Alan-TX
Oud Junkie
Posts: 118
Registered: 2-18-2008
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Ideal Room Humidity Level
Does anyone have a reference for ideal room humidity levels for keeping ouds or other stringed instruments from drying out or getting over
humidified? What I can find online for guitars is 45-55% relative humidity. Most links cite the same source though http://www.maurysmusic.com/humidity___acoustic_guitars
I had to run the heater due to a cold snap and noticed my tuning pegs stopped sticking and the soundboard on my buzuq started to separate in two
places on the seams (yikes!). After researching humidifiers I got one of these .
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_9990000012487611P?keyword=...
So far works like a champ. I had it running with no limit and got the room up 66% humidity in about 12 hours and the seams are back together on my
buzuq. I have lowered the setting now to 50%. If anyone has useful information concerning relative humidity for instrument storage I would like to
hear it.
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Sazi
Oud Junkie
Posts: 786
Registered: 9-17-2007
Location: Behind my oud
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I think you've already nailed it Alan, 50% is the ideal for oud .
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bibo10
Oud Junkie
Posts: 300
Registered: 11-10-2008
Location: New Jersey, USA
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I was told that 50% is the ideal humidity level for ouds
+++++++++++
Michael-GOD BLESS EGYPT
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ALAMI
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 12-14-2006
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"Ideal humidity" for a certain oud would be equal to the luthier workshop humidity the day he glued the face, which is of course not a realistic
option.
50% humidity would be the "safest realistic" humidity.
however I noticed that ouds made under dry climate hold better the weather changes than ouds made under humid climate.
My "weatherproof" oud is a Ghadban, Nazih workshop is in a dry area and I found that his oud doesn't even get out of tune when I take it from 0 to
1400m with a significant change in temperature and humidity, may be it has also to do with the great build quality.
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jdowning
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 8-2-2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Around 50% RH at the final assembly stage works for me although it depends on the environment year round where an instrument is to be kept. However,
if an instrument is assembled at, say, 65% RH then exposing it to a 50% level might cause problems.
Here RH in my house can range between about 30% in mid winter (heated kitchen) to 85% + during the humid heat of summer - although my instruments are
kept in a room where humidity likely does not drop much below 50% (but I haven't taken the trouble to measure it). It is levels of humidity lower than
the humidity during assembly that can result in damage due to drying out and shrinkage of the wood causing splitting. Higher levels of humidity that
cause the wood to expand are usually not so destructive but can be a nuisance due to pegs sticking and result in the general resonance and response of
an instrument becoming (temporarily) less than optimum.
When humidity levels are so high that there is a smell of warm hide glue coming from the interior of the bowl of the instrument I usually 'take a
break' from playing until humidity levels drop again!
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