Humidity can have a far-reaching effect on completely wooden or partly solid-wood guitars. The result could either be a major or minor issue and manifest through poor tone or total damage to the guitar. This is due to the susceptibility of wood to changes in temperature, especially moisture. We’ve reviewed the best room humidifier for guitars in this post to help you avoid damage to your guitar
The creation of guitars is done in environments with regulated temperatures. Still, when purchased from the factory, they’re stored in various settings, which may not suit them. Hence, humidifiers are necessary so you can check humidity around and inside your guitar.
You’ll, of course, be interested in preserving and protecting it so that it can serve its cause. Indeed, several guides would give you insight into maintaining the polishing of your wooden equipment. However, only a few of them will provide a comprehensive guide on regulating the humidity around the guitar.
This is the secret behind the feeling you get when you enter a guitar store and experience a good-quality sound with their guitars. These vendors possess not just humidifiers but top ones that would preserve the quality of their instruments.
To help you easily navigate the market and select the suitable top humidifiers, we have provided a buyer’s guide for the best room humidifiers for guitars below.
Best Humidifiers for Guitars: Buyer’s guide
It is either guitar sellers, ardent collectors, or manufacturers that would know much about the features of a Grade A humidifier. However, you wouldn’t need to put that much into consideration before selecting the best guitar humidifier.
All you need to know are the best four features and conditions humidifiers for guitars must meet. These include; the type of humidifier, size of the room, fitted with a filter or not, and the humidistat.
Types of Humidifiers
The kind of humidifiers you acquire would depend on a few factors. These can include the various types, and we have listed out the top three humidifiers you can pick from below:
Sound Hole Humidifier: Like its name, the soundhole humidifiers are fitted around or inside your guitar’s soundhole. They could cover the hole totally or be included among the strings and hang down into the equipment.
They are renowned for their inexpensiveness and will only function when stored in your guitar case. This is for the lone or fewer guitar owners who would only be interested in humidifying part of the room. They could as well be used in displayed guitars or stashed ones.
Guitar Case Humidifiers: This kind is designed to lie in the guitar case while protecting the whole case and wood through humidity regulation. These are ideal for guitarists who stash away their guitars properly and use them sparingly. They come with either a pouch, plastic tube, or material, making it easy for water vapor to dissipate outside the equipment.
Room Humidifiers: These humidifiers are specially made to control the humidity of the whole room. Possessing several guitars or a music room for frequent practice is best. They’re also recommended for maintaining good health, as rooms with a humidity above 30 percent are healthy. However, they‘re surely more expensive than other types.
If you’re a singer, you may as well choose a humidifier meant for singers and steer clear from choices that employ warm mist to operate. This will avoid heat-related impairment to your instrument.
Size of Room
You must choose a model of humidifier that could humidify the whole area. Several humidifiers specify their coverable dimension, although it is not always accurate. So, make sure you get one that would work for you. The original calculation is commonly done based on standard building plans and dimensions of different localities.
Fitted with a Filter or not
You have a choice between humidifiers with a filtering system and those that don’t have filters. However, it would be best to consider the kind that could clean your air to prevent particles from damaging your musical instrument.
Some of these humidifiers are fitted with lifetime filters that merely need periodic cleaning, whereas others require regular replacement of the filters. Other humidifier types run different methods to purify the air.
Humidistat
Having your humidifier fitted with a humidistat isn’t compulsory, as you can buy a hygrometer distinctly. Nevertheless, it helps. With an installed humidistat, you will have additional regulation over the productivity of your machine.
It will equally allow you to supervise the humidity levels to certify they will at no time become excessively high or low for space.
Top 5 Best Room Humidifiers for Guitar
#1. Venta Airwasher- Air Purifier & Humidifier
The Venta Airwasher is a 2-in-1 humidifier that improves the humidity of your room and, at the same time, purifies the air. It eliminates air pollutants, including pollen, dust, pet dander, and other allergens.
The humidifier runs on a resourceful energy process. It’s filter-free and creates no white dust, ozone, or ions. Covering a 400 square feet space, its 2-gallon water reservoir fitted with level indicator and automatic control could last beyond the 10-year warranty.
