Humidifying

December 29, 2025, 4:08 PM · I appreciate that humidifying the fiddle case is important, in-particular in our Canadian winters where it gets very dry. The affect on the bow is dramatic making impossible to completely loosen the hair in current conditions. So I have been humidifying the case but after I’ve been playing for a couple of hours, most of the moisture has left the bow hair and it again cannot be fully loosened. I assume its similar situation for the violin.
Therefore is it really a good idea to humidify the case. The bow and instrument are repeatedly being humidified and dried out which must be stressful.

Replies (11)

Will Wilkin

December 29, 2025, 4:21 PM · In cooler half of the year I run a cool mist vaporizer in the room continuously. I have most of my instruments out on stands or wall hooks. If I am away too long and the vaporizer runs dry for half a day, often there will be a busted string. Most of my instruments have bare gut strings.

Nickie McNichols

December 29, 2025, 4:33 PM · While in its case, my instrument prefers a small orange for moisture. When the orange is dried up, just toss it in the garden and put in a fresh one.

David Burgess

Edited: December 29, 2025, 5:11 PM · I recommend humidifying the room used for practice and storage, rather than the case.

I don't recommend the "cool mist" vaporizers in areas with high mineral content in the water. They will spread mineral dust everywhere!

Jeff Robbe

December 29, 2025, 5:09 PM · I use humidity packs in my case. In the summer in Wisconsin I use a 49% one, and a dehumidifier in the finished basement to keep the humidity in the case between 50 and 60. In the winter, in Arizona, I put in a 72% pack, which keeps the humidity in the case between 40 and 50.

George Huhn

Edited: December 29, 2025, 5:31 PM · Yes, it is very important to keep your violin in a humid atmosphere during very dry weather. Over 40% RH at least. Stretto and Boveda products work very well for keeping the humidity in your case around 50% RH.

It does not stress the violin to be played for hours in dry conditions if it is stored under humidified conditions. Wood loses moisture very slowly. Horse hair loses moisture very quickly which is why your bow hair tightens quickly in a dry room.

Ralph Thompson

December 29, 2025, 5:34 PM · Thanks George. You're confirming my fears but good to know the fiddle won’t dry out so quickly.

George Huhn

Edited: December 29, 2025, 6:10 PM · The opposite problem can be even worse. Bow hair sucks up moisture in a humid environment and then is moved to a dry environment inside the case without being fully loosened. The hair then loses moisture and tightens up to the point of badly warping the bow or even snapping the head off.

In the summer when playing outside, I am careful to choose a bow that won't become too slack to play in humid weather and very careful to over-loosen when I put it away.

Nickie McNichols

December 29, 2025, 8:03 PM · George, isn’t it true that the hair should touch the bow when loose?

Paul Deck

December 29, 2025, 8:22 PM · George's point is that if you take a bow with "normal" hair into a humid environment you might not be able to tighten it enough to play. Then you set it aside or just loosen it a little thinking it's still loose but when you get it home to your dehumidified house, it over tightens itself like mad.

David Burgess has recommended a specific humidistat device for the dry months. I have one of these controlling a basic steam unit and it works great. Super reliable.

To use cool mist humidifier you need to use distilled or RO deionized water. Otherwise the mineral dust will get everywhere. Maybe not into a closed violin case that admits moisture mainly by diffusion through the shell.

Tom Holzman

December 29, 2025, 8:52 PM · @Paul - I do not see where David recommends something specific.
@David - is there a specific device you recommend other than avoiding cool mist humidifiers?

Mengwei Shen

December 30, 2025, 12:57 AM · I use an evaporative humidifier (tap water plus bacteriostatic treatment) and separate hygrometer.

I've noticed that at my rented lesson locations, my bow eventually "tightens itself" further, so thank you to George and Paul for that explanation!