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Location: Central Oregon | I had an idea. I don't know if it's a *good* idea yet, but it didn't cost much. Today when I was at Bi-Mart I got some semi-see-through plastic salt & pepper shakers ($2.79). I cut off the flap part that snaps over the holes so they will remain open. I put a slice of apple inside each & put them in two of my guitar cases inside the little hatch. My plan is to put in a new slice of apple whenever the one that's in there dries out. My thought is that the apple will slowly dry out & keep my guitars cases very slightly more humid than they would be otherwise. Anybody have any ideas if this will work? I've never had any sort of humidifier in any of my guitar cases before & frankly I've never had any trouble with cracking, but I'd rather not wait until something bad happens. Anybody got any thoughts on this? I know there is probably a small amount of acid in the apples, could that be a problem?
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Location: On the beach in Southwest Florida | It ought to make them smell better too as long as you don't forget they are in there. |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | It ought to work.....I've also heard of buying a small sponge and a soap dish that it fits in(or cutting it to fit)....drilling some holes in the soap dish, wetting the sponge and squeezing it to where it is just damp, put it in the dish and putting that in the case.
Me, I just did the "Expensive Edgar" approach today, I bought a Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Humidifier at GC. You fill it with a provided syringe, and slide it between a couple of strings suspending it into the sound hole(Adamas, Elite and Celebrity 247 and 257 have to find something else). We'll see how well it works.
Got it because our house is very dry, especially with the cold winter we are having in Michigan. I'm worried about my new old GC 12-string.
Roger
1976 Applause AA14-4 6-String
1981 Ovation 1118-1 Glen Campbell 12-string
2001 Adamas 1598-MERB Melissa Etheridge 12-String
2003 Celebrity CC01 Spruce Top 6-String |
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Location: NJ | I would just buy one. I don;t have the time to invent anything. |
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Location: High, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado | I like to get those cheap (less than 5 bucks) clay humidifiers in the plastic case. I make it a part of the guitar case.
In the area of the cutaway on the guitar, I cut around the clay case, through the foam, with a sharp knife, clear to the hard shell. I make it as tight of a fit as I can so it will not shake free. Then I apply a little silicon seal around the inside edges of the hole with my fingers to seal the foam, and glue the fabric top from the cut out to the bottom of the hole. (The new hard shell cases with the black interior, black silicone is perfect.) I can still easily remove it to moisturize the clay.
So far, it has worked well in a 10% humid climate. It looks good and best of all, it's cheap!
Your idea sounds good too Nils, but I carry to much crap in there for it to work well for me.. However, you will always have a snack with you... :D
Dale |
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Location: Scotland | The apple thing works fine, it's an old trick, but before you do anything with any type of humidifier you should invest in a hygrometer. It's not wise to humidify if the guitar doesn't need it and equally unwise to over-humidify. You can get a basic electronic hygrometer for less than $20. At the NAMM show I found a really cool chromatic guitar tuner with a built in hygrometer. Dealer price was way cheap, I bought a bunch of them. |
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Location: NJ | PlanetWaves makes a pretty cool digital hygrometer that you can program to alarm when humidity gets too high/low, and keeps records of all-time highs/lows and such. A built-in tuner (or at least an A440 tone generator) would come in handy. |
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Location: On the beach in Southwest Florida | Paul...who makes that combo device you got at the NAMM show? |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Originally posted by peterbright:
Paul...who makes that combo device you got at the NAMM show?
I guess it's Intelli, but I saw the same piece badged with 3 or 4 brand names, street price will be around $30-ish |
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Location: Central Oregon | Good suggestion Paul T, I'll see if I can scare up a hygrometer. Since I haven't had any problems yet maybe I shouldn't try to fix something that maybe ain't broke.
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Location: south east Michigan | I must be missing something here. I have stored my 30+ year old Balladeer on a stand, with Michigan winters, in my living room for the past 8 years without thinking about a humidifier.
I do have hot water-baseboard heat so that might be a little less drying.
Watch...now that I have said something, it's all going to catch up with me.
Brad |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | An alternative to all this is to make the decision you will only play sitting from now on. Remove the rear strap knob and molly bolt and replace with a small cork. When the guitar is not in use place it in the case on the floor, flat. Pour a beer in through the sound hole and close the case. When you are ready to play again, lift the guitar carefully from the case making sure no liquid comes in contavct with the inside of the top. Pull the cork plug and drain. When finished playing, refill. Hey, why not? Most of you like a brewski. Don't deprive your guitar.
Yet another one of the wonderful things about fiberglass backs! |
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Location: NJ | I think Bill's getting a touch of hypothermia from that "cold snap" down 'dere :D |
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Location: Central Oregon | Originally posted by cwk2:
An alternative to all this is to make the decision you will only play sitting from now on. Remove the rear strap knob and molly bolt and replace with a small cork. When the guitar is not in use place it in the case on the floor, flat. Pour a beer in through the sound hole and close the case. When you are ready to play again, lift the guitar carefully from the case making sure no liquid comes in contavct with the inside of the top. Pull the cork plug and drain. When finished playing, refill. Hey, why not? Most of you like a brewski. Don't deprive your guitar.
Yet another one of the wonderful things about fiberglass backs!
Maybe a cigarette butt could be used instead of a cork. Stuff it in the hole with the burning end in so the smoke comes out the holes. The smell should go nicely with the stale beer. We could have the ambiance of the local gin mill every time we play!
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Location: NJ | Smellevision. |
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Location: Fort worth Texas | how about just wipping a few wet boogers under the hatch lid? |
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Location: Central Oregon | Imo, that snot a good idea.
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Location: Perth Amboy, NJ | If you're serious about protecting your investment, you might want to look into this system. I use a dampit in my guitars, but this looks good to me.system |
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Posts: 27
Location: North Carolina | The real issue is how to keep the beer from going flat. Play enough to keep draining and onstead of wasting the beer, drink it. That way you cna explain your not waisting the money on beer but protecting an investment. Then by drinking it you're recycling it thus helping the environment by not waisting good beer. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | It should be pointed out that this only works on round hole guitars. On elite styles it will run out the cracks in the door. |
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Cheap Charlie Humidifier
