great video. great explanation. I do use also the D’Addario Humidipak many years now with great results. What you all don't say is what happens after you get the guitar out of the case. The most finish checking happens when the temperature from the case reacts with the external temperature... That is happening when you open the case and things gets rapidly mixed. No one can control this. Obviously guitars are not meant to stay inside their cases. Why buy them then??? I am a working musician and I play full seasons (from witnter to summer) to all kinds of places, from bars to open stadiums. Of course you cannot control any of these climates. Very cold to very hot. Very dry to very wet. However you should get the guitar out of the case in order to perform and get paid. There's no other way. What about then? Who guarantees me what happens to my guitar when I have to play to a bar next to a beach with 80% of relative humidity and when I have to perform 5 hours per night in the same bar, every night for 3 months? Should the humidipaks save me? How? I don't think so... If guitars are meant to be played only inside the house... controled environment and steriled...then something is very wrong with the nature of things. Vise versa... what about al these famous players who have the same guitar about 40 years and squeeze the hell out of her every night at any circumstance and any climate and the guitar is still alive? Ours are sensitive only? Not them? I always had a great query about how these guitars survive? Is there another magical recipe?
All great questions, Theodoros. Here are my thoughts. Regarding rapid swings in temperature, you’re right that those are the most common causes of finish checking. I’ve always heard the best way to avoid problems is to let the entire guitar + case adjust to a new temp before opening it. It makes the adjustment much more gradual. Regarding humidity, experts say it takes 12-24 hours for the cells of a guitar to either saturate or dry out to match the environmental conditions. So even 5 hour gigs don’t cause a radical shift in the guitar’s own humidity level, as long as you put it back in the case after the gig. Philosophically, I couldn’t agree more that guitars are meant to be played! And in my (long) experience, if a guitar is adjusted properly for its environment, it’ll probably do just fine, even if it lives outside its case… The biggest problems I’ve seen are: 1) guitar adjusted for warm, humid conditions moved to much colder, drier place - potential string buzzing and cracking. 2) the opposite - high action and bowing of lower bout and bridge. In either case, the Humidipak is a great way to mitigate the worst issues and problems!
Great info presented here. I will purchase this system for the summer. In winter-months, I run 2 Humidifiers and also have meters that track the Humidity level's in my NYC Apartment. I like to keep my 3 instruments on stands. I like to play them all the time & love how they look in the living room.
You can buy in advance because the pouches are fully sealed in humidity-proof bags on arrival. Just use ‘em when you need ‘em…but you’ll need to keep the guitars in cases while you do. :-(
Robert, this is a very well thought out and informative video. I myself am lucky to have a home HVAC system that not only allows me to control the temperature but also the relative humidity in my house. I am also lucky to have my music/office in my basement which has a steady yearly temperature between 68 and 70 degrees. I live on the central east coast and so in the winter when temperature and humidity levels drop, on goes my furnace at 70 degrees and to assure a correct humidity level I use a small room humidifier that can be set for a range of 45 to 50%. In the summer when the outside temps go up into the 90s and the humidity at times also in the 90s, my office still remains at 68 to 70 degrees due to being below ground, but the humidity will rise, so I use a small dehumidifier that keeps it at a steady 50%. I hang my guitars on one wall. I have two calibrated combination digital hydrometer/temperature sensors in the room. One hangs on the wall next to the guitars, and the other one is in the corner furthest from that wall. Both give the same readings. So at any given time of year the temperature in my music room/office is 68 to 70 degrees and the relative humidity is maintained between 45 to 55%. According to Martin and Taylor my office environment is within their recommended settings. I told the luthier who does all adjustments to my new guitars that I hang mine on a wall in my music room. He says I should keep them in their cases to control the levels; that the cases act as a buffer. I then mentioned that there are retailers that display their acoustic instruments on their walls. He told that they have climate controlled rooms specifically built for that purpose. That authorized Martin retailers are required to have them for their high-end acoustic guitars and that is why they are able to hang them on the wall. My question to him was; so why is my climate controlled music room any different than or less safe for my guitars than these retailers? His answer; just keep them in their cases. I think I pissed him off. It wasn’t my intention to; it was in my opinion a legit question. I have been displaying my guitars on that wall for almost two years and have yet to notice any visible or audible changes in them. I have noticed that seldom do I need to tune my strings. When I measure them with my tuners of which I have several, they are almost always spot on. I also constantly check the neck for any bows or bends. I tenderly dust and clean them every week. The top, back and sides show no signs of stress or damage due to exposure to environmental changes. No issues so far. My dreadnaught, which of course is a laminated model, is as loud and clear as the day I bought it in 96. My two classical guitars, both solid rosewood, are as clear and warm as they have always been. One has a truss rod, the other higher-end has an ebony inset, and the necks are straight and the action is perfect. But I agree with Robert; if you are not fortunate enough to be able to control these elements in your abode, definitely keep yours in a case and get some type of device to control the humidity.
Good info. I'll add this to what you have said. 1) get a hygrometer and measure the RH of your guitar in your case first. If your guitar is way dry or wet, the humidipack will dry out or over saturate very quickly. It is best start using these when you guitar and case, are at optimal RH levels. You will need an alternative method to get to the optimal level first. 2) when you take your guitar out of your case, close the case and keep it out of the sun that way you minimize the loss of humidity to the case. The case is an important part of your guitars humidity environment.
Great to have someone mention high and low humidity problems. Often it's the low humidity gets addressed and lets be honest most humidifiers are the ones that add water to humidify rather than counter the excess The thing about Humidipaks is that yes they are 2 way to a degree but above or below certain levels you need a different pack to increase or decrease the humidity before using the standard pack, Then of course you need to check your hygrometer to ensure that you are still in the range. Obviously keeping the case closed when your using the guitar is important if humidity in the room is significantly out of the 45/55 range. Anyway D'Addario do provide the other packs
Thanks, Barry. YES. The humidity issue swings both ways! Many environments tend humid in the Summer and dry (from heating) in Winter. That's why a 2-way humidity system is important. I keep a little hygrometer in every guitar case for exactly that reason. I buy 'em in bulk. Right now they're 12 for $20: amzn.to/4b2l018
@@enriqueparedes1516 ones called restore which increases humidity if it's too far below the 45/50 type level and one is called absorb which reduces the level if too far above
@@enriqueparedes1516 One item I assume he's referring to is D'Addario's "Humidipak Absorb." This kit is intended to "rebalance" a guitar's humidity level by initially decreasing an overabundance of humidity. A good choice if you live in a very humid environment or if your guitar is currently at or above 70% humidity. amzn.to/3QpUw1H
I started using these when they were still Planet Waves. My guitars require changing them out at different intervals so for me it’s important to monitor them at least monthly. My daily driver, Martin OM 35 hardly ever needs new packs whereas the others need new packs alternating nearly every two months. My thought is playing the others more often may benefit the guitars in more ways than one. Martin OM 35 Martin OM 42 Martin 00028 EC Martin D 18 GE Guild D 25
I had never put too much stock in humidifiers but recently one of my acoustics showed a significant dip on the top.A large dent about the size of your palm. Having heard about this before, I put a damp sponge in a soap dish inside the guitar and closed it up in its case for day and by the next day, it had almost completely leveled out to normal. One more day and it was hard to tell that there had ever been anything there. There’s definitely something to humidity and its effect on guitars.
