Dampit Humidifier

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Who uses the Dampit Humidifiers?
Do you use the soundhole cover with it?
If so, have you had any problems with the cover scratching or discoloring the top of your guitar?

The Dampit came with the D55 that I just purchased and I have been using it for now.
I was a little concerned though about the questions that I have posted.

For my other guitars, I use the soap dish and floral foam humidifiers that I make.
They work great but I thought that I would try the Dampit because it came with the D55.

Thanks,
TMG.

 

[chazmo]

I don't use the soundhole cover unless I'm correcting a dehumidification problem. I use dampits and sponges in baggies depending on how low the humidity is in the house in winter. The cover, by the way, shouldn't discolor your guitar. I don't like the somewhat sharp plastic edges, though, and that concerns me for scratching around the soundhole, but I've never actually seen that happen.

In summer, the dampits (and sponges) are not necessary. In fact, I've been considering getting some silica packets to try to dry things out a bit. We've been averaging over 70%RH this summer.

 

[dapmdave]

Who uses the Dampit Humidifiers?
Do you use the soundhole cover with it?
If so, have you had any problems with the cover scratching or discoloring the top of your guitar?

The Dampit came with the D55 that I just purchased and I have been using it for now.
I was a little concerned though about the questions that I have posted.

For my other guitars, I use the soap dish and floral foam humidifiers that I make.
They work great but I thought that I would try the Dampit because it came with the D55.

Thanks,
TMG.

I use the soap disk/floral foam, too.

I have another idea.

You can buy temp/humidity monitors that have remote capability. Has anyone tried to put one of the remotes in a guitar case with a humidifier and monitored the RH in the closed case?


I found one of these systemsfor about 20 bucks. It'd be a good way to evaluate humidifiers, no?

Dave

 

[JimB1]

I use the dampit with the cover if there is a low humidity problem. For normal day-to-day I just hang it from the D or G string into the sound hole while it's in the case.

I also use travel soap dishes with holes drilled into the tops with damp sponges in them for bad low humidity issues.

I've heard some bad things about the ones that go directly in the soundhole like a plug causing wear on the finish around the soundhole but I haven't had any issues like that with the plastic cover on the dampit.

-Jim

 

[cjd-player]

I've been using Dampits for years.

Never used the sound hole cover "cause Taylor Guitars recommended not using it.
You want the fret board humidified as well.

By the way, you get more bang (humidity) for the buck if you buy the Dampits for classical instruments: Cello or Bass.

Cello Dampits are longer, Bass Dampits are larger diameter, and both cost about half what a guitar Dampit costs.

I use the Bass Dampit in my D-55.

Cello in smaller guitars.

 

[chazmo]

I use the dampit with the cover if there is a low humidity problem. For normal day-to-day I just hang it from the D or G string into the sound hole while it's in the case.

I also use travel soap dishes with holes drilled into the tops with damp sponges in them for bad low humidity issues.

I've heard some bad things about the ones that go directly in the soundhole like a plug causing wear on the finish around the soundhole but I haven't had any issues like that with the plastic cover on the dampit.

-Jim

I have a Kyser round, black spongy thingy which has a pretty hard plastic ring in it. I never use it (for fear of scratching around the soundhole) and it has earned the same scorn from me as the Kyser capo. No more of these Kyser products in casa Chaz.

As for the Dampit cover, I've never seen any scratching, but the thing does have a sharp edge that makes me a little nervous. Again, I never use it unless I've got a new guitar in the house that's really dried out. It's not necessary (for me) for normal humidity maintenance. Besides, without the cover, the humidity reaches rest of the guitar in the case which is a good thing.

Oh, by the way, there were recalls on the Planet Waves system which uses gel packs for humidification. The system was good, but the gel can leak and cause damage. You definitely don't want that.

And, finally, make sure your dampits are squeezed out and surface toweled (i.e., you want "damp" not "wet") when you use them. They will not drip if you've squeezed 'em out carefully.

 

[kostask]

Chazmo:

The hard plastic ring on the Kyser Humidifiers can be removed. I have used them in the past on a recommendation from my luthier buddy, but in the same breath as he recommended the Kyser, he told me that the first thing to do when I opened its package up was to remove the hard plastic ring. Works quite well with the plastic ring removed, but don't overfill it with water (you don't want any drips), make sure that the outside is completely dry (this may take some wiping with a towel/cloth) before you put it in the soundhole, and don't forget that you still need to humidify the area of the fingerboard, as if it dries out, it will shrink slightly and allow the fret ends to protrude.

None of the commercially made humidifiers really last in Calgary. We have unusually hard water (most of the water is run-off from the nearby Rocky Mountains), so after 1-1.5 years, they pretty much need to be replaced. I haven't used, or heard of anybody who has used an Oasis locally, so can't judge that unit, but Kysers, Dampits, and the Planet Waves one that hangs from the strings all become ineffective after 1-1.5 years of usage.

I have pretty much resorted to using just a room humidifier in a large closet; humidity control is better, and I don't have to buy a humidifier for each guitar.

Kostas

 

[pickoid]

I used to have a "wall hanger" guitar that was never in a case, and I used the dampit + soundhole cover in that situation. Otherwise, I always use the dampits without the soundhole cover. I'm like you, I'd be worried that the soundhole cover would scratch the finish. I think as long as the guitar is in the case, you're better off not using the soundhole cover. Just my two cents. Heck, I only have to worry about humidity around here for a couple of months a year anyway.

 

[chazmo]

I'll have to try that with the Kyser, Kostas.

Our well water in town is soft enough that I haven't run into that kind of contamination of the sponges. My various humidifiers have worked for several years without change.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I have 2 hygrometers that I use with my guitars.
One is a Planet Wave and the other a Wal-Mart cheepy.
The PL was $40.00 and the Wall-Mart was less than $10.00.
They are within 1 to 2% of each other.
I keep 1 in the closet where the guitars are kept and the other inside guitar casesm and rotate it between all of them.

I reccomend the Wall-Mart hygrometer for the money.

By the way.
I learned several years ago to use distilled water in my humidifiers.
I also add a cap full of chlorine to the distilled water for mold protection.
My humidifiers last a lot longer now.

 

[kostask]

Yes, I have heard about the use of distilled water, but cost wise, it makes more sense to just buy a new humidifier ever year and a half or so, or stick with a room type humidifier. We also tend to have very low humidity in Calgary, and typically need to refill a Kyser every 2-3 days, summer or winter, so I would end up using a lot of distilled water, whether in the Kysers or a room humidifier. My Keysers would calcify, not get mold.

I still believe that I am getting a better humidity distribution with the room humidifier than I would with individual Kysers or Dampits. It is certainly easier, and more certain to fill up one room humidifier than to remember to fill up multiple individual humidifiers.

Kostas

P.S. When using the Kysers, remember to carefully dry the groove that fits around the edge of the sound hole. Water does get in there, and if you put the Kyser in with the water in the groove, it wouldn't be a good thing.