Members Elias Graves Posted June 14, 2010 Members Share Posted June 14, 2010 My roof was damaged in the hailstorm last month. The 9" of rain this morning found its way onto my Ibby. What do I do? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastblueheeler Posted June 14, 2010 Members Share Posted June 14, 2010 Sorry for that! Insurance? I think I'd wipe off the excess moisture and let it dry out on it's own at room temperature. Seems like applying heat would be dangerous. Maybe put some desiccant packets in it. No expert here though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 14, 2010 I dried it the best I can. I wonder if I leave it strung up or not? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kujozilla Posted June 14, 2010 Members Share Posted June 14, 2010 Wait it out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 How much water? Like submerged? Did water get inside? Was it in a case? How long was it really wet before you got to it? If the case lining was saturated, that's one thing. But if you had to pour water out the soundhole that's another. Best advice I got is to put it on a hanger or stand somewhere out of direct sunlight, where there's good air circulation, away from the heat/AC vents, and let it dry on it's own. And yes, I'd slack off the string tension. I'd let it sit for a good two weeks, but ask a luthier about it. Right now. Maybe keep a box fan running in the room, but don't force the drying. Man, this is the kind of thing we all have nightmares about. We'll be hoping for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 15, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 It was on a stand. The rain started at 4 am so it started leaking on it sometime around then. I found it much later. Looks like it dripped (or poured) onto the headstock, fretboard and body. I poured maybe two cups of water out of it. The water had been in there like 8 or 9 hours. I'm seeing a lot of damage. I can clearly see ripples in the back corresponding to the braces. The spruce top has swollen to the point of cracking the thick poly finish and it looks as though the back is starting to delaminate. I don't think she's gonna make it. Just glad it wasn't my Silvertone. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sixgunner455 Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Very sad for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 15, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 More for the guitar than me. Poor thing never hurt anyone. I caused it much pain subjecting it to my playing though, so maybe it's with a better gig now. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ralph onion Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Cry, cry, cry. So sorry for you and your guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Like others have said, let it completely dry, w/ strings slacked, and hope for the best...it might be perfectly fine after it dries out. Mojo sent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I'd remove the strings. If water got inside the tension could pull things like braces off by destroying glue joints. Personally I would CAREFULLY air it out with a hair dryer on a very low setting to get out the free standing water entirely and then just leave it on a stand to air out the rest of the way. Your mileage may vary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 15, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I had to remove the strings to soak up the water I couldn't pour out so it's stress free at the moment. Know more when I get home tonight maybe. That swollen top and the finish split is worrisome. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Too bad it's not a Les Paul...you can throw one of those in a pond and it will survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 16, 2010 From the bad comes the good, I suppose. The replacement has been located and ordered. I found a black 5th Avenue locally, new with hard case for $400. I put it on layaway last night. Gotta sell off a few other things to get enough extra to pay for it, but totally worth it. Anybody need an Epi Alleykat? EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 19, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 19, 2010 I now have the answer on what to do with a wet guitar. Fill it full of uncooked rice! My mother in law suggested it. I thought she was nuts. With all the damage to that thing, it was lost. Anyway, I pulled it out of a closet where we had it and looked it over. There are certainly visible battle scars all over it but the swelling and warping seemed to be gone. I strung it up last night. In fact, it sounds BETTER than it did before! I'm completely floored and very happy. This guitar did have a bad problem of being overly bright when played with a pick but that's gone now. It sounds much more balanced than it did. Perhaps there's more truth to the "throw it in the pond" advice than we know..... EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted June 19, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 19, 2010 Here's a video of the guitar in question recorded today.[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sixgunner455 Posted June 21, 2010 Members Share Posted June 21, 2010 Well, the guitar sounds pretty good for having survived what you described before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrducks Posted November 25, 2017 Members Share Posted November 25, 2017 Central Florida, many trees. %100 humidity every morning, lucky if it drops below %70. Mine, on stand, absorbed so much it got belly bulge and popped off the bridge. I ordered the right glue and clamp, but needed to dry it before repair. To let you know how quickly it can change, I put it out in the intense sun for a few hours and the bulge flattened out. After, I bought the dessicant packs and kept it in the case, a pain, but also a must. I did find that they can be renewed by putting in 350 oven for 30 mins. I see some in other topics claim theirs is high quality and does not absorb, FALSE. All wood does it, and mahogany is common and the worst known for water absorption. Hygrometers are cheap, $10, The accuracy is questionable from one to another, but ball park should help. If you live in one of the rare areas like Florida, use the methods, or severe damage will occur. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted November 26, 2017 Members Share Posted November 26, 2017 Not since Donald Fagen met a young student named Walter Becker at Bard College,have the music fates brought together such a talented and charismatic duo. The future is all about these two guys. Lightning has struck again.You're gonna hear from these two. [video=youtube_share;WwtoYbwgVh8] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted November 27, 2017 Members Share Posted November 27, 2017 I was thinking about the rice drying idea too. I wouldn't jam pack as the rice will expand with added water I think. Also, change the rice after a couple of days as it may reach saturation point. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted November 27, 2017 Members Share Posted November 27, 2017 It should be dried out by now. It's been drying for seven years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted November 27, 2017 Members Share Posted November 27, 2017 If it's not, that's one wet guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted November 28, 2017 Members Share Posted November 28, 2017 Not to hijack the thread or anything but water is wet. That's one of its characteristics. My wife and I walked on a local beach Saturday around dusk. New experience for her - I do ita few times a week. I asked her if the water was cold. She put her hand in it. She looked at me and said, "Ooh, very wet". She was serious. But how wet is it? That's always the question, whether it's guitars, women or socks you're dealing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted November 28, 2017 Members Share Posted November 28, 2017 Not to hijack the thread or anything but water is wet. That's one of its characteristics. . . . . . . But how wet is it? That's always the question, whether it's guitars, women or socks you're dealing with. Reminds me of that old song lyric: The river is wet, the desert is dry And you're confused, on which way to fly So I've come here to help you stand pat And lead you out of the laundromat, so Come on and get a free dry (free dry) Come on don't sit here and cry Come on and get a free dry . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Reminds me of that old song lyric: The river is wet, the desert is dry And you're confused, on which way to fly So I've come here to help you stand pat And lead you out of the laundromat, so Come on and get a free dry (free dry) Come on don't sit here and cry Come on and get a free dry . . . I lol'd. However, if I may, I'd suggest a slight mod to the chorus so it matches the original number of syllables more closely: Come on and get a free dry (free dry) Come on don't sit around and cry Come on and get a free dry . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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