Yep, Pete. You have to experience it to believe that humidity makes such a difference. It just happened to me yesterday. I had my '68 SG Special setup perfectly during the relatively humid Summer months. Here it is February, with the heat on much more, and when I pull it out of the case, the open G string is buzzing because the neck has leaned back the smallest amount due to dryness. Needs a Humidipak!!
The Boveda 49% packs in small bulk (10 or 12 count) runs about $4 each (online retail). These are the O.E.M. units. Humidipak was the name before they changed to Boveda. Cigar users trust them with the 62% to 72% units for the same reasons you give for instruments (glue, splitting & mold).
I found the best solution to the humidity problem.I buy cheap laminate instrument that are less sensitive to humidity level and if i have a problem with it then i buy another one and never stress about humidity lol
Yep i live in canada , bought a brand new d16 once, didnt humidify it daily. One winter morning, had it out of the case sitting in the stand, watching the news. All i heard was a loud twang....my top split right up the middle of the top below the bridge. Some people simply suffer from ignorance , some arrogance, either way , pay attention to this video, save your insturments and your hard earned cash. Get a hygrometer they are about 20 bucks. Humidify your guitars daily Btw, martin gibson and taylor warrantys are great but do not cover humidity issues
Super sad story, but thanks for confirming how important this topic really is! Based on your Rolling Stones profile pic, you might enjoy this video, in which I "blow up" Gimme Shelter: ruclips.net/video/OH8FXgUvnU4/видео.html
Had to smile. I grew up in Oakland and lived in SF for 20+ years... Then moved to Detroit. I have done a lot of woodworking over the years and there is a lot of literature and advice etc. on how you build stuff to deal with humidity. BUT the Bay Area is very stable humidity wise and it never made a lot of sense to me, and then we moved. MY god wood moves here. Summers are generally in the 70% or so but you get multi week patches of over 90%. Winter is cold as in below freezing for months and that drops the humidity to sometimes single digits. We do have some humidity control, not enough to even things out but enough to bump the winter up to 20% or so and when it's over 90% we can knock it back into the 80's. But everything moves. Doors change position furniture can literally be gulled apart and you can hear the change happening in this very old house as it pops and groans each spring/ fall adjusting to the new dimensions of the food in the floors and walls etc. It was a shocker. Never thought about my instruments, so great now you gave me something new to deal with! ;~).
Yeah...my apologies for giving you more to worry about, S Koue!! LOL. Believe it or not, you're better off in Eastern Michigan than Western. When I lived in Grand Rapids (Western), my guitars' wood moved even more than the during the years I spent in Ann Arbor (Eastern). I remember all that popping and groaning...your house is ALIVE!
Sold! Bought a pack for my incoming Martin D-28. Told my wife I am actually nervous about having such a high quality instrument because normally I don’t pay no more than $1000 but after years of playing non-USA made guitars with enjoyment but not total satisfaction; I decided to buy the Martin. Can’t wait! Feel confident that it’s going to be kept in pristine order with these. Plan is to have this guitar for the rest of my life and I’m only 25!! Thanks!
Congrats! I bought the Martin 018 a couple of weeks ago and treat it like a baby. Wipe down with micro cloth after playing and use Humidipak every day. Love my guitar. Enjoy!
Hi Robert: Thanks for the very encouraging video. Unfortunately here in India, Amazon supplies only the three gel packs (the refills) with no fabric stuff -- as I gather from reviews. I was trying to 'discover' (in your style) a way to deal with the issue. I thought the simplest way would be to sew up three cloth bags that are closest in texture to those in your video!! What actually is the weave and consistence of the fabric? I would very much appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this. With kind regards.....
Yeah I recently bought my first nice acoustic (martin OM) after exclusively using a used ovation applause for years and didn't think to get any sort of environmental control system for it. Despite not being the best built guitar when it comes to playability, I never appreciated how otherwise indestructible the ovation was. That thing has suffered really poor care, storage, and transporting techniques for well over a decade and doesn't have a scratch on it. A few months of otherwise taking good care of my martin (stays in case when not in use, wipe down to clean before and after each session, no playing with dirty hands, etc) and the top developed a thin crack from the base of the bridge to where the edge meets the sides. Nearly burst into tears (okay I was also tipsy so my brain was interpreting this crack as being much bigger than it actually is), then got on sweetwater and ordered this system. It came yesterday so too soon to tell if it's really working for my instrument and apartment, but I'm optimistic given all the good things I've heard about it.
Sorry you had to experience that on your precious new Martin. It's true that the finely crafted guitars are often more sensitive to atmospheric conditions than cheaper guitars. That's why they become our "babies"!
Hi! Great vid ... i just bought a new guitar ... ... and inside the case it came with a pack of unused "HUMIDITYPAK - maintain everyday care" ... i kinda guessed for what it would be ... but i didnt even had a clue how to used it ... it came not with the card box, but in a palstic sealed bag ... so a left it out there thinking it was doing its work ... ... now i understood ... i have to open it and put it in that fabric "thing" and put it in the guitar hole ... ehehe :p ... but can i ask you 2 questions ? ... cause i'm realy new about this ... 1. i play my guitar quite often ... should i put the "humiditypak" everyday ... taking off for playing ... then put it back when i rest my guitar in the case ? 2. How do i know that the HUMIDITYPAK isnt working anymore ... and i should replace it with a new "pak" ? i know this might be really silly questions ... but i've never done this ... thanks you so so so much Greetings from Portugal Stay Safe & Keep Rockin
Hi acrobata. Question 1 - the answer is yes. Put it back in the guitar and close the case. Question 2 depends on the relative humidity levels in your climate and home. If you live in a generally dry place, the pak will dry out and no longer feel soft and pliable. It generally takes a few months. If you live in a damp place, the pak will get heavier and eventually oversaturated. I suggest you purchase a small hyrgrometer to keep in the case. It should show a fairly constant humidity level around 50%. If it swings below 45% or higher than 55%, it's probably time to change your paks.
Thanks so informative... Iive in the UK and have these in my. guitar case but they never seem to need to change them does does it mean they are doing the job even though they don't need changing?
Generally, yes, it should mean that they're doing the job. I suggest you buy a package of cheap hygrometers and keep one in each case. Then you'll know for sure. Here are the type I use: amzn.to/3wmVjWp 4 for $14 USD.
I live in Hawaii where the humidity is approx 900 million to 1.5 billion percent depending on which kind of 82-87 degree day it is. I am so envious of folks who get to experience a weird phenomena I've heard of called "change of season" and need to humidify/dehumidify their instruments. We certainly have no use for any of the moisture gel material in fact I've been thinking of storing my guitars inside duffel bags of kitty litter. Thoughts?
In other words, you have hilariously high humidity! Some thoughts: First, get enough of these to put one in every guitar case: amzn.to/47nhEDr They’re a cheap and easy way to monitor the actual humidity levels. For extreme or year-round high humidity, you need desiccants. Put 1 or 2 silica gel packs (100 g) in the guitar case amzn.to/3SaDA0r. There are also “rechargeable” desiccant packs: amzn.to/3S8PhV8 Change as needed to keep your guitars as close to 50% humidity as you can. Using a room de-humidifier where you store your guitars would also help a lot. Choose one based on the square footage of your guitar room, or your whole place if you want to. This kind of thing: amzn.to/3NTx77o Good luck and stay dry!
