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This month's special book deal is A Guide to Blues Progressions for Ukulele from A to Z. Get it for $11.97, 40% off the normal price. This is the hard copy price for not much more than the price of the PDF download. Checkout other ukulele and guitar specials at www.curtsheller.com/books/SPECIAL.php

FREE Ukulele Chords book or Midnight at the Jazz Cafe CD with all orders for February.

eBook/PDF Specials

All eBook/PDF books are 50% off for a limited time. See the eBook section of the site for all available titles.

QuickStart Scale Series: Pick and choose the individual scales you want to learn. eBook downloads for $4.95 ea. For Ukulele, Guitar and Bass Guitar.

Ukulele Care & Feeding

Care is as simple a changing string and a good case to controling humidity and temperature.

To place a banner ad on this page contact Curt Sheller at 610 326 7295 or email curt@curtsheller.com

Humidity & Temperature Control

 

A ukulele being made of wood is susceptible to temperature and humidity changes.

A ukulele is an acoustic instrument made of wood and just like an acoustic guitar the same care is needed.

Humidity

Ukuleles made of wood, especially solid wood require approximately 50% relative humidity.

The humidity in a room where a ukulele spends most of its time can be checked with a Hygrometer.

There are several instrument specific humidifiers that go in a case or the actual ukulele when stored.

Temperature

For temperature the following guidelines are a good start:

  • Don't store near heating or air conditioning vents
  • Do not leave in a car in hot weather. Definitely not in the trunk when it is hot. Just, take it where you are going.

list.png Standardization of Humidity Levels

I teach at a music store and they do not have humidity control system in place and it wrecks havoc on the acoustic guitars.

Here is a great page titled Call for the Standardization of Humidity Levels at Musical Instrument Dealerships. More dealers should this advice.

link.png Links

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. In daily language the term "humidity" is normally taken to mean relative humidity. Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor in a parcel of air to the saturated vapor pressure of water vapor at a prescribed temperature. Humidity may also be expressed as absolute humidity and specific humidity. Relative humidity is an important metric used in forecasting weather. Humidity indicates the likelihood of precipitation, dew, or fog. High humidity makes people feel hotter outside in the summer because it reduces the effectiveness of sweating to cool the body by preventing the evaporation of perspiration from the skin. This effect is calculated in a heat index table.

( from WidipediA: Humidity)

Hygrometers are instruments used for measuring humidity. A simple form of a hygrometer is specifically known as a "psychrometer" and consists of two thermometers, one of which includes a dry bulb and the other of which includes a bulb that is kept wet to measure wet-bulb temperature. Evaporation from the wet bulb lowers the temperature, so that the wet-bulb thermometer usually shows a lower temperature than that of the dry-bulb thermometer, which measures dry-bulb temperature. When the air temperature is below freezing, however, the wet bulb is covered with a thin coating of ice and yet may be warmer than the dry bulb. Relative humidity is computed from the ambient temperature as shown by the dry-bulb thermometer and the difference in temperatures as shown by the wet-bulb and dry-bulb thermometers. Relative humidity can also be determined by locating the intersection of the wet- and dry-bulb temperatures on a psychrometric chart. One device that uses the wet/dry bulb method is the sling psychrometer, where the thermometers are attached to a handle or length of rope and spun around in the air for a few minutes.

( from WidipediA: Hygrometer)

Humidity Control Devices

 

Herco

Links

information-lite.png Info

Herco Case Humidifier

Dry Climate: Humidifiers are key to keeping your acoustic in good condition if you live in a dry climate. Acoustic guitars can and will shrink and/or crack when exposed to super dry climates, like here in Las Vegas or other desert environments. If although, you live in the desert and have had an acoustic for 10 years that hasn't cracked, then you very likely won't need a humidifier to protect it from cracking. You may be surprised though, what restoring a bit of moisture to the wood will do for the tone of the instrument.

If you store your instrument in its case this humidifier will be helpful. Submerse it in water for 5 minutes and wipe off excess, then store it in your case. Repeat twice a month. Works for guitars, violins, cellos, clarinets or any other fine wooden instrument.

Editor's Note: (Feb 2007) This is the humidifier that I'm using for my ukuleles.

This humidifier is available at most any music store or online. Elderly Instruments has them discounted.

More information available on listings's web site.

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Oasis, Inc
STREET
Columbia, Missouri ZIP
Phone: 410.772.5380

Links

information-lite.png Info click here to view more info

(from their site) - Hand-crafted in America, Oasis® is the best solution to the challenge of guitar humidification. Whether you play a flat top steel string or a nylon string classical guitar, you have made a significant investment in a quality instrument. It is far less expensive to have an effective, easy to use guitar humidifier than it is to repair a cracked guitar. Give Oasis® a try and you will see how well it works!

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Planet Waves
D'Addario & Company

Links

information-lite.png Info click here to view more info

Company History

In 1994, Howard and Robert Silagy started a small guitar strap company in Hicksville, N.Y. Their approach to business was simple: make attractive, durable straps using high-quality materials and people will buy them. Over the next four years, the company grew, with sales skyrocketing because of the growing popularity of Planet Waves colorful, attractive designs and the line's thick, heavy-duty leather tabs.

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Kyser Musical Products
28141 State Hwy 64
Canton, Texas 75103 Toll Free: (866) 500-2799

  • Capos
  • Strings
  • Picks
  • Guitar Humidifier

link.png Links

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

( from listing's site ) - Since 1991, Kyser Musical Products has marketed the unique Quick Change capo. The ingenious design, performance and sturdy construction of the easy-to-use capo quickly caught on with musicians. Today it's the best-selling product of its kind and the foundation of a company that grew out of a garage workshop to a worldwide presence applauded for the quality of its products.

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Cases with Humidity Control Devices

 

Ameritage Carrying Cases
P.O. Box 498
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Toll Free: 866-669-8932
Outside the US: +506-573-8670
Fax: 262-723-2068

  • Acoustic Guitar
  • Archtop Guitar
  • Electric Guitar
  • Banjo
  • Mandolin
  • Bass Guitar
  • Drums

Links

Ameritage-GoldSeries-Uke.png
Gold Series

The Ultimate in Instrument Protection

  • Strong, breathable 6-ply hardwood veneer shell
  • Instrument is suspended in compression fit, shock absorption system
  • Ameritage® Humidity Control System protects instrument from both low and high humidity

Listing Info click here to show or hide more info

( from listing's site ) - Coupling the invaluable input of musicians from around the world with nearly 50 years of case crafting experience, we are creating the “World’s Most Exclusive Musical Instrument Cases™.” Ameritage® is a brand of GWW Group Inc., a family owned business that has been manufacturing carrying cases for the world’s leading brands of carrying cases for decades.

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Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Curt Sheller

CARE.PHP | Updated: Tuesday, 09th March, 2010 @ 08:03am

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