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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Hey everybody! I recently discovered this site, seems like a great online community. I just purchased my first Ovation - it's a 1767 Legend with the Sitka spruce top, deep bowl. I believe it was made in the late 80s although I'm trying to figure out the exact year.
I did have a few questions but I know this is the welcome board and there are limited replies.
My question was this: My guitar came with one of those handheld humidifiers, but I was told not to use it by someone who has owned one before. I live in Washington State and they said the humidity here is just fine, no need to tamper. I was just wondering when I would ever need to use it. I also play outside a lot with my other beater acoustic, and am wondering if this is okay to do with my Legend. It's mid 70s right now temperature wise - is it okay to play outdoors? Don't know anything about guitar maintenance but want to learn!
Thanks for any responses.
Lydianmode |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | Hello and welcome to the Club
Im in Bellevue. The weather here is fine, though it'll get dry in the winter. Even more important than a humidifier is a hygrometer (tells you what the humidity is). I'm not sure which 'hand held' humidifier you're talking about. If you leave your guitar out so it can easily be played like I do, just buy a regular humidifier with a built in hygrometer. The more water it holds the less you have to fill it.
If you are going to put it in a case when you're done playing, use a case humidifier (what I assume you're calling hand held) and a small hygrometer... OR... There are products out there that have humidifying packets designed to add/remove humidity as needed, specifically designed for guitars and other wood instruments. They make the same packs for cigar humidors and even another product for keeping your cannabis in optimal ranges.
Enjoy that Ovation. The 1767 is a great guitar. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6994
Location: Jet City | Please note the hygrometer is the most important part. You can over-humidify, so do not do it just to do it. Odds are you won't even have to worry about it for another 3 months or more depending on how quick it starts getting cold this winter |
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Thanks a ton for the quick response! I sometimes do leave it in my case but I've recently been keeping it in a stand on my room. So if it's out of the case, it's best to get a humidifier and keep it in my room? What's the ideal humidity for a guitar that I'd be looking for on a hygrometer? That's interesting, I'll have to look into those packets. Here's a picture of what I was talking about - not quite sure. And so you think it's fine to play outside as long as I don't expose it to any extreme weather shifts right?
p.s. nice collection :D |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I live in Portland Oregon, and I still put humidifiers in my guitar cases.
Too much humidity is not really good, but too little humidity can be REALLY bad.
Many of my guitars may spend a long time in their cases.
Also, INDOOR humidity in the winter can be very dry with central heat.
And indoor humidity in the summer can be very dry with A/C.
All that said, if the humidity is comfortable for you it is probably comfortable for the guitar.
(unless you LIKE it when it is really really dry)
As to playing outside... Yes, 70° is just fine.
Sudden changes in temperature are not good.
So, if it is 60° in you house, and the guitar neck feels cold to the touch...
Don't just take the guitar out into 100° weather.
But if you carry it out in a case, the guitar will acclimated to the temperature pretty quickly.
I have played my Ovations out in 40° weather, and I have played them in 100° weather.
(do NOT leave your guitar in the car in hot weather)
Ovations are made to be played in these conditions.
Hitchhiking hippies used to buy Ovations just because they are sturdy.
If the weather is really bad, take your beater.
And like Damon sez get a Hydrometer (humidity gauge)
I have one, and a cool air Room humidifier for both me and my guitars.
It gets really dry in my place and the windows don't open.
Edited by Old Man Arthur 2016-07-20 3:50 PM
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Here is a link to the photos of the humidifier thing that came with my guitar
https://lydianmode.imgur.com/all/ |
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Here is a link to the photos of the humidifier thing that came with my guitar
https://lydianmode.imgur.com/all/ |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Your images are not publicly available.
That's what the link sez...
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Errggghhh... Sorry! this will work!
http://imgur.com/a/IYAL7 |
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| And thanks for the response. That's good to know, I don't usually turn on m A/C unless it's unbearably hot (which doesn't happen that often in WA) so I'll keep that in mind. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Those will work, but it a dry environment that little sponge will dry-out very quickly.
If you keep your guitars out in a stand, and it the air inside is the same as outside,
then there really should be no problem.
My outside humidity is 47%, but inside it is 39% since I cannot open my windows.
(but it gets much more humid when I take a shower, and much drier in the winter)
Damage doesn't happen to the wood because you took the guitar out into the desert one day.
The damage would happen when the guitar sits in the dry air day-in day-out for a while.
Sudden temp changes are a totally different thing.
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Alright, cool. So this thing is a case humidifier then, right? Just put water in it and leave it under the headstock in the case or something? I guess I'll just wait to use it until the winter. My house is super drafty too so we always have lots of portable heaters blasting, so the air can get pretty dang dry... I'll have to keep that in mind. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Actually that humidifier is designed to go between the strings into the sound-hole.
But putting it up by the headstock would work just fine.
Or in the junk compartment of the case. 
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Joined:
July 2016
Posts: 10
| Lol gotcha! For now it's goin in the junk compartment.  |
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Hello All! Just got my first Ovation and had a question
