Ukuleles have grown hugely in popularity in recent years. They’re an immensely fun instrument, as well as being small, portable and affordable. As a starter instrument or for more advanced musicians out there, having a Ukulele opens a world of new sounds. As with any instrument, taking care of it is vital, and the best ukulele humidifiers can do a world of good for the sound of your instrument.
We’ve looked at humidifiers in some detail here on Subreel.com, and guitar humidifiers are a growing trend with people looking to keep their instruments in top condition. The same principle applies in humidifiers for ukuleles.
Why Use a Humidifier for Your Uke?
Not keeping any wood in the right level of humidity can lead to problems such as cracking and warping, but this is especially important with instruments when you consider the precision with which they are made. A slight crack or warp on a table won’t change the way it functions, a warp on the neck of a Ukulele changes the whole action and can lead to problems with the action and sound of the instrument. Buzz, strings lifting from the fretboard and cracking are all very common issues.
The Optimal Humidity
You will be very lucky to be one of the few who stores your instrument in a perfect humidity. It is recommended that between 45 and 55% humidity is perfect for a wooden instrument. Naturally, aiming for 50% seems logical. For most people, this means that to get the most out of your Ukulele you will have to add some humidity. You can, of course, treat the room, but this isn’t always the most effective, and by using one of the best humidifiers for Ukulele you can treat the product directly.
Top Humidifiers
Music Nomad Humilele MN302 Review
This is a perfect product for your Ukulele in so many ways! It is easy to use and rests perfectly on the strings of your Uke. As well as this, its impressive technology can hold up to 10 times its weight in moisture meaning your wood won’t dry out anytime soon. The quick flipping lid lets you check any time how moist the product is.
The Music Nomad is a great product whether you play soprano, concert, tenor or baritone Ukulele and will fit just as easily on each.
Let’s face it, the name Humilele alone draws your eye to this product, but the manufacturers are no jokers. They’ve produced an exceptional product here which is a godsend for Ukulele players around the world. A huge amount of five-star reviews online are a testament to its brilliance, and the MN302 is a pretty affordable product too, especially when you consider how much good it can do.
Oasis OH-18 Ukulele Humidifier
Another clever product is the OH-18 which rests over two of the strings of your Ukulele and actually sits inside the sound hole for the utmost effectiveness. It will warn you when it needs refilling, and the manufacturers promise that this is a product extremely unlikely to leak.
A lot of very favorable reviews on the internet show that the consumers have been very happy with the product too. If you have a nice Ukulele, there’s no point in risking the problems that can go with low humidity and this is one brilliant way to avoid it.
Planet Waves Small Instrument Humidifier
An alternative approach to instrument humidity is to get a product like this, which sits inside the case. It isn’t as tailor-made for Ukuleles, so its effectiveness may not always be quite as good as the competition, but if your Ukulele is not worth quite as much or you are on a budget then the Planet Waves Humidifier offers a cheap alternative, plus it can double up as a humidifier for other instruments such as a guitar.
Recommended Product – Music Nomad MN305 HumiReader Hygrometer, Humidity, and Temperature Monitor
It makes sense that you would want to monitor the humidity, and Music Nomad have made another product to make this easy. The HumiReader will show you whether you are hitting the 45-55% target and though it is not totally essential, it can be very helpful and reduce the risk of the worst happening to your Ukulele.
Conclusion
A Ukulele is a portable instrument, and even if it spends most of its time in a room with perfect humidity, the chances are that within the case or being taken out and about, this may not be the case.
Imagine spending all of that money on an instrument you love, only to have the wood warp or crack, or the frets lift from the board. Of course, the quality of wood does play a part, but any Ukulele can fall foul of the products that the wrong humidity can bring, and it isn’t a risk worth taking if you take music at all seriously. You can protect yourself for a relatively small sum of money and ensure that you aren’t left red-faced and frustrated when your Ukulele develops problems.
