What's a dampit and why should you use one?

Humidity can significantly affect the performance of a wooden instrument. Wood is an organic material that absorbs moisture from humid air and loses moisture when the air is dry. Excessive dryness can cause shrinkage and bowing, which can result in cracking and other damage to the instrument. High humidity combined with high temperatures can cause ungluing. Ideally, guitars should be stored under conditions of 45-55% relative humidity. Visit the websites of C.F. Martin & Taylor for more details.

A dampit is a device designed to help control humidity in your instrument. There are different types, but the basic design involves a sponge inside a container. When placed in the instrument, the wet sponge releases moisture into the air through the holes in the container.

Disk-type dampits like the Kyser® (shown on the bottom right) fit into the soundhole of a guitar. Two versions of tubular types are shown on the top right. These are flexible and are designed to be placed inside the instrument. The Dampit® brand versions (green ones) come with a soundhole cover to keep the moist air inside the instrument.

How do you use it?

The dampit should be damp, not soaking wet. Hold it under water to soak the sponge, then squeeze it out and wipe the surface dry. Set it on a paper towel for a few minutes, then check the towel for wetness. Be sure the dampit isn't leaking before placing it inside the instrument.