I’ve used D’Addario humidifiers for guitars. What would folks recommend to keep a mandolin hydrated and happy? The weather around these parts has taken a sad, but predictable, cold temperature turn.
Mandolin Rain: or How to Humidify a Mandolin
I don’t have any specific recommendations for you, besides keeping a room under control the best you can. If you’re talking about in the case alone, that may be tough.
A super awesome way to handle winter dry weather:
Get a new sponge
Get a snack size zip lock
Cut a strip off the sponge that fits in the ziplock
Poke small holes in the zip lock with a toothpick or pencil
Wet the sponge strip
Wring it out THOROUGHLY (no dripping allowed in the case)
Put the sponge in zip lock and close it
Put it in the case with the mando, often there is ample room in the space around the headstock
Close the case
Check and “recharge” the sponge every few days (the drier, the more often)
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Thanks @Mike_R for the response and the idea. I’ve heard of people doing similar DIY hacks by drilling holes in a pill bottle or a 35MM film canister. Reading online I saw that some people like the Oasis OH-26 in-case humidifier. Some others talked about the Dampit products that are popular with violins. Regardless, I’ll try your idea first. Easy, effective, and cheap for the win.
DR aka Mike or “Doc” had a post with a link to a video of him making humidifiers for cases and instruments. It was a well done video, try searching for that, I’m sure it would be helpful.
I did what Mike R suggested except I just used the whole sponge instead of cutting off a strip. It lasts about 3 or 4 days here in Ohio with a forced air furnace and wood burning stove. I sold my mandolin though, so I don’t have to worry about it anymore!
Ben, what temperature range do you suggest as a room under control? My heat turns down at night to conserve energy and I wonder if I should keep my mando and guitar in in their cases at night for that reason, or if they’d be better off staying out. The temperature fluctuates about 8-10 degrees down to 62 at night.
62 is just fine! I don’t know the lowest temperature it should get, but I know that 62 is way above it.
Thanks, Ben.