Low tech humidity

[bobrem]

We've hit a cold spell in my neck of the woods and my instrument room humidity dropped from its usual 45%-50% to 36%. So, I've moved our clothes drying rack into the instrument cave. I'll post an update on how it works.

[BrianWilliam]

I use a sponge in the case. Just a bit goes a long way in an enclosed area. Good luck!

[CES]

I use a sponge in the case. Just a bit goes a long way in an enclosed area. Good luck!

Yes, it does! I received a Kala soprano travel Uke this week from The Ukelele Site (from whom I’ve bought 3 ukes so far and been very pleased with their set up and service). They filled up the included Humistat prior to shipping, I guess figuring end of winter in North Carolina would be pretty dry compared to Hawaii. We’ve been unseasonably warm and the humidity has been 60+ percent for the past few days. Poor little guy arrived in great shape but a step and a half sharp, lol, even with the new nylon strings that are still settling in. I’ve also overshot once in a while with the Kyser sound hole humidifiers for guitars. No damage, and they’re good when you need them, but having whole house humidity control has been worth every penny, and my instruments stay happy as well...

OP, I’ll wager you get 2-4 points increase with the dryer rack move, though you’ll have to keep doing laundry to maintain results! Definitely keep us posted...

[bobrem]

Update: Humidity rose to 46% and held over night then dropped back to 36%

[pops1]

If you do laundry daily you may make it work.

[bobrem]

If you do laundry daily you may make it work.

I was afraid someone would say that.

[bobrem]

I use a sponge in the case. Just a bit goes a long way in an enclosed area. Good luck!

Thanks but with 10 instruments (too many, I know), that's a lot of sponge changing. Normally we have high humidity but with climate change I may have to buy a room humidifier. How long does the sponge-in-a-case last?

[pops1]

Get a "big" sponge and set it in the room on your drying rack for the days you aren't doing laundry.

[NursingDaBlues]

I've not tried this, but it's been discussed on this forum that the addition of well-watered potted house plants into a room where instruments are kept will keep the humidity levels at a reasonable range.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...idifting/page2

It sounds reasonable and could be worth a try.

[Ranald]

I've not tried this, but it's been discussed on this forum that the addition of well-watered potted house plants into a room where instruments are kept will keep the humidity levels at a reasonable range.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...idifting/page2

It sounds reasonable and could be worth a try.

For those of us without green thumbs, taking care of plants involves work and heartbreak -- those spider mites will always find my plants. To me, it's like hearing, Get a goat to keep your lawn trimmed.