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Thread: Wet Instruments Incoming

  1. #1
    Registered User bennyb's Avatar
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    Default Wet Instruments Incoming

    Howdy all,
    A couple of my friends were out playing at the Oregon Country fair today and got caught in a gullywasher. They've dried off their instruments(acoustic: bass and guitar) as best they could and are now headed back to my place in town. So my question is: what kind of "aftercare" should we put on them? Heat, air, warm dry room? Relax, no problem? Tune 'em down?

    My best, benny

  2. #2
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    If it was me I'd open the case, wipe them down and just let them dry naturally, I wouldn't induce heat or dry air other than what was in the room. The cases need to dry out a little as well.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    I would say, dry them off with a towel, so that they are dry to the touch, making sure that the strings are properly dry, then leave them out of their cases (indoors!) for a couple of hours or thereabouts, depending on the temperature and humidity. If they've had a real drenching, you might want to slacken off the strings and wipe the nut slots and fingerboard, perhaps even the saddle slot - this would also let you wipe inside the instrument, if necessary.

    Unless we're talking about total immersion, the wood's not going to come to a lot of harm. Most finishes are waterproof - shellac can be damaged by water, but even that can stand the odd splash, provided it is dried off quickly. As for the unfinished parts, once wood is dry , it doesn't take on moisture that easily, so whatever gets soaked up will dry out pretty quickly in normal indoor conditions. Wood is far more likely to suffer damage from prolonged dampness that from a rainstorm.

    What is perhaps more important than drying the instruments is making sure the cases are dry inside - if the case lining soaks up water and is not allowed to dry out properly, it will very likely i. go mouldy itself and ii. provide the perfect damp environment for rot to set into the wood of the instrument.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    Cross-posted there, Mike.

  5. #5
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    Use towels or sponges to soak up any H2O inside, and just let them dry.

  6. #6
    Registered User bennyb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    Thanks guys,
    Instruments look fine, cases are soaked. So we'll dry them separately.

    benny

  7. #7
    Registered User Keith Newell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wet Instruments Incoming

    The weather really sucked today here in Oregon. I had a gig up the Columbia River Gorge and all of our instruments got soaked also. It is amazing how hard it is to play when your hand is damp, sticky and stiff.
    Keith Newell
    http://www.newellmandolins.com

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