360/12 Humidity Issues

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:45 am

My 360/12 just arrived from Pick of the Ricks and I absolutely love the instrument. Chris Clayton has set it up perfectly for my playing style. But I have some concerns about keeping the action the way it is, especially over the winter months. The action on my 330/12 always goes through the ceiling this time of year. I've gone through the rigamarole of running a humidifier in my guitar room, but that was a real pain and didn't seem to help. So I'm trying a new solution. I've purchased a Planet Waves Humidipak Automatic Humidity Control System. It's supposed to work both ways and to maintain a constant humidity of 45%. This product is made for acoustic guitars. Two pouches are supposed to go in the soundhole of an acoustic and the remaining one is supposed to be placed in the case near the headstock of the guitar. My experiment involves using the Humidipaks with two of my electrics: my Strat and my new 360/12. I simply put the refill packet in its pouch and place the pouch inside the guitar case. The new Rick cases have no separate closable compartment like the old ones, so I've placed the pouch in the recessed part of the case (above the neck of the guitar). It says in the care and maintenance manual that came with the guitar that it should be stored at 40% humidity and that it should be kept at the "optimum humidity level." Am I taking a risk by placing the Humidipak in the case with a guitar that's already set up perfectly? Is the Humidipak likely to overhumidify the guitar and thus mess with the spot on setup? Or will it protect the guitar from dry air and therefore maintain that setup?

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:58 pm

I am new to the whole problem of humidification and lack thereof, having just moved to DC from Florida. 40% is best for Rick maple, according to the company, IIRC. I just bought the 14-gallon Kenmore unit Sears sells. I had to completely rearrange my tiny studio room to accomodate it! I'm keeping everything in the cases, as I've been recommended to do. I bought a hygrometer from the hardware store, a Planet Waves unit from a music store, and this Kenmore has a humidistat. When I checked all three simultaneously last night, and after running it at a target of 45% for a few hours, they ranged from 38%-50% as follows:
Kenmore 45%
hardware store cheapie 50%
P. Waves 38%
So I've set the target at 50% because near the window (opposite side of the tiny room from the humidifier) is where I'm losing tons of air and heat, and thus, I assume, humidity. I have to make sure not to go over 50% since I have lots of electronic gear as well.

Take all this with a grain of salt. I really have no clue. Just a dumb Floridian here trying to survive my first real winter.

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:07 pm

Thanks for the advice. I just can't go through the whole hassle of running and maintaining a room humidifier again. I'll have to check my 360/12 vigilantly and see if the Humidipak has changed anything. I certainly wouldn't want it to do any damage to the wood. But we're talking about 45%, which is only 5% more humidity than Ric recommends.

I'll keep you posted on how things go.

Robert

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:10 pm

Robert -- we just had a thread recently where several members posted some ideas for making Do-It-Yourself case humidifiers. Check it out - viewtopic.php?f=14&t=398929&start=0

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:12 pm

Thanks for your help, Rich. I'll have a look at it.

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:34 pm

Rich,

Do you have any idea whether the 2 sponge in a bag method would keep the humidity in the right (40%) range? (I'm sure it does a much better job than the Planet Waves sponge-in-the-soundhole ones.) I just have concerns about excess humidity as much as dryness.

Robert

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:53 pm

My hygrometer downstairs, where I'm storing the 360/12, says the room humidity is at 40%. If that's an accurate read, I shouldn't have too much to worry about.

Robert

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:05 pm

Folkie wrote:Rich,

Do you have any idea whether the 2 sponge in a bag method would keep the humidity in the right (40%) range?

Robert

Folkie wrote:My hygrometer downstairs, where I'm storing the 360/12, says the room humidity is at 40%. If that's an accurate read, I shouldn't have too much to worry about.

Robert

I think your only way of knowing how much humidity these You Tube D-I-Y Humidifiers will produce is to periodically measure - and it sounds as if you have the device for doing that.

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:53 pm

I do have a fairly accurate way of measuring the room humidity downstairs where I store my guitars. But I don't have any device for measuring the humidity inside a guitar case. Any suggestions?

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:01 pm

Folkie wrote:I do have a fairly accurate way of measuring the room humidity downstairs where I store my guitars. But I don't have any device for measuring the humidity inside a guitar case. Any suggestions?

Here you go!

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:21 pm

Thanks much!

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:29 pm

45% is fine. I lived in Florida for years.

Seriously, though, yeah.

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:00 pm

I'm just having my 330/12 set up to counter the effects of dry winter air which has sent the guitar's action through the ceiling. After the setup, I'll store a Planet Waves Humidipak in a perforated ziplock bag in the guitar's case. Let's hope that keeps the humidity where it should be.

Robert

Folkie · Post by **Folkie** » Tue May 31, 2011 10:31 pm

Well, I knew it would happen eventually, although I was still a little unprepared. After not playing my 360/12 for a few weeks, during a particularly humid season here in Cleveland, I took it out of its case, and the action was so low that the top four strings were fretting out and the guitar was unplayable. I took it to one of my techs to raise the action and give the instrument any necessary setup attention. When it's properly set up, I plan to keep a Planet Waves Humdipak in the case at all times, so this doesn't happen again.

I had stopped using the Humidipaks because they were very expensive, and because one gel pack usually only lasts me about three weeks (as opposed to the three months they're supposed to last). I'm banking on the fact that the Humidipaks will work in both directions--ie. humidify or dehumidify as needed. To me this seems to defy common logic, but that's how they're supposed to work. I've just purchased a stock of humidipak refills, which, it turns out, were on sale today at Guitar Center, and I hope they'll keep my electric guitars intact for the rest of the summer.

Robert

kiramdear · Post by **kiramdear** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 4:07 am

Wow, I feel for you, Robert. I never lived in a humid climate and am used to my guitars being fine year round here in the SF area. In your spot I imagine I would take steps to have my music room climate controlled. Keep us posted!

Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum