Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
Just wondering if these Humidipaks have been improved since the OP eight years ago. I just bought an expensive Taylor guitar and it definitely needs to be humidified. Usually these packs dry out in a few months instead of leaking.
Just to demonstrate how bad the humidity is here in New Mexico, after six weeks my new imported mandolin's fretboard shrunk to the point where the fret edges need filing. It's a just-released Eastwood electric mando with maple 'board. Cheap Chinese pourous wood, but Eastwood will reimburse me for the repair. Oh, it needs electronic diagnostics as well because of a sonic imbalance. Overall an overpriced instrument, but if the luthier can bring it up to speed on Eastwood's dime, then it should be playable for a while.
Hence, I can't recommend the Mandocaster if it needs expensive humidifying storage. It only comes with a gig bag. It has electronics problems, too.
I’m still studying the concept of “200% quality control…”.
I've been using these since about the time of the original posting on a very old Taylor I bought in the 80's. Now I have them in all of my guitars and in the mandolin and mandola cases. Basically if you take care of them they will take care of you. They are actually made by Boveda and I buy them by the case and keep them in the Boveda saddle bags. I buy the 49% units on Amazon. People can have problems with anything, I'm not taking that away from anyone but they do a great job and I've never had any problems with them. If you do some research you'll see they are used in many different hobbies/Interests where humidity is needed. They can actually be recharged and I do but I'm not going to be the one to tell anyone how to do that because there will be that one person that can't do it right and they will have an issue.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
For those that use these, where in your case do you put it? Especially if you have a well fitting case. I'm curious.
Raqcoon, another desert rat here.
I've used the Boveda packs for quite awhile with no problem at my luthier's strong recommendation. Like Mike, I keep them in the gore-tex bags just in case, although I've never had a problem with one. In addition, I keep an Oasis or Humistat bottle in each case. Otherwise, the packs dry out within days. This would be a terrible idea for people living most places, but when single-digit humidity is your reality, it works.
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