adamgood
Oud Junkie
Posts: 499
Registered: 6-27-2005
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: 2.7 koma flat
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anything to do about humidity?
We are having some crrrrazzzy high humidity here in Haarlem in the Netherlands and my ud hates it. now i hate my ud. we're not getting along right now
and it's nobody's fault. we've apologized to one another a few times but still the problem is there.
the action has dropped way down. I have to play it tomorrow in a concert (one tune luckily) and I'm just wondering if there's anything to do about
it?
what I feel like doing is blowing a hair dryer on it but someone tell me please that's a bad idea before I do it. I'm close.
thanks!
Adam
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Jason
Oud Junkie
Posts: 734
Registered: 9-17-2005
Location: Louisville, KY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Loving my oud
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I wouldn't apply direct heat to the oud... the heat would have to be sustained to really 'dry' the wood which could do any number of bad things to
your oud
Do you always keep the oud in a hard case? A hard case with a humidifier should fix your problem
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arsene
Oud Junkie
Posts: 366
Registered: 5-19-2007
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Member Is Offline
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stupid humidity has been troubling my oud too... and my guitars, my mandola, even my cobza looks a little pale... darned weather! oh well, i take
comfort in the fact that the UK must be worse.
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pauldata
Oud Maniac
Posts: 64
Registered: 4-20-2007
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Mood: No Mood
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A hard case with a humidifier will do nothing to help... You need to get DEhumidifiers, ie: dessicants or silica gels. Keep them in the case with
your oud. They need to be 'recharged', or dried-out on a regular basis for them to be effective. This is done in an oven or microwave, according to
the manufacturer's instructions.
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rromadOud
Oud Addict
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: west of sub-continental divide-USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: one
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Too little or Too much humidity is bad for any wooden instrument.
the "Safety Zone" is between 40% and 60% humidity...................but you should be more worried about it being too "dry" than it being to
"wet"............... if the instrument is made using "hide- glue" then too much humidity will soften it and cause things to come loose or
apart...........this usually happens with prolonged exposure to humidity levels over 70% to 80% . Synthetic glues on the other hand , can withstand
much more.
Cracks occur when the levels of humidity are below 40% for a long period of time.
i prefer the actual plug in the wall type of dehumidifier over the ones that you keep in the case..........but the case ones are nice if you are
traveling with you instrument.
hope this helps........
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muthada
Oud Maniac
Posts: 95
Registered: 5-10-2006
Location: Ein Carmel,israel
Member Is Offline
Mood: oudish
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check this out!
taylor guitars
https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/Humidity.aspx
regards
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AGAPANTHOS
Oud Addict
Posts: 35
Registered: 2-23-2006
Location: CRETE-GREECE
Member Is Offline
Mood: hopeful
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Hello Adam,
I hope that you still remember me from the oud seminars from Choudetsi -Crete, given by our master Necati Celik.
In cases where the relative humidity in-door is higher than 65 to 70 % we can say that we entry to an extreme situation and the wooden musical
instruments are highly affected.The practical advises for the protection of the instrument could be:
-the instrument has to be lying in hard case which must keep it close the humid -wet days.
-you have to change periodically the silikon sachets in the hardcase (depending the humidity problem).
-constand heating during winders diminishes drastically the problem
-During the windy days(north wind) you have to open vis a vis windows and doors every day for considerable time (half an hour, three quarters)to
refress the air and sweep the enclosed humidity away, and
- use from time to time the very low scale of a hair drying gun in front of the open empty case of the instrument and blow from a certain distance 50
to 60 cm the hot air. The direct use of hot air means around the instrument is not recommended in any case.
I hope that my advises will be helpful to you.
Regards,
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arsene
Oud Junkie
Posts: 366
Registered: 5-19-2007
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Member Is Offline
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I was always taught that, for example guitars should be kept OUT of their cases... can't recall the exact reason for this, maybe for them to be able
to get some fresh air? I don't know.
Where can I get those dessicants? How about dehumidifiers for the entire room?
I store my microphones in a mic closed with those little silica gel bags you find in packages ... you know... maybe I can put some of those in the ud
case.
So does everybody recommend to keep ud/guitars IN their cases (hard-cases, that is)? I'm always afraid they will smell funny if the cases aren't
opened for a long time!
P.S.- Great link to those taylor vids, although I'm afraid in Holland we'll never have that problem... 
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Savoud
Oud Admirer
Posts: 8
Registered: 6-12-2007
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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D'addario has a new product that claims to hold humidity at 45%. I talked to a touring guitarist who uses it and loves it. Here's the link with
information about it.
http://www.planetwaves.com/NewsDetails.aspx?ParID=7253
Maybe it will help
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MatthewW
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1031
Registered: 11-5-2006
Location: right here
Member Is Offline
Mood: Al Salam
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open or shut case and humidty
Hi all, in reply to Arsenes question above, from all I've heard it is best to keep your acoustic guitar in its case when not playing it and keep it
shut, and I'm sure this would apply to the oud as well. By keeping the oud in a hard case with it shut, you create a 'controlled environment'
humidity wise, and the case ought to be kept well away from direct sunlight or radiators or elephants...and so on. I've never had any problems with
any unwanted oders developing in a case if kept closed (unless you keep your socks in it as well), and I'm sure your oud would be being played out of
the case often enough to give the case a good airing on a regular basis! What acoustic guitar players (and other string players like fiddle,cello,
etc) have been using to help control humidty and protect their instrument are clever little objects that you can put into your case- there is
something called 'Dampit', and a company called Planet Waves makes a nice looking in case humidifier -
<http://elderly.com/accessories/items/GVH.htm> cheers!
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damascene_oud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 143
Registered: 4-28-2007
Location: Damascus
Member Is Offline
Mood: Obssessed by oud
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Many years ago i used to see Ouds kept in Thick and coarse white linen bags, and hang them on the wall. That's what my grandfather used to do with his
1901 Hanna Nahhat Oud. And it is in absolutely perfect shape and stunning sound.
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rromadOud
Oud Addict
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: west of sub-continental divide-USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: one
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it is the "Extremes" in temperature and humidity that happen very fast that are most damaging to any wooden instrument...............which is why you
should always keep it in it's case when not being used.
and never point a hair-dryer at it!................very very bad for it.
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