Aside from the Venta, there still exist various other humidifiers that could be installed in your guitar room, but we have selected this for a particular reason. The combination of its air purifier and humidifier sets it above the average humidifier. Hence, it lets you be in total control of the air in your guitar room.
Its design is one that instead of employing a filter, functions with an air washing process. This model can serve 400 square feet of space although you can find lesser or greater dimensions in other models.
Guitarists, singers, and people could use it with respiratory challenges like asthma or with allergies.
#2. D’Addario Humidipak Automatic Humidity Control
The Humidipak case humidifier designed by D’Addario is renowned for its ability to regulate humidity and make manual adjustments from the equation. It is the first two-way humidifier that can control the humidity within your guitar case at a steady percentage of 50 or 45 if it is in good working condition.
You could also obtain three extra mess-free pouches that you could nip into your guitar soundhole and case. These would require monthly replacement, though.
This humidifier keeps your instrument from cracks, warps or other humidity-delated damages. It won’t require you to keep making manual modifications due to the change in season, geographical location or temperature.
#3. Holmes Cool Mist Comfort Humidifier
This Humidifier comes with a Humidistat displayed on ICD, 3-speed options, and a programmable 16 hour on/off timer. Its HWF65 C replacement filter has been treated with antimicrobial protection, and its tank can hold about 1.5 gallons of water.
It is ideal for rooms with high ceilings and can humidify a space of 600 square feet. In comparison to other humidifiers, this Holmes alternative is more cost-effective and is one of the most dominant alternatives on the market.
You can easily view the information on the LCD and adjust the levels or reset the timer. However, you have a 1-year limited warranty for your Holmes product.
#4. Oasis OH-6 Case Humidifier
The Oasis humidifier is the easiest way to humidify your guitar, as it is also placed in the case. It is created from a special material that can release water vapor while holding the water. When the water evaporates finally, you can easily refill the humidifier with no stress at all. This refill could last up to 7 days.
This humidifier can be flexibly positioned at various areas of your guitar case and cannot leak because of overfilling. Due to its huge success, other instrument owners, like the violas, mandolins, etc. are also inquiring about how to humidify theirs.
#5. Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
The Planet Waves humidifier is a soundhole humidifier. Hence, it dangles within the hole and does not rub the wooden areas of the guitar. It cannot be placed somewhere in the case but has to be necessarily fitted in the soundhole. It has sensors for humidity and temperature check, which gives you an idea of your instrument’s protection.
The clips that keep the humidifier in suspension are mild and won’t damage the strings. You can easily use it or make a refill, as it lasts for the lifetime of your instrument.
Maintenance Tips for Best Room Humidifier for Guitars
Having known the importance of a humidifier and the different kinds you can choose from, below are some guidelines on how you can maintain your guitar and humidifier:
- Never allow your humidifier to be in direct contact with your guitar. You should either place it somewhere away from the wood or suspend it.
- Monitor the humidity of your guitar case and room separately, as there’re usually differences in the case humidity readings when they are in secluded areas.
- Always try to return your guitar to its case after use.
- Do not expose your guitar to direct sunlight for long hours. The sample applies to direct contact with ACs, heaters, and open windows,
Troubleshooting Tips for Best Room Humidifiers for Guitars
Having seen our top picks of the best humidifiers and making your choice, these humidifiers should last you for the duration you wish. To ensure they perform optimally, follow the tips below:
- Always ensure your humidifier is never empty by carrying out regular checks.
- Make use of a hygrometer that could be installed in the humidifier’s humidistat. This would monitor the humidity level of the room keeping it at the average 45% level.
- You should never keep your humidifier near your guitars if you use a whole-room humidifier.
- You might require two kinds of humidifiers if you store your guitars in their cases and also put them on displays.
Conclusion
The idea of using a humidifier is to leave your guitar in good working condition whether you are a professional or business owner or just have one. Any humidifier you select from our list is tested and is sure to serve your purpose. However, you must properly maintain your instrument.
Related Post
Best Humidifier for Indoor Plants
