Double Bass How to use a dampit the correct way?

[drurb]

As a suggestion for those who use the sponge in the bag technique, you might be able to inhibit growth of nasties in the sponge with just a tiny bit of vodka.

...and here I was thinking of bleach! How foolish! With the vodka trick, I could wring the sponge out into my mouth after I got the bass home.

 

[A440Hz]

...basses loaded...

 

[TheSuzie]

It is 6% humidity *before* I turn on the a/c. That will change when the rain comes in a few weeks. Don't see how a dampit would do a damn thing here. Both luthiers I have spoken to said no to dampits in the past. Guess I won't worry till I get a real DB again.

If I had a dampit (I'd dampit in the mor-orn-ing...):

1. Immerse dampit in water
2. Hold dampit above my head and wring out, soaking hair and neck - Ahhhhhh. Now that's good!


Edited - We tied the record for low humidity today. 2% outdoors.

 

[A440Hz]

Yep, it's dry here. We have an evaporative cooler, so that helps during these dry months until the monsoon kicks in. But I don't have a DB. Just a solid acoustic guitar that I keep in the case. And I have a few "Arizona fret jobs" on my guitars/basses. You know, where the fingerboard shrinks but the frets don't.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

It is 6% humidity *before* I turn on the a/c. That will change when the rain comes in a few weeks. Don't see how a dampit would do a damn thing here. Both luthiers I have spoken to said no to dampits in the past. Guess I won't worry till I get a real DB again.

If I had a dampit (I'd dampit in the mor-orn-ing...):

1. Immerse dampit in water
2. Hold dampit above my head and wring out, soaking hair and neck - Ahhhhhh. Now that's good!


Edited - We tied the record for low humidity today. 2% outdoors.

'I'd Dampit in the evening, all over this la-and'

Damn that's dry! Living here on the Wet Coast of Canada, we have a much more even climate for wooden instruments...

 

[Jordan M]

Instead of using a dampit, I was told by my luthier to turn a soft case inside out and hang it in the bathroom while I have a hot shower, then just keep the bass in the case. Solves the drip problem, surrounds the entire bass, and holds a whole lot more moisture than dampits. Seems logical.

 

[TheSuzie]

Instead of using a dampit, I was told by my luthier to turn a soft case inside out and hang it in the bathroom while I have a hot shower, then just keep the bass in the case. Solves the drip problem, surrounds the entire bass, and holds a whole lot more moisture than dampits. Seems logical.

I would worry about ending up with a moldy bass and case. Of course I am so seriously allergic that both the bass and case would have to go. Can't have humidifiers or evaporative coolers for the same reason.

Peace,
S

 

[drurb]

Instead of using a dampit, I was told by my luthier to turn a soft case inside out and hang it in the bathroom while I have a hot shower, then just keep the bass in the case. Solves the drip problem, surrounds the entire bass, and holds a whole lot more moisture than dampits. Seems logical.

Can't imagine a soft case would hold any substantial moisture for more than a few minutes. As I've mentioned before:

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.

You'll never catch me using a damp-it. Too dangerous! See the beginning of this thread.

 

[SAlcott]

For me, the best way to use a Dampit is to carefully dry it and put it in a drawer. I prefer a humidifier.

 

[sirero]

This winter my bass developed a crack in the front and two in the side bouts at roughly the same time. I had been storing my bass in a room were I had no control over the humidity, and the humidity was kept too low, and from then on I used one of those blue things that you stick in acoustic guitars. You fill it up, water can't leak out and it was small and tucked easily out of the way.