I have 3 acoustic guitars with these packs in the cases with them. Even after sitting for a couple weeks, I barely have to touch the tuners when I get one out to play
My experience is similar to yours. Humidity is a surprisingly major factor in many guitar "ailments." Keeping the humidity consistent in the case mens every guitar is ready to play (and sound great).
I just bought a kit of it, in my case it just doesn't work... My ambient humidity is like 75% I had in my guitar case like 69 % when I put them and 24 hours later I still have 70% of humidity. I suspect the bags are already saturated and I'm going to try to dry the bags out in the oven or I thought of a hair dryer (i will check out the links you put bellow), hope it's going to work. I'm waiting for the ambience dehumidifier I ordered yesterday before taking my guitar out of its case. Thank you for your video, if you have some extra advice I would be more than happy to hear about it.
Hello Robert, I would like to ask. Do you also use a traditional humidifier that needs to be refilled in the room that you have your guitars, to make sure they don't get damaged? How do you make sure your guitars are safe from humidity, eventhough you use the D'Addario humidity pack? Do you open its cases frequently? How do you handle that please? Another question is, I saw on the video a brown nice guitar case. May I ask you where you bought it, what brand is it, model please. Thank you!
Hi Enrique. Yes...during "heating season," when my furnace comes on often and the air inside my house would otherwise get dry, I have multiple cool mist humidifiers around my house, and I use them to keep the humidity as close to 50% as possible. The brand I use is Pure Enrichment, but any brand should work: amzn.to/3WpUdI5 I also bought a pack of small hygrometers. I place them around the house and in every guitar case so I know the exact humidity levels: amzn.to/3UksYvR Any hardshell case should work well for keeping humidity consistent using Humidipaks: amzn.to/4dm3JBN
Glad it was helpful, John. In addition to D’Addario, Boveda now makes an almost identical product. Here in the US, they’re available on a subscription plan from Amazon: amzn.to/3ROrvMq. My other recommendation is to get some cheap hygrometers and keep ‘em in your guitar cases. That way you can see the exact humidity status and know when to change out you humidity packets.
Thanks for this excellent content Rob! Interestingly, I moved from Nashville to Michigan this past November and I used Humidipaks for a few of my more expensive guitars. It's now the beginning of March for reference, so basically talking about the whole winter, with still some cold weather to go but hopefully not too bad. I didn't use Humidipaks for my less expensive guitars and two of them got fret buzz around the 12th fret, no doubt from drying out (even though solid top with laminate back and sides). The one in the hard case is, not surprisingly, more dried out because it was competing with the case for moisture I ordered the Humidipak restore for the one that's worse off and bought a twelve pack of replacement packs to make sure I always stay on top of the situation. Lesson learned It seemed like even in a gig bag the Humidipak still helped, what are your thoughts on that? I have primarily seen instructions regarding hard cases and the Humidipaks.
Hey Scott. I spent the first 30 years of my life in Michigan, with no idea how rough the overheated indoor Winter air can be on guitars. The guitars I owned during that period exhibit the stress they endured in the form of finish checking. Regarding humidipaks in gig bags, I absolutely think they're still worth using. They're likely to get hard or soft faster, and need to be replaced more often. But hard cases are rarely airtight, and gig bags are just less so. I think it's the humidity level in the guitar's immediate vicinity that matters most.
Me too, John. I only realized the importance of humidity in the last 10 years, ironically, while living in the most stable climate of my life (Northern California). While living in Michigan and Coastal Southern Cal, my guitars were dealing with some crazy humidity roller coasters. At least now I’ve stopped the “cycle of abuse”! LOL
My question - Once you remove the humidipack out of the guitar and start to play, the humidity changes drastically and that is even more dangerous, right? Thank you
Great question, TK. Wood cells are a little like human skin in that they hold moisture as they're able.From what I understand, it takes a day or two for them to dry out to match the humidity levels in the air. If you have the guitar out for a few hours and put it right back in the case, I don't think you'll notice any issues.
I just bought a Martin 000-28 and it came with a D'Addario Humidity pack. It took me a while to believe that putting a dry pack in the strings would keep a guitar at the right humidity. Im still scratching my head on this one. The guitar is only a few months old and i am still not convinced how.
Hey Steven. As long as you keep the guitar in a hard case, it really does work. If you're in an area with particularly low or high humidity, you'll need to change the packs more often than the estimated 3 months.
I have a maton guitar in a hard case with the humidipacks and also the Humiditrak by the same company which measures the humidity and temp in the case. The tracker is consistently reading 69 percent humidity so clearly one of the two is not working right I can only hope it’s the tracker
Hi Christian. If the humidity tracker is always reading 69, it’s probably miscalibrated. You can buy packs of cheap humidity and temperature trackers on Amazon. Put em around your home and in various cases. I find they’re remarkably accurate. And regarding you Maton, watch my Blow Up the Song video on Gimme Shelter. Maton makes a surprise appearance!
When someone sells a guitar, retailers or otherwise, it should be a requirement to advise the purchaser that they need to watch the humidity or permanent damage will occur. When I started to learn guitar, I went and bought a Gibson j45 from a retailer, I knew nothing about humidity and the effects it has on acoustic guitars, you'd think people selling these high end guitars, or any for that matter would care that you know what could damage them, they had no problem selling insurance plans. I know if I was selling guitars I'd make it a priority to let people know to watch the humidity levels closely.
I've been playing guitar for over 50 years, the first 20 in Michigan (humid Summer/dry Winter), then 15 in Southern Cal (mostly dry) and the most recent 15 in NorCal (medium high humidity). Nobody EVER talked to me about humidity's effect on my guitars, but I sure experienced its effects without knowing what was causing so many changes. Now we know, Nikao!
@@nikao7751 They won't be for you and me! Here in NorCal, we're experiencing heavy heavy rain (a relative rarity). Suddenly my Humidipaks are having to absorb a LOT of extra humidity.
Just saw this Robert! I have been using Boveda- I found out that they manufacture these packs for D’Addario. I use the 72%. Change mine around 3 - 4 months. Great clip. It is costly but well worth it.
Hey George. 72% is very high for wood instruments like guitars. D’Addario and Boveda both recommend 49% for wooden instruments, which is also the humidity level recommended by most luthiers. Here’s a link: amzn.to/3Y7Grrh
@@RobertCassard quick question. Is it absolutely necessary to keep a boveda also under the headstock? I just keep one in the sound hole, with the case closed. Shouldn’t that be ok?
@@georgescannelli3814 here’s the sure way to find out. Buy a cheap pack of mini hygrometers and keep one in each guitar case. Then when you open each case, you can see exactly what the humidity level is and if it’s time to replace the Boveda pack to maintain 50%, or if you need an extra pack. amzn.to/3Ymowgo
I’ve often done the same thing, dee Tee. Making the humidity discoveries has made me keep my most valuable guitars in their cases with humidipaks...and it really does help keep them stable.
