There’s nothing worse for an acoustic guitarist than a cracked or warped guitar.
It means you probably can’t play the guitar. It means you may have to spend hundreds of dollars to get it fixed, if that’s even an option. Some types of damage are unfixable.
That’s why having and regularly using an acoustic guitar humidifier is crucial. This is especially true if you live in a dry or hot climate, or if you live somewhere that has quick and drastic changes in weather.
So to help you pick the best guitar humidifier, we’ve compiled a list of the humidifiers we think would benefit you the most while also not draining your bank account.
But first, a little background on what an acoustic guitar humidifier is and how we chose the best ones.
Contents
What Does An Acoustic Guitar Humidifier Do?
An acoustic guitar humidifier is crucial to the health of your guitar
If you’ve ever asked this question, you’re not alone. Many guitarists don’t understand how humidifiers work or how important they are.
And yes, the answer to this question is yes. You need a humidifier to keep your guitar safe. High-quality acoustic guitars are made of wood that breathes with the conditions around it. So if there are extreme temperatures or humidity levels (or a rapid change in either), the wood in your guitar will react.
The neck and body of your guitar can experience micro changes in size, which could lead to fret buzz, poor tuning, warping, cracking, a loose bridge, broken strings, and other problems. If a solid wood dries out too quickly, it may crack. But on the other hand, if you add too much humidity, the top could swell.
It’s all about monitoring the temperature and humidity and caring for your guitar accordingly. The ideal conditions for your acoustic guitar is a 35-50% humidity and 70-75 degrees. A guitar humidifier helps you do this effectively.
Okay, you need a guitar humidifier. But how do you know which one to buy?
How We Picked The Best Ones
We did our research before compiling this list of the best humidifiers
To find the best humidifiers, we did deep research and took into consideration each humidifier’s effectiveness, ease of use, and how it keeps your guitar safe.
When it comes to effectiveness, we analyzed how well the humidifier actually maintained the humidity of the guitar. We also looked at how easy it was to use each humidifier — it should be clear and easy to install. And finally, these humidifiers are all approved for use on your guitar, taking into account all the different parts and types of wood of most acoustic guitars
The Best Budget Guitar Humidifier
Our pick for the most affordable guitar humidifier that will actually work the best is the D’Addario Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Humidifier.
Because this humidifier is so simple and doesn’t use any clips, it won’t hurt the guitar’s finish and actually keeps the wood from cracking. Cleaning and refilling it is easy, and the sponge inside lasts a long time if you use it once a week with distilled water. Plus, it’s a no-drip design, so you won’t soak the inside wood or electronics (if it’s an acoustic-electric guitar).
On top of all this, it’s super affordable!
The Best Overall Guitar Humidifiers
Conditions like this require the use of a guitar humidifier
Here are the best guitar humidifiers we found based on the aforementioned characteristics (effectiveness, ease of use, and how it keeps your guitar safe).
Kyser Lifeguard Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
Not only is the Kyser Lifeguard humidifier super affordable, but it also comes in two sizes so it can fit a full-bodied guitar and a parlor guitar. For this humidifier to work properly and to ensure it lasts a long time, you’ll need to use it only while the guitar is in its case and not while it’s on a guitar stand.
The thing about the design is you will need to slip it in between the guitar strings, which some people may find annoying. But a lot of humidifiers have this design, and once you get used to installing it, it’s not a big deal.
Arion In-Case Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
As the name clearly states, the Arion In-Case humidifier really only works when your guitar is in its case. It’s a “no leak” humidifier, meaning it won’t soak the inside of your guitar. And it has a pretty unique design — it uses a proprietary mixture involving hydrogels held within plastic that puts out a continuous supply of moisture. You simply add faucet water every 1-3 months to maintain it.
It’s a bit on the pricier side compared to other humidifiers, but you may find it’s worth the cost.
Herco HE360 Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
One of the most affordable humidifiers on the market is the Herco HE360. Using a natural clay recipe, this device provides enough humidity that your guitar doesn’t warp or crack, but not too much moisture that it damages anything.
To activate it, soak the humidifier for about five minutes 1-2 times a month, depending on the dryness and heat index of your location. As long as you do this, it’ll last quite a while. And they’re so affordable, you could buy a few of them as backups.
Soarun Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
The Soarun humidifier has a simple and typical design — a device that hangs across the strings, the lower part holding a sponge full of water. It holds a good amount of water, and you refill it by pouring liquid into the top or submerge it in a bowl of water. The sponge isn’t removable, meaning it’s not as messy as humidifiers that do have removable sponges. Plus, it has a no-drip design.
To make sure it lasts, you should refill it about every month. And it’s affordable enough to buy a couple.
Music Nomad MN300 Humitar Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
The Music Nomad MN300 is definitely one of the best acoustic guitar humidifiers currently on the market. It has a drip-free, super low maintenance design. It evenly releases moisture, ensuring that no part of your guitar warps or cracks. The sponge inside this device can hold 10 times its own weight in water, meaning it lasts a long time before you have to refill it.
It hangs between the middle two strings of your guitar, so to check its refill status, just lift off the top without removing it from the strings and touch the sponge. If it’s moist enough, just put the top back on and you’re good to go.
The cost is relatively low compared to other guitar humidifiers on the market, so it should work for any guitarists on a budget.
Oasis OH-1 Acoustic Guitar Humidifier
The Oasis OH-1 humidifier is one of the pricier options, but it seems to be worth it. It’s basically a little container that you fill with water. Once the water hits the container, it turns into a gel-like consistency. This is good because it’s much less likely to spill and the moisture lasts longer than just water. Then you hang it between the middle strings of your guitar and you’re all set.
The big downside is that you need to keep it filled or else the membrane within the container can crack and drip into your guitar. But as long as you stay on top of it, this humidifier should last you a long time.
Final Verdict
Everybody has different budgets, needs, preferences, and guitars. So the acoustic guitar humidifier we’ve picked as the “best” may not be the best for some people. But for the majority of guitarists, we believe it will be the best option out of these humidifiers.
We think the Music Nomad MN300 Humitar is your best bet. Here’s why:
- Lasts a long time
- Sponge can hold 10x its weight in water
- Requires very low maintenance
- Anti-drip and no-mess design
- Releases moisture in a balanced manner
- Affordable for the features you get
Hopefully, this guide will help you choose the best guitar humidifier for you!
