When is it time to start using Damp-its?

[Jake]

Since it's now officially fall, I was wondering when is it kosher to start using Damp-its. What humidity level should I be looking for?

[William Hoffman]

when it's needed and not before... when the air is dry in your house... when the hygrometer in your house (room where you keep your bass) goes below 40%... there isn't an official humidifying season, it varies from place to place. does Florida ever get so cold that you need to humidify indoors?

[Damon Rondeau]

Dampits: a wet fart in a windstorm.

Seriously: how can that little wet thing counteract the local effects of the earth's atmosphere?

[REAPER52]

Yes it does get cold here ,depending on what part of Fl you live in .And it gets very dry in the winter ( dry season). It will not stay cold for long bot it can get cold enough to freeze pipes, kill plants and such....

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Jake

Since it's now officially fall, I was wondering when is it kosher to start using Damp-its.

Never.

Considering how many horror stories I've heard about these things, you're much better off lightly humidifying the air in the room than sticking a wet sponge in your case.

Do a search here on TB to read about the problems and damage Dampits can cause.

And anywhere south of the Mason Dixon line shouldn't have very big humidity swings. What's the summer and winter humidity in your area?

[William Hoffman]

i never used dammits, but the prior owner of my bass did, and there's a watermark spot on the back of my bass to prove it, a drop of water fell right on the luthier's label, obfuscating the date. what +"£*%+ that is. anyway, i agree, if you heat inside and the air gets dry, you feel it also on yourself, your skin. use a humidifier to take the edge off. if you feel good, chances are your bass does too. but dapmits are a fart in windstorm, like he said....

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Dampits: a wet fart in a windstorm.

Seriously: how can that little wet thing counteract the local effects of the earth's atmosphere?

Yeah, but they look cool.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Jake

Since it's now officially fall, I was wondering when is it kosher to start using Damp-its.

IMO, never! Check here, among other threads.

[Dan W.]

I live in N. Idaho, where the humidity changes are extreme. I always store my bass in its case, but since I'm a student I can't humidify the storage room. My bass (being set up in Seattle) seems much happier to have a dampit in it year-round. It buffers the humidity swings.

Dampits are a little like voodoo - maybe they work, maybe they don't, but some people will always swear they make a difference.

[forester]

seasons first fire up the woodstove last night, so i anticipate at least (1) in the blouse and no less than (2) in the trousers.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Dan W.

I live in N. Idaho, where the humidity changes are extreme. I always store my bass in its case, but since I'm a student I can't humidify the storage room. My bass (being set up in Seattle) seems much happier to have a dampit in it year-round. It buffers the humidity swings.

For occasions when I want to buffer humidity changes with my bass in the case, I use a damp sponge inside a partially open zip lock bag. Of course, I position it upright in the case.

[Dan W.]

Originally Posted by drurb

I use a damp sponge inside a partially open zip lock bag.

No spare space in my bag for a sponge. Where do you put yours?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Dan W.

No spare space in my bag for a sponge. Where do you put yours?

When I've used the technique, I will often drop the bag right behind the tailpiece. That way, it takes up no additional room in the bag.

[Gary Lynch]

There is a lot of discussion by members about humidifying a DB (or not). But few if any use internal humidifiers.