Hey man thanks. So my humidy in my cases are monitored. They are always around 43-55 percent humidity. I live in cal so it can get pretty dry here so I’m usually on the lower end of the levels I have set to alarm me. Normally it’s around 43-45 percent. Do I need to worry? If I put the humid sponge in there the humidity jumps to like over 60. So what’s worse 55-60 humidity or 40-45 humidity? Maybe I’m being OCD but it’s hard to keep it right at 50 so just curious if that 40-60 range is ok? Thank you for this great video.
Good question, Ryan. I’m not a guitar humidity expert, but overall, if you’re in the 40-60% range, you probably won’t notice major issues. Overall, the most important factor is consistency. That’s where the Humidipaks are really helpful. I’m amazed at how they keep my hard-cased guitars right near 50%.
@@RobertCassard yea I used to just put them in the case not even the sound hole. Just under the head stock and all and they did a great job. But sometimes they did too good of a job and my Humidity would be like 63-65. So I notice that generally it stays between 40-60 here in call without anything in the case. I just wonder if it’s better to maintain them on the dryer side or the more humid side so to speak. I hope I make sense. Probably neither is better and 50 is perfect but it’s so hard to get that middle ground.
@@R.L.Humpert From what the experts say, most problems begin with humidity of 35% or less or 70% or more. I've never really thought about this, but the answer to which is worse would likely be determined by the humidity level in the factory where the guitar was built. If the guitar was built in a factory at 60% humidity, then everything would be glued in place and adjusted to that humidity level. If it were built in a factory with 40% humidity, that would be its "center point." Most modern factories and luthiers are aware of how important humidity is to the health of their guitars, so the factories are humidity-controlled environments. With vintage guitars, who knows? Musing about the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, near where I grew up... I have no idea if they de-humidified the factory in Summer and humidified it in Winter. If not, Summer guitars would have been built in relatively high humidity while Winter guitars may have been quite dry. I'll bet you could contact the specific manufacturers and ask their recommendations. Bottom line, though, if the guitar feels right and plays with consistently low action but no buzzing, you're probably safe. If the action gets high, there may be too much humidity. If the action gets too low and you experience string buzzing, that may be a sign it's getting dry.
@@RobertCassard sweet response and totally dig the answer about the factory where it was built. Like a little kid growing up and getting used to the climate where they live. Then having to move. I know they aren’t humans but guitars however I never thought of that. I’m assuming Martin is very controlled but like you say which way lower or higher end? Thanks so much for the long careful thought out reply. I truly appreciate it. Just goes to tell you when a guitar is shipped from like sweetwater Indiana to so cal all the changes it goes through. Kinda scary but hopefully they ship well.
@@R.L.Humpert Yeah, the whole "humidity journey" of a guitar is something I never gave any thought to until recently. But if any mainstream retailer knows how to ship a guitar, it would be Sweetwater!
It should, Jasper. There are two types of Humidipaks. The primary one is the "Maintain Kit" which is designed to hold the humidity steady: amzn.to/3LybFkt. The other is the Humidipak Restore, which is designed to rehydrate a dry guitar - not your problem! I suggest you buy a pack of cheap humidity meters. Keep one in each guitar case to confirm you're always at or near 50%. amzn.to/3LycIRr
@@jasper_north Yes, they remove moisture if over 50% and add moisture if under 50%. They really work. Their lifespan will depend on how much over or under the humidity is in your environment. If you have a humid Summer and a dry (overheated) Winter, the packs can last a long time...
@@RobertCassard Robert you are taking so much time to answer! Thank you so much man. I am working below the radar with my D18 on 20+ Jason Isbell songs soon to be posted. 4 year project. Stay tuned, it could take another 6 mths. I am 51 man (1971). Again- thank you for being so polite in taking time to realy answer. Godspeed!
@@jasper_north I love long-term projects like your upcoming "Jasper Isbell" project. LOL. Just make sure to put your unique stamp on those songs and take them "above the radar" at some point! I'm part of a duo called Cosmic Spin. We released an EP of cover tunes awhile ago - very gratifying to treat other peoples' songs as if you wrote them yourself. Here's our channel: ruclips.net/channel/UCsCF5w7Ofno9bEnFNynUqaQ. Scroll down to the Gilding Lilies EP and hit Play All. Our stuff is also on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Regarding your age, I'm 10 years ahead of you (1961). Cheers to ageless music!
A friend of mine used one of these bags and it broke inside the guitar. The gel caused significant damage to the wood and the paint. I’d stay away from it
Are you sure it was the D’Addario Humidipak brand? That must be an EXTREMELY rare occurrence and a manufacturing defect for that particular bag. A) the bags are made of a heavy metallic plastic material. B) each bag is placed inside an outer bag that should hold any liquid or crystals if the inside bag were to start leaking. The product is designed specifically for valuable acoustic guitars…
Hi Robert, I have two questions would like to consult. How do you know it is the time to replace new Humidipak? Would it have any problem to the guitar if forgetting to replace new Humidipak? Thanks a lot!!
Depending on the relative humidity where you and your guitar live, the Humidipaks either dry out and feel hard or get heavy and overly saturated. I leave them in place as long as my little RH gauge says the case interior is close to 50%. You can buy humidity gauges cheaply (4 for $12 as I write this): amzn.to/3hg1u8G
This is my solution I wish I had the money to Market that I've never seen anything like it I made it I know at all times what the humidity is on the inside of my guitar at the other end of the little piece of cork is a wire goes into the interior and has a Daddario balanced humidifier I like to look at my guitars and I find one in her case I don't blame as much now I get the best of both worlds not trying to sell anything to anybody anybody want to send me an email that I can send you a picture you can see what I'm talking about take care of y'all
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great video. great explanation. I do use also the D’Addario Humidipak many years now with great results.
What you all don't say is what happens after you get the guitar out of the case. The most finish checking happens when the temperature from the case reacts with the external temperature...
That is happening when you open the case and things gets rapidly mixed. No one can control this.
Obviously guitars are not meant to stay inside their cases. Why buy them then??? I am a working musician and I play full seasons (from witnter to summer) to all kinds of places, from bars to open stadiums. Of course you cannot control any of these climates. Very cold to very hot. Very dry to very wet. However you should get the guitar out of the case in order to perform and get paid. There's no other way. What about then? Who guarantees me what happens to my guitar when I have to play to a bar next to a beach with 80% of relative humidity and when I have to perform 5 hours per night in the same bar, every night for 3 months?
Should the humidipaks save me? How? I don't think so...
If guitars are meant to be played only inside the house... controled environment and steriled...then something is very wrong with the nature of things.
Vise versa... what about al these famous players who have the same guitar about 40 years and squeeze the hell out of her every night at any circumstance and any climate and the guitar is still alive?
Ours are sensitive only? Not them? I always had a great query about how these guitars survive? Is there another magical recipe?
All great questions, Theodoros. Here are my thoughts. Regarding rapid swings in temperature, you’re right that those are the most common causes of finish checking. I’ve always heard the best way to avoid problems is to let the entire guitar + case adjust to a new temp before opening it. It makes the adjustment much more gradual.
Regarding humidity, experts say it takes 12-24 hours for the cells of a guitar to either saturate or dry out to match the environmental conditions. So even 5 hour gigs don’t cause a radical shift in the guitar’s own humidity level, as long as you put it back in the case after the gig.
