Too Hugh Midifiers?

[man dough nollij]

I've been really lucky (so far) with the extreme low-humidity environment here. I've been told that the RH in the dorms is around 1% in the winter, so I put an Oasis humidifier in the "head space" of my Golden Gate case, and another one under the neck in the main space.

In other times, I've usually only put one humidifier (Planet Waves) under the heel block, or put a Dampit in the soundhole.

Because of the divider that the case has between the head and the body, I'm thinking that the humidity needs to be more evenly distributed.

I've noticed before, using the one-humidifier plan, that the top seems stable but the frets get pointy.

I realize there are probably few (if any) Cafe contributors that are in as harsh a climate as mine.

Am I the first (and only) to have to resort to two humidifiers?

Lee

[Douglas McMullin]

I actually need to do the same even though my RH usually stays above 10% in winter. Even with in room humidifiers I struggle to keep an acceptable RH in the house, but that is due to dry winter air and a big old wood stove. With only one humidifier in the case I find that the pitch of each instrument continues to go flat until I start to get worried. With two humidity sources in the case I find that I can more or less stabilize the pitch.

For my guitars I have Oasis humidifiers in the sound holes and a clean sponge (wrung out until it is just damp) in a open ziplock at the head. For my mandolin I have a Dampit in the sound hole and a sponge (same as the guitar case sponges) in an old spice bottle with dozens of holes drilled in it.

[Keith Erickson]

Lee,

WOW!!! 1% percent :disbelief: Oh my goodness....

You know, I've been putting the purchase of a humidifer off for quite sometime. Here in the high deserts of the "Republic", our normal humidity is anywhere from single digits up to 15% percent. I truly believe that if I would have purchased a humidifier for my MK A+, maybe I would have delayed having to do some type of "mando-voodoo" to it :( <<deep breath & sigh>>

With a recent "aquisition" and a new aquisition arriving, I will need to seriously think about purchasing humidifiers.

[Greenmando]

When we lived in Yosemite the humidity was down to 10%, we kept teapots on the wood stove. My dog had the worse of it, had to start him on eye drops.

[mandozilla]

Lee
I thought I had it rough living in the "Great Mojave Desert" (Hah!):crying:...the RH is generally between 25% and 35% depending on the season so it's not too hard to get it right. :grin:

Antarctica sounds like a good place for a MIX (CF) mandolin. :))

:mandosmiley:

[man dough nollij]

I have a tip for those of you using Oasis or Planet Waves humidfiers. I have to fill both my Oasis in-case humidifiers every day, so the included syringe is kind of a hassle. I got a half-litre LDPE squeeze bottle, normally used in chemistry labs, and it's perfect! I can fill up my Oasis humidifiers in seconds.

I know a lot of Cafe members have a ton of instruments and live in dry climates. This squeeze bottle could make your life a lot easier. Not sure where to get one-- I know VWR has outlets in big cities.

[man dough nollij]

Don't know why the picture didn't post. Try again:

[EggyToast]

For you guys worried about interior humidity, make sure you get a hygrometer. I've got a cheap thermometer/hygrometer that cost, I think, $10 at Target. Oh, here it is, $13: Holmes thermo & hygro (http://www.target.com/Holmes-Digital-Thermometer-and-Hygrometer/dp/B000I11IBQ/sr=1-1/qid=1239301490/ref=sr_1_1/191-9970273-2528454?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3Ahygrometer&page=1).

I've found it to be much more accurate compared to analog ones that are often throw into clocks. If you have one in your case and leave your case open, you can, of course, use that, but it's best to simply know what the humidity is so you can account for sudden changes.