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Humidity
Facts
The
best relative humidity level for your instruments is between
45% and 55%. Ukuleles and other wooden stringed instruments
live very nicely in this range. When the relative humidity
level drops to 40% inside your home, your guitar's fingerboard
may start to shrink, causing the frets to stick out slightly
over the edge. If the relative humidity in your living space
drops to 35%, the frets (if they are metal frets) are probably
starting to extrude enough to feel uncomfortable at the
edge. The solid top of your acoustic instrument may start
to shrink, causing it to distort in shape, and you're beginning
to notice that your uke doesn't play as well as it used
to. By
the time your instrument has been living in 30% relative
humidity for a while, you may start to see finish cracks,
or even wood cracks in the top or back.
The
list continues, but I've probably scared you enough. Here
are some simple tips to keep your ukuleles and other stringed
instruments in good condition all year long:
1)
The best starting point: Use a room humidifier to raise
the humidity level to 45-55% and keep it there. Instrument
makers build in a controlled humidity space; doesn't it
make sense for you to maintain that?
2)
Use an instrument humidifier like the "Small Instrument
Dampit" or "Small Instrument Planet Waves Humidifier"
to add moisture to your uke on a regular basis. These easy-to-use
devices sell for about $15-$20, and are available from any
well-stocked music store. They'll help keep your instrument
at a better humidity level, even if your entire house isn't.
3)
If you don't use a room humidifier and monitor the humidity
level, keep your ukes in their cases when not in use. The
case (or even a zippered gig bag) will help keep the guitar's
natural moisture in place. (and put the instrument humidifier
in there if you have one)
4)
Don't store your ukulele near a direct source of heat, or
in direct sunlight, or near outside doors where the room
temperature is likely to change often.
5)
If you're fortunate enough to have a dedicated music room,
keep the temperature slightly lower in that room when not
in use for more than a few days.
6)
Use a digital hygrometer to measure the relative humidity
level in your home. These sell at most music stores, hardware
stores or home electronic stores for around $25.00-$30.00.
7)
"But all my instruments seem OK!" This is a comment
we hear a lot in my music shop. It is true that some instruments,
for one reason or another, are more tolerant of humidity
neglect. The keyword here is tolerant. Tolerant is
not necessarily a state of being happy...
If
you have specific questions about humidity (or lack of)
and the effect it has on ukuleles, email
us, and we'll personally answer your questions.
Thanks
to Taylor Guitars for some of the facts and figures in this
report. Taylor Guitars was the first musical instrument
manufacturer to campaign for better consumer information
on instrument humidity, even though it's an issue that every
instrument builder and owner has struggled with.
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