Philosophically, I couldn’t agree more that guitars are meant to be played! And in my (long) experience, if a guitar is adjusted properly for its environment, it’ll probably do just fine, even if it lives outside its case…
The biggest problems I’ve seen are: 1) guitar adjusted for warm, humid conditions moved to much colder, drier place - potential string buzzing and cracking. 2) the opposite - high action and bowing of lower bout and bridge. In either case, the Humidipak is a great way to mitigate the worst issues and problems!
Great info presented here. I will purchase this system for the summer. In winter-months, I run 2 Humidifiers and also have meters that track the Humidity level's in my NYC Apartment. I like to keep my 3 instruments on stands. I like to play them all the time & love how they look in the living room.
You can buy in advance because the pouches are fully sealed in humidity-proof bags on arrival. Just use ‘em when you need ‘em…but you’ll need to keep the guitars in cases while you do. :-(
Robert, this is a very well thought out and informative video. I myself am lucky to have a home HVAC system that not only allows me to control the temperature but also the relative humidity in my house. I am also lucky to have my music/office in my basement which has a steady yearly temperature between 68 and 70 degrees. I live on the central east coast and so in the winter when temperature and humidity levels drop, on goes my furnace at 70 degrees and to assure a correct humidity level I use a small room humidifier that can be set for a range of 45 to 50%. In the summer when the outside temps go up into the 90s and the humidity at times also in the 90s, my office still remains at 68 to 70 degrees due to being below ground, but the humidity will rise, so I use a small dehumidifier that keeps it at a steady 50%. I hang my guitars on one wall. I have two calibrated combination digital hydrometer/temperature sensors in the room. One hangs on the wall next to the guitars, and the other one is in the corner furthest from that wall. Both give the same readings. So at any given time of year the temperature in my music room/office is 68 to 70 degrees and the relative humidity is maintained between 45 to 55%. According to Martin and Taylor my office environment is within their recommended settings.
I told the luthier who does all adjustments to my new guitars that I hang mine on a wall in my music room. He says I should keep them in their cases to control the levels; that the cases act as a buffer. I then mentioned that there are retailers that display their acoustic instruments on their walls. He told that they have climate controlled rooms specifically built for that purpose. That authorized Martin retailers are required to have them for their high-end acoustic guitars and that is why they are able to hang them on the wall. My question to him was; so why is my climate controlled music room any different than or less safe for my guitars than these retailers? His answer; just keep them in their cases. I think I pissed him off. It wasn’t my intention to; it was in my opinion a legit question.
I have been displaying my guitars on that wall for almost two years and have yet to notice any visible or audible changes in them. I have noticed that seldom do I need to tune my strings. When I measure them with my tuners of which I have several, they are almost always spot on. I also constantly check the neck for any bows or bends. I tenderly dust and clean them every week. The top, back and sides show no signs of stress or damage due to exposure to environmental changes. No issues so far. My dreadnaught, which of course is a laminated model, is as loud and clear as the day I bought it in 96. My two classical guitars, both solid rosewood, are as clear and warm as they have always been. One has a truss rod, the other higher-end has an ebony inset, and the necks are straight and the action is perfect.
But I agree with Robert; if you are not fortunate enough to be able to control these elements in your abode, definitely keep yours in a case and get some type of device to control the humidity.
Congrats on having such an awesome setup, Buzz. If you have that level of climate control, then show ‘em off! Cheers!
Good info. I'll add this to what you have said. 1) get a hygrometer and measure the RH of your guitar in your case first. If your guitar is way dry or wet, the humidipack will dry out or over saturate very quickly. It is best start using these when you guitar and case, are at optimal RH levels. You will need an alternative method to get to the optimal level first. 2) when you take your guitar out of your case, close the case and keep it out of the sun that way you minimize the loss of humidity to the case. The case is an important part of your guitars humidity environment.
Thanks for your added wisdom and experience, john.
Great to have someone mention high and low humidity problems. Often it's the low humidity gets addressed and lets be honest most humidifiers are the ones that add water to humidify rather than counter the excess
The thing about Humidipaks is that yes they are 2 way to a degree but above or below certain levels you need a different pack to increase or decrease the humidity before using the standard pack, Then of course you need to check your hygrometer to ensure that you are still in the range. Obviously keeping the case closed when your using the guitar is important if humidity in the room is significantly out of the 45/55 range. Anyway D'Addario do provide the other packs
Thanks, Barry. YES. The humidity issue swings both ways! Many environments tend humid in the Summer and dry (from heating) in Winter. That's why a 2-way humidity system is important. I keep a little hygrometer in every guitar case for exactly that reason. I buy 'em in bulk. Right now they're 12 for $20: amzn.to/4b2l018
Hello, what other packs are you referring to please?
I apologíze, previous question was to Barry
@@enriqueparedes1516 ones called restore which increases humidity if it's too far below the 45/50 type level and one is called absorb which reduces the level if too far above
@@enriqueparedes1516 One item I assume he's referring to is D'Addario's "Humidipak Absorb." This kit is intended to "rebalance" a guitar's humidity level by initially decreasing an overabundance of humidity. A good choice if you live in a very humid environment or if your guitar is currently at or above 70% humidity.
amzn.to/3QpUw1H
I started using these when they were still Planet Waves. My guitars require changing them out at different intervals so for me it’s important to monitor them at least monthly.
My daily driver, Martin OM 35 hardly ever needs new packs whereas the others need new packs alternating nearly every two months. My thought is playing the others more often may benefit the guitars in more ways than one.
Martin OM 35
Martin OM 42
Martin 00028 EC
Martin D 18 GE
Guild D 25
Nice collection! Worth taking good care!
I had never put too much stock in humidifiers but recently one of my acoustics showed a significant dip on the top.A large dent about the size of your palm. Having heard about this before, I put a damp sponge in a soap dish inside the guitar and closed it up in its case for day and by the next day, it had almost completely leveled out to normal. One more day and it was hard to tell that there had ever been anything there. There’s definitely something to humidity and its effect on guitars.
Yep, Pete. You have to experience it to believe that humidity makes such a difference. It just happened to me yesterday. I had my '68 SG Special setup perfectly during the relatively humid Summer months. Here it is February, with the heat on much more, and when I pull it out of the case, the open G string is buzzing because the neck has leaned back the smallest amount due to dryness. Needs a Humidipak!!
The Boveda 49% packs in small bulk (10 or 12 count) runs about $4 each (online retail). These are the O.E.M. units. Humidipak was the name before they changed to Boveda. Cigar users trust them with the 62% to 72% units for the same reasons you give for instruments (glue, splitting & mold).
Great tip, fonemann13. I’ll check ‘em out!
I found the best solution to the humidity problem.I buy cheap laminate instrument that are less sensitive to humidity level and if i have a problem with it then i buy another one and never stress about humidity lol
Well, Joey, that is one unique way of dealing with humidity! Glad it works for you...
Yep i live in canada , bought a brand new d16 once, didnt humidify it daily.
One winter morning, had it out of the case sitting in the stand, watching the news.
All i heard was a loud twang....my top split right up the middle of the top below the bridge.
Some people simply suffer from ignorance , some arrogance, either way , pay attention to this video, save your insturments and your hard earned cash. Get a hygrometer they are about 20 bucks. Humidify your guitars daily
Btw, martin gibson and taylor warrantys are great but do not cover humidity issues
Super sad story, but thanks for confirming how important this topic really is! Based on your Rolling Stones profile pic, you might enjoy this video, in which I "blow up" Gimme Shelter: ruclips.net/video/OH8FXgUvnU4/видео.html
First time after watching 100s of videos ,,,,, you have explained clearly that makes seance
Thanks for watching THIS video, Rahul!
