Hygrometers...get one!

[bo1142]

As the winter weather starts rolling in, just giving everyone a heads up to keep an eye on the relative humidity in your house, especially where you keep your guitars.  I use an Oasis hygrometer, and have been very pleased, but there are other, less expensive models out there.

I was actually at the local GC today, and the rh in there acoustic room was 31%   I was horrified.

Just hoping everyone keeps an eye on there instruments, so you'll have them for years to come.

Thanks,
Boone

[barefooter]

Good post Boone....  I've been watching the humidity in my home the past couple of weeks, especially where I keep my instruments and do 99% of my playing.  It is currently 26 degrees outside with the humidy inside at 43%.  I have a Radio Shack hygrometer that I use to monitor the room temperature.  For two of my guitars, I have the Springfield hygrometers I picked up at Wal*Mart a few years ago.  They vary a few percentage points throughout their range, but they keep me aware of when things seem they may be drying out a little, especially in the room.  Thus far, no worries or concerns here.  Oh, I do have a room humidifer for when the heat starts really sucking the moisture out of the air.

[DMBfan41]

I too use the Springfield brand from Wally World.  My music room/home office/man-cave generally stays between 68-72^o with RH of 35-50%.

[Steely Glen]

I live in the desert of Southern Nevada and this is our "wet" season: RH outside was about 18% today.  In the summer, we usually hover around 9%, but we'll have days of 1-2% RH, if the conditions are right.  So I have a hygrometer in every case and one in my guitar room.  A 2500 sq ft humidifier works year-round in my 160 sq ft guitar room.  In there, it is a comfy 47% RH and my guitar still swear they're in El Cajon! 

[bo1142]

I live in the desert of Southern Nevada and this is our "wet" season: RH outside was about 18% today.  In the summer, we usually hover around 9%, but we'll have days of 1-2% RH, if the conditions are right.  So I have a hygrometer in every case and one in my guitar room.  A 2500 sq ft humidifier works year-round in my 160 sq ft guitar room.  In there, it is a comfy 47% RH and my guitar still swear they're in El Cajon!

I think I would constantly be worried.  I have the opposite problem here.  In the summer we get up to 96% rh.  It is ridiculous. 

[John429]

Super good subject to bring up, Boone. Here in MI, the humidity is typically okay until I turn the heater on for the winter and at that point, I put in the Oasis humifiers and they do a good job. I did have to buy a recharge kit ($5.00) for the first time this year to replace the absorbant inside, but they are good as new.

[flaggerphil]

I used to use a rather cheap Radio Shack model, but it was so inaccurate I got rid of it a few years ago.  Really need to get a new one.

[Saxacat]

I've been really frustrated by hygrometers. I have three, one in a room clock device (display includes indoor and outdoor humidity levels), a Xikar adjustable calibration device and a none branded none adjustable device.

Living in the UK, humidity levels are generally not a huge problem; levels in my house go from highs of 62% in the summer, to lows of about 39% in the winter; the average is generally about 55%.
 
Frequently all three of my hygrometers will read the same (within +/- 1%) at other times they give wildly different readings (this when they are all located next to each other). I have tried the salt calibration method, (on the two small devices) with very mixed results. Sometimes they will both read 75%, sometimes only one will, sometimes neither will; what is worse is that there is no pattern between the two; I cannot determine that one is always higher/lower than the other.

I have now fitted the none-branded device into my Taylor case, I keep a humidipak in the case and the hygrometer reads a fairly constant 52% and there is no sign of the guitar being too dry/wet so hopefully everything is ok. Also, my Yamaha L series, which I’ve owned for 3 years, shows no sign of suffering from humidity problems.

I would however like to be able to get an accurate and adjustable hygrometer and some means of accurately calibrating it, so I can be confident that my guitars are ‘safe’.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Definitely good to remind folks about monitoring humidity. I keep several humidity gauges in my guitar room at home as well as several in the store and thanks to a team of Hunter whole room humidifiers my guitars stay nice and healthy. BTW, if you only have one humidity gauge remember that it's very important to make sure it's accurate.

Happy holidays

[gdeleo]

Good point Ted.   The first one that I bought was from Walmart and I thought it was accourate until I moved my Oregon Scientific clock into my room where my guitars are.  Found out that the Walmart one was way off.  Then I purchased a Oasis one that I keep in my guitar case.  They both give the same readings.  I also checked them all with the salt in the bag trick and these two are accurate.

If anyone wants to check there meter, you can google the test and you can find out how to check yours.

[Cindy]

I own several brands of hygrometers, and one thing that stands out is that they are pretty consistent with one another at higher humidity levels, but when the humidity drops and it is much drier, the readings can differ at least 5%. Since they tend to all be consistent at around 45%, that's what is most important to me because I keep them in my guitar cases. Has anyone else noticed a higher discrepancy when the humidity drops below 30%?

[Edward]

I own several brands of hygrometers, and one thing that stands out is that they are pretty consistent with one another at higher humidity levels, but when the humidity drops and it is much drier, the readings can differ at least 5%. Since they tend to all be consistent at around 45%, that's what is most important to me because I keep them in my guitar cases. Has anyone else noticed a higher discrepancy when the humidity drops below 30%?

I recall an old thread (and a long one) on humidifers and the common malady with them is their accuracy differs at either end of the spectrum.  And the "salt in a bag" test is only good at check for calibration at the 75%RH zone ...obviously not relevant for the range we need to measure, and yes, they tend to get less accurate at the lower end.

FWIW, there is also a thread over on AGF about RH and whole-house units ...I know this RH business is a well-worn topic, but some good info there.  Bottom line is get a decent hygrometer, which doesn't have to cost a mint.  Phil just mentioned that his RadioShack unit is no good, but my digital RadioShack unit has been working flawlessly for many years now ...and I know it works as the readings vary by exactly what's going on around  the house, windows, AC,  and/or weather.  FWIW, it corresponds to these changes so I trust it well ...that and my guitars are perfectly healthy for being up on a wall for yeeaaars now.  Jsut some food for thought.

Edward