Is a ukulele humidifier necessary? You may have heard about ukulele humidifiers, especially if you just purchased a new instrument. Honestly, those who live in milder climates often forget the use of humidifiers, but in this article, you will find information about how this inexpensive and simple tool can save your ukulele regardless of how much you spent.
Ukulele Damage That Can Occur Due to Humidity
Although I live in California, I found that humidifiers are inexpensive and easy to use, which provides me with the comfort of knowing my ukuleles are safe from too little or too much humidity. I have quite a few ukuleles, and I realized that such a small investment in time and tools (humidifiers) ensure that the wood will not crack on my ukuleles, that there will not be separation in the wood, and that fret spurs will not form.
All of these things can happen to your ukulele if the humidity is not controlled for your instrument. Protecting your ukulele is an important part of caring for your instrument and can even ease any claims you make in terms of your instrument’s warranty.
Read more: Which Ukulele Size Is The Best?
Humidifiers That You Can Purchase
After researching it quite a bit, I decided to purchase several humidifiers for my ukuleles, and I bought some as presents for other ukulele players in my life. You can purchase these inexpensive tools at terrycartermusicstore.com, and this article will cover two brands of humidifiers which are available in the store as well. I actually have purchased both; however, I do have a favorite due to how easy it is to use!
Different Brands of Humidifiers
Depending on where you live, you may want to consider one of these humidifiers. How often you need to replace them depends on the humidity in your location. Living in California, I find that my humidifiers last for quite a long time. I will explain how you will know when to replace your humidifier. The two humidifiers that I will discuss are the Boveda 49% humidifiers and the OH-18 and OH-32 humidifiers. This is an important investment for you and your ukulele, and it is so easy to use these products!
Boveda 49% Humidifier
This is my top pick out of all the humidifiers out there. The Boveda Humidity Control Pack is very affordable and is sold in the Terry Carter Music Store. There are many reasons why I use this humidifier, most important reason being that it takes less than 30 seconds to use! You simply open the plastic packaging around it and toss it in your hardshell case or gig bag. I have one in all of my ukulele cases.
Even though some ukuleles are made with materials other than wood, each instrument does have some wood in their construction. If you have a laminate ukulele, remember there are wood parts that can get damaged. The Boveda humidifier is a two-way system. It releases humidity and absorbs humidity to keep it at 49%. You may also purchase Boveda sleeves, which you can find on the Terry Carter Music Store as well. Some musicians put the humidifier pack between the strings and the body of the ukulele, but regardless of how you use them, it is an inexpensive and easy-to-use product to protect your investment in your instrument. You know it is time to replace it when the package gets solid after a few months.
Oasis OH-18 and OH-32 Humidifiers
Another brand of humidifiers is the Oasis OH-18 (the standard humidifier) and the Oasis OH-32 (for extremely dry climates). It comes with a tube, clips, and a syringe (to place distilled water in the tube). This tube is refillable, and the crystals inside can be replaced as well. These products only release moisture or humidity. This would definitely work for those musicians in dry climates.
Remember that humidity damage is a preventable threat to ukuleles. At 20-30% humidity, wood starts cracking. It is recommended that you place it in your case or gig bag in case it humidifies too much which could loosen up the glue in your ukulele. If it leaks into the ukulele, that can cause damage as well. Many musicians use this brand of humidifiers and find it easy to use. Depending on your needs, you may consider this product as a better fit for you and your location.
Conclusion
Why humidifiers? They are inexpensive and an extremely easy-to-use and protection for your investment in your instrument. To avoid wood cracking, fret spurs, and wood separation in your ukulele, this affordable product can prevent ukulele damage that can occur with unsafe amounts of humidity where your instrument is located.
It can even be used for hanging ukuleles because you can tuck it between the strings and the body of your ukulele if you store your ukuleles in this way. Protect your investment, and enjoy strumming on your safe ukulele!