Had to smile. I grew up in Oakland and lived in SF for 20+ years... Then moved to Detroit. I have done a lot of woodworking over the years and there is a lot of literature and advice etc. on how you build stuff to deal with humidity. BUT the Bay Area is very stable humidity wise and it never made a lot of sense to me, and then we moved. MY god wood moves here. Summers are generally in the 70% or so but you get multi week patches of over 90%. Winter is cold as in below freezing for months and that drops the humidity to sometimes single digits. We do have some humidity control, not enough to even things out but enough to bump the winter up to 20% or so and when it's over 90% we can knock it back into the 80's. But everything moves. Doors change position furniture can literally be gulled apart and you can hear the change happening in this very old house as it pops and groans each spring/ fall adjusting to the new dimensions of the food in the floors and walls etc. It was a shocker. Never thought about my instruments, so great now you gave me something new to deal with! ;~).
Yeah...my apologies for giving you more to worry about, S Koue!! LOL. Believe it or not, you're better off in Eastern Michigan than Western. When I lived in Grand Rapids (Western), my guitars' wood moved even more than the during the years I spent in Ann Arbor (Eastern). I remember all that popping and groaning...your house is ALIVE!
I just bought this stuff and i too live in the bay area..i dont even know if i need this lol..
Sold! Bought a pack for my incoming Martin D-28. Told my wife I am actually nervous about having such a high quality instrument because normally I don’t pay no more than $1000 but after years of playing non-USA made guitars with enjoyment but not total satisfaction; I decided to buy the Martin. Can’t wait! Feel confident that it’s going to be kept in pristine order with these. Plan is to have this guitar for the rest of my life and I’m only 25!! Thanks!
Congrats on The D-28, John. I’ve always wanted one, but never quite had the budget. Here’s wishing you a lifetime of joy from it!
@@RobertCassard thank you!!
Congrats! I bought the Martin 018 a couple of weeks ago and treat it like a baby. Wipe down with micro cloth after playing and use Humidipak every day. Love my guitar. Enjoy!
@@allgoodanimals6769 Congrats on that 018!
Bought D18…love it! No issues no tissues
Hi Robert: Thanks for the very encouraging video. Unfortunately here in India, Amazon supplies only the three gel packs (the refills) with no fabric stuff -- as I gather from reviews. I was trying to 'discover' (in your style) a way to deal with the issue. I thought the simplest way would be to sew up three cloth bags that are closest in texture to those in your video!! What actually is the weave and consistence of the fabric? I would very much appreciate your thoughts and feedback on this. With kind regards.....
Hi Eashwar. The fabric is thin and somewhat loosely woven. Probably polyester, so it doesn't absorb water itself. I hope this helps!
Yeah I recently bought my first nice acoustic (martin OM) after exclusively using a used ovation applause for years and didn't think to get any sort of environmental control system for it. Despite not being the best built guitar when it comes to playability, I never appreciated how otherwise indestructible the ovation was. That thing has suffered really poor care, storage, and transporting techniques for well over a decade and doesn't have a scratch on it. A few months of otherwise taking good care of my martin (stays in case when not in use, wipe down to clean before and after each session, no playing with dirty hands, etc) and the top developed a thin crack from the base of the bridge to where the edge meets the sides. Nearly burst into tears (okay I was also tipsy so my brain was interpreting this crack as being much bigger than it actually is), then got on sweetwater and ordered this system. It came yesterday so too soon to tell if it's really working for my instrument and apartment, but I'm optimistic given all the good things I've heard about it.
Sorry you had to experience that on your precious new Martin. It's true that the finely crafted guitars are often more sensitive to atmospheric conditions than cheaper guitars. That's why they become our "babies"!
Hi! Great vid ... i just bought a new guitar ...
... and inside the case it came with a pack of unused "HUMIDITYPAK - maintain everyday care" ... i kinda guessed for what it would be ... but i didnt even had a clue how to used it ... it came not with the card box, but in a palstic sealed bag ... so a left it out there thinking it was doing its work ...
... now i understood ... i have to open it and put it in that fabric "thing" and put it in the guitar hole ... ehehe :p
... but can i ask you 2 questions ? ... cause i'm realy new about this ...
1. i play my guitar quite often ... should i put the "humiditypak" everyday ... taking off for playing ... then put it back when i rest my guitar in the case ?
2. How do i know that the HUMIDITYPAK isnt working anymore ... and i should replace it with a new "pak" ?
i know this might be really silly questions ... but i've never done this ...
thanks you so so so much
Greetings from Portugal
Stay Safe & Keep Rockin
Hi acrobata. Question 1 - the answer is yes. Put it back in the guitar and close the case. Question 2 depends on the relative humidity levels in your climate and home. If you live in a generally dry place, the pak will dry out and no longer feel soft and pliable. It generally takes a few months. If you live in a damp place, the pak will get heavier and eventually oversaturated. I suggest you purchase a small hyrgrometer to keep in the case. It should show a fairly constant humidity level around 50%. If it swings below 45% or higher than 55%, it's probably time to change your paks.
Thanks so informative... Iive in the UK and have these in my. guitar case but they never seem to need to change them does does it mean they are doing the job even though they don't need changing?
Generally, yes, it should mean that they're doing the job. I suggest you buy a package of cheap hygrometers and keep one in each case. Then you'll know for sure. Here are the type I use: amzn.to/3wmVjWp 4 for $14 USD.
@@RobertCassard thanks for the reply Robert much appreciated
I live in Hawaii where the humidity is approx 900 million to 1.5 billion percent depending on which kind of 82-87 degree day it is. I am so envious of folks who get to experience a weird phenomena I've heard of called "change of season" and need to humidify/dehumidify their instruments. We certainly have no use for any of the moisture gel material in fact I've been thinking of storing my guitars inside duffel bags of kitty litter. Thoughts?
In other words, you have hilariously high humidity! Some thoughts:
First, get enough of these to put one in every guitar case: amzn.to/47nhEDr
They’re a cheap and easy way to monitor the actual humidity levels.
For extreme or year-round high humidity, you need desiccants. Put 1 or 2 silica gel packs (100 g) in the guitar case amzn.to/3SaDA0r.
There are also “rechargeable” desiccant packs: amzn.to/3S8PhV8
Change as needed to keep your guitars as close to 50% humidity as you can.
Using a room de-humidifier where you store your guitars would also help a lot. Choose one based on the square footage of your guitar room, or your whole place if you want to. This kind of thing: amzn.to/3NTx77o
Good luck and stay dry!
Hi, please post the link of the recharging the humidipaks please. Thank you :)
Here's a good one: www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201477
I have 3 acoustic guitars with these packs in the cases with them. Even after sitting for a couple weeks, I barely have to touch the tuners when I get one out to play
My experience is similar to yours. Humidity is a surprisingly major factor in many guitar "ailments." Keeping the humidity consistent in the case mens every guitar is ready to play (and sound great).
I just bought a kit of it, in my case it just doesn't work...
