Humidity can have a far-reaching effect on completely wooden or partly solid-wood guitars. The effect could either be a major or minor issue and could manifest through poor tone or total damage to the guitar. This is due to the susceptibility of wood to change 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 but when they’re now purchased from the factory, they’re stored in various environments which may not be good for them. Hence, the need for humidifiers is relevant, so that 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. There’re surely several guides that would give you insight on how to maintain the polishing of your wooden equipment. However, only a few of them will give you a comprehensive guide on how you can regulate 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 right top humidifiers in the market, we have provided you with a buyer’s guide for 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 in 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 Humidifier– 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: Just like its name, the soundhole humidifiers are fitted around or inside your guitar’s soundhole. They could cover the hole totally or be fitted 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 as they would not be interested in humidifying the whole room. They could as well be used in displayed guitars or stashed ones.
Guitar Case Humidifiers: This kind is specially 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 don’t use them frequently. They come with either a pouch, plastic tube or material which makes it easy for water vapor to dissipate outside of the equipment.
Room Humidifiers: These humidifiers are specially made to control the humidity of the whole room. It is the best choice if you possess several guitars or a music room for frequent practices. They’re also recommended for maintenance of good health as rooms with a humidity level 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- It’s necessary for you to choose a model of humidifier that could humidify the whole area. Several of these humidifiers give a specification of their coverable dimension although it is not always accurate. So, ensure you get one that would suit properly. 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, you should consider the kind which could clean your air in a way that prevents particles from damaging your musical instrument.
Some of these humidifiers are fitted with lifetime filters that merely need periodical cleaning whereas, others require regular replacement of the filters. There’re equally other types of humidifier which run a different method 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 achieves this by eliminating air pollutants including pollen, dust, pet dander and other allergens.
The humidifier runs on an energy resourceful 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 even last beyond the 10-year warranty given.
Aside from the Venta, there still exists various other humidifiers that could be installed in your guitar room but we have selected this for a special reason. The combination of its air purifier and humidifier is one that sets it above the normal 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.
It could be used by guitarists, singers and people 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 do manual adjustments from the equation. It is the first two-way humidifier that can regulate 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 extra three 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 16 hour on/off timer which is programmable. 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 means to humidify your guitar as it is placed in the case too. It is created from a special kind of 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 inquiring about how to humidify theirs too.
#5. Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
The Planet Waves humidifier is a soundhole humidifier. Hence, it dangles within the hole and 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:
- Don’t ever 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 under direct sunlight for long hours. The sample applies for direct contact with ACs, heaters and open windows,
Troubleshooting tips for Best Room Humidifier 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 and it could be possibly 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 making use of a humidifier is to leave your guitar in good working conditions whether you are a professional or business owner or you just have one. Any humidifier you select among our list is tested and is certain to serve your purpose. However, you must properly maintain your instrument.
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