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Post subject: DO CASE HUMIDIFIERS REALLY WORK ?????
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:57 am
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hi i wanna know if they work or just alot of b.s$@*. :evil: :twisted: :?


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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:16 pm
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Wood has a tendency to warp in warm, humid weather, so yes, they do work.

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Post subject: Re: DO CASE HUMIDIFIERS REALLY WORK ?????
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:04 pm
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guitarzan wrote:
hi i wanna know if they work or just alot of b.s$@*. :evil: :twisted: :?


You most often see them mentioned with higher end classical guitars with rather thin sounding boards and finishes. Cases for expensive classicals often have hygrometer and temperature guages fitted inside. If you live in a climate dry to the point of being evil, that's another matter. The aging of tone for acoustics depends alot on climate.

I don't think too many folks use them with the solid body electrics, although I'd get one if you have an expensive or collectible hollow-body. They use a fluid something like that used for cigar humidores to keep the humidity within a comfort zone. Too dry an environment too soon after a humid period can cause finish problems, even cracking of the wood. Traveling by air is especially hard on guitars as humidity and temperature change rapidly.

Maybe when someone buys me a Jose Ramirez, I'll think differently. For now I'd rather spend scarce dollars on finish and wood conditioners and polishes.


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Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:30 pm
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Yeah they have them in violin cases too :)


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:15 am
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I have my Taylor in a dorm room right now which sucks. I'm scared about getting a crack. It's in the case probably 23 hours a day now that I have classes to attend to, but the heat (lack of AC) is freaking me out. I guess I should probably invest in a humidifier, or would it be fine if it's cased the majority of the time?


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:00 pm
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mthomps07 wrote:
I have my Taylor in a dorm room right now which sucks. I'm scared about getting a crack. It's in the case probably 23 hours a day now that I have classes to attend to, but the heat (lack of AC) is freaking me out. I guess I should probably invest in a humidifier, or would it be fine if it's cased the majority of the time?


The case buffers changes in temperature and humidity, so I would do what you're doing. Ordinary room temperature is not likely to bother it. The temperatures of concern are those found in the trunk of a car, or the belly of an airplane, for instance. To borrow a few cute quotes from the Takamine "care and maintenance" page:

    Do not shock your guitar or subject it to extremes! If you are out in the snow, and enter a warm house or club, do not open the case until the guitar inside has come up to temperature.

    Do not leave your guitar in the trunk of your car! (That will kill your guitar and you will be very sad!)

    Make sure you have the proper case. When you close the lid, be sure to latch it! Carry the case with the lid towards you. Backwards down the stairs and forward going up.

    If you don't know what you are doing with the truss rod, don't goof with it. Get to know a good guitar tech.

    Don't tune it above pitch. The A string should be 110 HZ or cycles per second. Electronic tuners are inexpensive and reliable.

    If traveling by plane, be very careful. Loosen all the strings on your guitar and use the best fitting, best constructed case you can find.
(As you can see, you will be very sad if you kill your guitar.)

If you practice with the Taylor while sitting in your hot dorm room, you can drape a cotton towel over the lower bout to keep perspiration off the wood. Some classical players with fine guitars buy an elasticized bonnet to fit over the entire back of their guitar while practicing, and wear long sleave shirts to keep body oils off guitar surfaces. My concern for humidity in your situation might arrive during the winter when the indoor relative humidity drops below 35%, or so. There, a case humidifier can be considered with an instrument as nice as yours. Acoustics can go for years, even decades, with no visible problems ..... then c-r-a-c-k!

Lastly, a good wipedown after use will help keep a finish healthy. The Fender microfiber detailing cloth is the best of it's sort I've found anywhere and I use it on all my guitars.


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:01 pm
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how much are case humidifiers? i don't keep my guitars in cases to often, but just curious as to how much they run


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:06 pm
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citizenerased wrote:
how much are case humidifiers? i don't keep my guitars in cases to often, but just curious as to how much they run


Dirt cheap, compared to a repair job!


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:08 pm
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:lol: ya, i'll say... i may actually look into getting one then just to be on the safe side... and i'll be going to college in two years so i may as well look into one in the next year or so


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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:03 pm
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One other issue with adding humidity control is the long-term consequences on the electric components of acoustic-electric guitars. Adding humidity is good for wood, when needed, but how will it affect the life of internally installed pre-amps. I have a really nice Takamine EF417S made with rare woods by master craftsmen, for instance. The electrics are built into the body of the guitar. Electronics do not like humidity. Over the decades, will they corrode faster?
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:08 am
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I keep my Martins in their cases with Planet Waves Humidipacs. so far so good. I did have a X series Martin warp on me, when I left it out on a stand. I think if you leave it in its case and away from heaters, windows, etc, you have a better chance of your guitar not warping. I tend to believe you need to humidify any acoustic guitars. There are other systems out there, but the humidipacs are pretty worry free.


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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:18 am
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Humidifiers are all wet :D Around here in MD you humidify in winter and de-humidify in summer. Proper humidity control prevents fret sprout and lowers the frequency of action and truss rod adjustments. Proper humidty control is not just for acoustics, but acoustics have more catostrophic problems the electrics when there are no humidity controls used.


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