My ambient humidity is like 75% I had in my guitar case like 69 % when I put them and 24 hours later I still have 70% of humidity. I suspect the bags are already saturated and I'm going to try to dry the bags out in the oven or I thought of a hair dryer (i will check out the links you put bellow), hope it's going to work.
I'm waiting for the ambience dehumidifier I ordered yesterday before taking my guitar out of its case.
Thank you for your video, if you have some extra advice I would be more than happy to hear about it.
Drying them out should help. Not sure what kind of case you have, but I’ve noticed a hardshell case also helps...
@@RobertCassard It's what I have... Thank you for your answer.
@@LaurentOutang-gg5yv Of course...I hope the packet-drying works for you. It does for me!
Hello Robert, I would like to ask. Do you also use a traditional humidifier that needs to be refilled in the room that you have your guitars, to make sure they don't get damaged? How do you make sure your guitars are safe from humidity, eventhough you use the D'Addario humidity pack? Do you open its cases frequently? How do you handle that please?
Another question is, I saw on the video a brown nice guitar case. May I ask you where you bought it, what brand is it, model please. Thank you!
Hi Enrique. Yes...during "heating season," when my furnace comes on often and the air inside my house would otherwise get dry, I have multiple cool mist humidifiers around my house, and I use them to keep the humidity as close to 50% as possible. The brand I use is Pure Enrichment, but any brand should work: amzn.to/3WpUdI5
I also bought a pack of small hygrometers. I place them around the house and in every guitar case so I know the exact humidity levels: amzn.to/3UksYvR
Any hardshell case should work well for keeping humidity consistent using Humidipaks: amzn.to/4dm3JBN
Thank you this information it is very valuable to me best regards from Limerick city Ireland's
Glad it was helpful, John. In addition to D’Addario, Boveda now makes an almost identical product. Here in the US, they’re available on a subscription plan from Amazon: amzn.to/3ROrvMq. My other recommendation is to get some cheap hygrometers and keep ‘em in your guitar cases. That way you can see the exact humidity status and know when to change out you humidity packets.
Thanks for this excellent content Rob!
Interestingly, I moved from Nashville to Michigan this past November and I used Humidipaks for a few of my more expensive guitars. It's now the beginning of March for reference, so basically talking about the whole winter, with still some cold weather to go but hopefully not too bad.
I didn't use Humidipaks for my less expensive guitars and two of them got fret buzz around the 12th fret, no doubt from drying out (even though solid top with laminate back and sides). The one in the hard case is, not surprisingly, more dried out because it was competing with the case for moisture
I ordered the Humidipak restore for the one that's worse off and bought a twelve pack of replacement packs to make sure I always stay on top of the situation.
Lesson learned
It seemed like even in a gig bag the Humidipak still helped, what are your thoughts on that? I have primarily seen instructions regarding hard cases and the Humidipaks.
Hey Scott. I spent the first 30 years of my life in Michigan, with no idea how rough the overheated indoor Winter air can be on guitars. The guitars I owned during that period exhibit the stress they endured in the form of finish checking. Regarding humidipaks in gig bags, I absolutely think they're still worth using. They're likely to get hard or soft faster, and need to be replaced more often. But hard cases are rarely airtight, and gig bags are just less so. I think it's the humidity level in the guitar's immediate vicinity that matters most.
@@RobertCassard Thanks so much!!
Top tip thanks, wish I’d understood that 20 years ago 👍🎸🇬🇧
Me too, John. I only realized the importance of humidity in the last 10 years, ironically, while living in the most stable climate of my life (Northern California). While living in Michigan and Coastal Southern Cal, my guitars were dealing with some crazy humidity roller coasters. At least now I’ve stopped the “cycle of abuse”! LOL
My question - Once you remove the humidipack out of the guitar and start to play, the humidity changes drastically and that is even more dangerous, right? Thank you
Great question, TK. Wood cells are a little like human skin in that they hold moisture as they're able.From what I understand, it takes a day or two for them to dry out to match the humidity levels in the air. If you have the guitar out for a few hours and put it right back in the case, I don't think you'll notice any issues.
@@RobertCassard This was the only issue that prevented me from using it.. That was great info.. Thanks for the info and quick response..
I just bought a Martin 000-28 and it came with a D'Addario Humidity pack. It took me a while to believe that putting a dry pack in the strings would keep a guitar at the right humidity. Im still scratching my head on this one. The guitar is only a few months old and i am still not convinced how.
Hey Steven. As long as you keep the guitar in a hard case, it really does work. If you're in an area with particularly low or high humidity, you'll need to change the packs more often than the estimated 3 months.
How do you know when it’s time to change ?
Too dry - pack feels like hard crystals. Too wet - pack is puffy and all jelly-like
Where are the recharge links in the description? I only see Amazon buy links. Thanks!
ruclips.net/video/LP7x9ODIWs8/видео.htmlsi=7W7MZiGqhfIBs0VK
ruclips.net/video/LLCcE3CbLUU/видео.htmlsi=pGHJVw7CByjptWOp
ruclips.net/video/feIsivGx9ls/видео.htmlsi=zyGfOorac1nEDGVr
@@RobertCassard thank you.
Robert, can you store your guitar upright with these? In a case, of course.
Absolutely.
Thank you sir, for the prompt reply. Be well.
I have a maton guitar in a hard case with the humidipacks and also the Humiditrak by the same company which measures the humidity and temp in the case. The tracker is consistently reading 69 percent humidity so clearly one of the two is not working right I can only hope it’s the tracker
Hi Christian. If the humidity tracker is always reading 69, it’s probably miscalibrated. You can buy packs of cheap humidity and temperature trackers on Amazon. Put em around your home and in various cases. I find they’re remarkably accurate. And regarding you Maton, watch my Blow Up the Song video on Gimme Shelter. Maton makes a surprise appearance!
@@RobertCassard if it’s miscalibrated then is there a way to get it working right or should I just return it
When someone sells a guitar, retailers or otherwise, it should be a requirement to advise the purchaser that they need to watch the humidity or permanent damage will occur. When I started to learn guitar, I went and bought a Gibson j45 from a retailer, I knew nothing about humidity and the effects it has on acoustic guitars, you'd think people selling these high end guitars, or any for that matter would care that you know what could damage them, they had no problem selling insurance plans. I know if I was selling guitars I'd make it a priority to let people know to watch the humidity levels closely.
I've been playing guitar for over 50 years, the first 20 in Michigan (humid Summer/dry Winter), then 15 in Southern Cal (mostly dry) and the most recent 15 in NorCal (medium high humidity). Nobody EVER talked to me about humidity's effect on my guitars, but I sure experienced its effects without knowing what was causing so many changes. Now we know, Nikao!
@@RobertCassard yes, and may the lessons not be wasted 😉
@@nikao7751 They won't be for you and me! Here in NorCal, we're experiencing heavy heavy rain (a relative rarity). Suddenly my Humidipaks are having to absorb a LOT of extra humidity.
Just saw this Robert! I have been using Boveda- I found out that they manufacture these packs for D’Addario. I use the 72%. Change mine around 3 - 4 months. Great clip. It is costly but well worth it.
Hey George. 72% is very high for wood instruments like guitars. D’Addario and Boveda both recommend 49% for wooden instruments, which is also the humidity level recommended by most luthiers. Here’s a link: amzn.to/3Y7Grrh
@@RobertCassard it was 49%. Made a mistake!
