside.



I believe in 2 things, one is keeping an instrument in a case to buffer rapid changes in temp and humidity
and
never allowing the instrument into extremes, ie never something that you would be uncomfortable in.


Due to the Taylor video, and recently acquiring some carved solid top archtop instruments that I don't want to have issues with,
I have recently taken up using old film cannisters or larger prescription bottles, punched (drilling works too) with holes (leaving a small 'tray', sans holes, on the bottom to catch drips) and stuffed with a cellulose sponge-full but not too tightly-

I routinely, but not religiously, fill these-they add a bit of moisture to the case, and not so much as to create vastly different clime from outside-again, I think having a bit of moisture in case can help, and not create another thing to manage or a 'false' or extreme humidity environment in which the instrument must reside. They will dry out quickly when the instrument is in need.

Its a fine balance between acclimatizing and constantly humidifying. A crack is a real drag.