Planet Waves humidifier

[Rich]

This thing came with one of my guitars, or at least somebody must have tossed it in the case. At any rate, the sponge inside will stay damp for 2 and sometimes, 3 days max.

Could it be that the tiny sponge just doesn't hold enough liquid to last and that I need to look elsewhere for a humidifier?

 

[Bill Ashton]

Just means that your guitar is thirsty! Rewet the sponge with distilled water and put it back in the holder.

I find that in my two Guilds and one Gibson the moisture onlys last about two days or so; make sure the sponge is moist but not dripping when you put it in the holder...

 

[fungusyoung]

It does depend on how thirsty your guitar is, but also how dry the conditions of storage are. This time of year when many need their heat going pretty good, they will dissipate much faster. I'm at the point where I use two humidifiers in each case, one in the soundhole & another in the case under the headstock. Can't be too careful. Usually mine last at least a week before they really need to be replenished.

 

[iJamF47M]

I read that about the distilled water. How important is it to use that instead of regular tap water? Will the guitar explode or something? Boy, I'm starting to see what a high maintenance relationship this is turning out to be.

iJam

 

[bluesypicky]

I read that about the distilled water. How important is it to use that instead of regular tap water? Will the guitar explode or something?

iJam

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Man I'm still trying to catch my breath on this one!!!! Thanks for the laugh iJam!
(BTW as one who never "hydrated" a guitar in 30+ years, I have no idea either....)

 

[shepke]

I use Planet Waves humidifiers with all of my acoustics and I've noticed that the older ones tend to have a smaller sponge that needs to be rewetted more often. With the newer ones I can usually let them go for about 4 or 5 days without rewetting, but I also use a room humidifier. My advice is to get one of these. It sounds like you're in a pretty dry environment.

 

[jgmaute]

I read that about the distilled water. How important is it to use that instead of regular tap water? Will the guitar explode or something? Boy, I'm starting to see what a high maintenance relationship this is turning out to be.

iJam

When I lived up north the entire house as well as my guitars needed humidity in the winter. We had a humidified on the furnace as well as room humidified in our bedroom and my studio. I never thought low humidity would be an issue here in the low country. I've been following a threat over on AGF Freezing in Atlanta - havoc with the gits. I got a steam vaporizer this morning for my studio and it's doing a fine job (Walgreens about $15).

I noticed on the Planet Waves box it says "Distilled water should be used, avoid using tap water since tap water is loaded with minerals that can prematurely ruin the sponge..." frankly I don't really care if I've got to get another sponge. joan

 

[Rich]

Thanks for the replies. I'm new at this whole guitar hydration thing. I've been doing some reading on it and decided it was what I needed as the tops on my guitars would start to lose their upward bow.

I'm not so sure that lack of humidity wasn't responsible for my D50 developing a belly buldge. It has now been languishing in the nashville repair facility for close to four months. :evil:

 

[jcwu]

The Guitar Center salesman had suggested I buy a DampIt with my DV52 - this was way back in ... 1995? 1996? Anyhow, I had the DampIt in the guitar, though I never knew what it was for.

Years later, I found out I was suppose to add water to it. Ha!

Great thing is, my DV52's made it through all these years, going out at midnight for on-campus jam sessions (outdoors), sitting in car trunks, you name it, I did it - and it's still fine.

 

[spiderman]

Like fungus I use two humidifiers, Kyser sound holes and and in the neck compartment a little Herco clay job, cheap at Sweetwater. Have one Planet Waves for the Harmony and I have noted that it dries out much faster than the Kysers. Much more open situation than the Kysers which seal off the sound hole.

Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired)
Alvarez AC60S 2008
Eastman AC320ce 2008 BOOKMATCHING BOOKMATCHING WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BOOKMATCHING!
http://www.massstreetmusic.com/store/sh ... id-Cutaway
GAD-JF30E(blonde) 2008
JF55 1997
D25M 1974
Martin Grand J35E 2009

 

[Bill Ashton]

Like jcwu I have never until recently humidified my Gibson J-30, which I got new back in '95, and she has done fine so far. That said, after paying the large amount of money for my D55 I though perhaps it was something to look into. Short money, asked and got two for Christmas (with the fancy electronic monitor) and then just bought another guitar insert at Union Music so all three acoustics are covered. Kind of a pain in the neck, but its probably not a bad thing through the winter...during the summer there will be no need.

Distilled water is cheap at CVS by the gallon; don't much care about the little sponge, but remembering all the minerals and crud that accumulated in the old ultrasonic humidifier we had for one of the kids way back, I know we have a lot of stuff in our water...why risk putting that onto/into your guitar finish? If it were no water or tap water they'd get tap water, but a gallon will last a long time...

 

[Brad Little]

I never used any humidifying before 2005 or so. My guitars were always in cases and the only time I had any problem was when my 12-string was stored at my ex-wife's for about six months one winter, and it was next to a radiator (no bad intentions, she just din't know it might cause a problem). What happened was the top pulled a way from the binding at the waist, but after being stored in a normal environment it went back to normal. Our extra humid CT summer probably helped. Lately I've become more conscious of dryness, especially because I now have to keep my guitars in an area with little climate control. I use the Humidpak from Planet Waves and I checked the one guitar with an hygrometer the other day. Temperature about 52 degrees F. and 30% humidity in the room. Humidity in the case was 43%. I also checked it once or twice in the summer when the temp and humidity were both in the 90s and the humidity in the case was 45%, so it works as they say, both absorbing and emitting humidity as needed. However, this is in a good hardshell case kept tightly closed when the guitar is not in use, might be different in a chipboard case or a gig bag.
Brad

 

[Rich]

Since I've posted this thread I've noticed that the Gibson that I am using with the humidifier actually plays far better now than after the setup.

Seeing is believing, and I submit that there could very well be something to this humidifying thing.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

What,
no one has said anything about the home made travel soap dish humidifiers?

The best humidifier for the money, in my opinion.
I keep them in the guitar case compartment.
I have put a hygrometer inside the case, under the guitar headstock and it reads 40* to 45* with the dish inside the compartment.

I use Oasis Floral Foam instead of a sponge.
Get it from a craft store, in a brick, and cut to fit the soap dish.
Drill or cut some holes in the top of the soap dish and you have a great humidifier that holds enough water for a couple of weeks.

When it gets real dry, I also add an in the soundhole humidifier.
Distilled water is best and I add a spoon full of chlorox to a gallon of water, to keep mold under control.

It beats the old apple in the case humidifiers that I used in the 70's and 80's.
But the case did smell a little better back then.

 

[Rich]

I've also noticed that the sponge is now going longer before I need to re-wet the thing. I am thinking maybe the guitar is humidified o' plenty and things are leveling out.