Whew! Made me nervous for a second. I almost said, “get those guitars out of the rain!” LOL
@@RobertCassard quick question. Is it absolutely necessary to keep a boveda also under the headstock? I just keep one in the sound hole, with the case closed. Shouldn’t that be ok?
@@georgescannelli3814 here’s the sure way to find out. Buy a cheap pack of mini hygrometers and keep one in each guitar case. Then when you open each case, you can see exactly what the humidity level is and if it’s time to replace the Boveda pack to maintain 50%, or if you need an extra pack. amzn.to/3Ymowgo
I have one of these, the only problem is that I keep all my guitars out of their cases and play them all the time. 😁.
I’ve often done the same thing, dee Tee. Making the humidity discoveries has made me keep my most valuable guitars in their cases with humidipaks...and it really does help keep them stable.
Hey man thanks. So my humidy in my cases are monitored. They are always around 43-55 percent humidity. I live in cal so it can get pretty dry here so I’m usually on the lower end of the levels I have set to alarm me. Normally it’s around 43-45 percent. Do I need to worry? If I put the humid sponge in there the humidity jumps to like over 60. So what’s worse 55-60 humidity or 40-45 humidity? Maybe I’m being OCD but it’s hard to keep it right at 50 so just curious if that 40-60 range is ok? Thank you for this great video.
Good question, Ryan. I’m not a guitar humidity expert, but overall, if you’re in the 40-60% range, you probably won’t notice major issues. Overall, the most important factor is consistency. That’s where the Humidipaks are really helpful. I’m amazed at how they keep my hard-cased guitars right near 50%.
@@RobertCassard yea I used to just put them in the case not even the sound hole. Just under the head stock and all and they did a great job. But sometimes they did too good of a job and my Humidity would be like 63-65. So I notice that generally it stays between 40-60 here in call without anything in the case. I just wonder if it’s better to maintain them on the dryer side or the more humid side so to speak. I hope I make sense. Probably neither is better and 50 is perfect but it’s so hard to get that middle ground.
@@R.L.Humpert From what the experts say, most problems begin with humidity of 35% or less or 70% or more. I've never really thought about this, but the answer to which is worse would likely be determined by the humidity level in the factory where the guitar was built. If the guitar was built in a factory at 60% humidity, then everything would be glued in place and adjusted to that humidity level. If it were built in a factory with 40% humidity, that would be its "center point."
Most modern factories and luthiers are aware of how important humidity is to the health of their guitars, so the factories are humidity-controlled environments. With vintage guitars, who knows? Musing about the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, near where I grew up... I have no idea if they de-humidified the factory in Summer and humidified it in Winter. If not, Summer guitars would have been built in relatively high humidity while Winter guitars may have been quite dry. I'll bet you could contact the specific manufacturers and ask their recommendations. Bottom line, though, if the guitar feels right and plays with consistently low action but no buzzing, you're probably safe. If the action gets high, there may be too much humidity. If the action gets too low and you experience string buzzing, that may be a sign it's getting dry.
@@RobertCassard sweet response and totally dig the answer about the factory where it was built. Like a little kid growing up and getting used to the climate where they live. Then having to move. I know they aren’t humans but guitars however I never thought of that. I’m assuming Martin is very controlled but like you say which way lower or higher end? Thanks so much for the long careful thought out reply. I truly appreciate it. Just goes to tell you when a guitar is shipped from like sweetwater Indiana to so cal all the changes it goes through. Kinda scary but hopefully they ship well.
@@R.L.Humpert Yeah, the whole "humidity journey" of a guitar is something I never gave any thought to until recently. But if any mainstream retailer knows how to ship a guitar, it would be Sweetwater!
Thank you Robert…. D18 in a good case…70%. Will the paks lower it to 50/55? Thanks
It should, Jasper. There are two types of Humidipaks. The primary one is the "Maintain Kit" which is designed to hold the humidity steady: amzn.to/3LybFkt. The other is the Humidipak Restore, which is designed to rehydrate a dry guitar - not your problem! I suggest you buy a pack of cheap humidity meters. Keep one in each guitar case to confirm you're always at or near 50%. amzn.to/3LycIRr
@@RobertCassard Thanks for answering so quickly. Nice community here! But the packs also take the moisture out now do they? My case
@@jasper_north Yes, they remove moisture if over 50% and add moisture if under 50%. They really work. Their lifespan will depend on how much over or under the humidity is in your environment. If you have a humid Summer and a dry (overheated) Winter, the packs can last a long time...
@@RobertCassard Robert you are taking so much time to answer! Thank you so much man. I am working below the radar with my D18 on 20+ Jason Isbell songs soon to be posted. 4 year project.
Stay tuned, it could take another 6 mths. I am 51 man (1971). Again- thank you for being so polite in taking time to realy answer. Godspeed!
@@jasper_north I love long-term projects like your upcoming "Jasper Isbell" project. LOL. Just make sure to put your unique stamp on those songs and take them "above the radar" at some point! I'm part of a duo called Cosmic Spin. We released an EP of cover tunes awhile ago - very gratifying to treat other peoples' songs as if you wrote them yourself. Here's our channel: ruclips.net/channel/UCsCF5w7Ofno9bEnFNynUqaQ. Scroll down to the Gilding Lilies EP and hit Play All. Our stuff is also on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Regarding your age, I'm 10 years ahead of you (1961). Cheers to ageless music!
A friend of mine used one of these bags and it broke inside the guitar. The gel caused significant damage to the wood and the paint. I’d stay away from it
Are you sure it was the D’Addario Humidipak brand? That must be an EXTREMELY rare occurrence and a manufacturing defect for that particular bag. A) the bags are made of a heavy metallic plastic material. B) each bag is placed inside an outer bag that should hold any liquid or crystals if the inside bag were to start leaking. The product is designed specifically for valuable acoustic guitars…
Hi Robert, I have two questions would like to consult.
How do you know it is the time to replace new Humidipak?
Would it have any problem to the guitar if forgetting to replace new Humidipak?
Thanks a lot!!
Depending on the relative humidity where you and your guitar live, the Humidipaks either dry out and feel hard or get heavy and overly saturated. I leave them in place as long as my little RH gauge says the case interior is close to 50%. You can buy humidity gauges cheaply (4 for $12 as I write this): amzn.to/3hg1u8G
If you forget to replace them, the Humidipaks themselves won’t cause any problems, only the humidity (or lack of it) in the air
@@RobertCassard Thanks Robert!! :)
where are people at90 percent humidity lol
Quite a few places hit 90 percent pretty regularly. I grew up in Michigan. In the summer, without A/C it was super humid.
Southeast coastal Georgia, this morning 24 NOV, 10:00, 91% outside & 43% inside.
This is my solution I wish I had the money to Market that I've never seen anything like it I made it I know at all times what the humidity is on the inside of my guitar at the other end of the little piece of cork is a wire goes into the interior and has a Daddario balanced humidifier I like to look at my guitars and I find one in her case I don't blame as much now I get the best of both worlds not trying to sell anything to anybody anybody want to send me an email that I can send you a picture you can see what I'm talking about take care of y'all
Sounds interesting!
Yes i ahtrr
Ahtrr?