tuffblue
May-21-2009, 8:40am
I am about to move to Hong Kong for a couple of years and had it in my mind to take my Gibson F5G but I am now rethinking it due to the humidity and the effect it might have on the mandolin. Are there any ex-pats out there who have had experience with the Hong Kong weather and mandolins? Is there a way I could minimise the effect on the instrument or should I leave it at home and buy a cheapie to play? I sure would miss the F5G though.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers
Frank
Jack Roberts
May-21-2009, 4:59pm
I am about to move to Hong Kong for a couple of years and had it in my mind to take my Gibson F5G but I am now rethinking it due to the humidity and the effect it might have on the mandolin. Are there any ex-pats out there who have had experience with the Hong Kong weather and mandolins? Is there a way I could minimise the effect on the instrument or should I leave it at home and buy a cheapie to play? I sure would miss the F5G though.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers
Frank
My advice is to take your F5G, because what would life be without it?
i worked in Hongkong for a few years many years ago, and the key to comfort and preserving your stuff is air conditioning and dehumidifiers. The humidity can get oppressive. I used to keep the stuff that was humidity sensitive in a closed bathroom with a de-humidifier that drained into a bathroom floor drain. The bathroom was the driest place in the flat. They also sell buckets with dehumidifying crystals in it that you can keep in a small closet with your F5G to keep it dry, but you'll have to replace the crystals regularly in the rainy season. If you don't keep it dry it can get fungus.
It can also get pretty hot in the Summer, but if you keep a small room air conditioned you can keep your mandolin cool and dry there, and you can make that your refuge from the heat. Besides my stringed instruments, I kept my cameras and stereo in such a room when I lived in Kyoto, which has the same problem as Hongkong.
Enjoy Hongkong! They have the best food in the world there!
Jack
Badnik
May-21-2009, 6:18pm
Does everyone in asia do this with their instruments? Even the permenant residents with the instruments they bought there? I'm hopefully off to japan for at least a couple of years in April so I am curious about it.
Also good luck with Hong Kong. I've only been once but it was awesome.