Water Damaged goods

Spuash · Jan 19, 2009

So last night im sitting at my computer creeping around the internet and all of the sudden *BOOM*!!!!

i get up look around and get a little freaked out, grab a bat and as im walking outside *BOOM* again on my window.

i get outside and to my surprise no1 is there but there is water, or some other clear substance dripping from my window and on to my neighbors car.

i run back inside to make sure everything is ok (because my window was open in my room) and there it is... my beautiful mikall.. my black beauty, my love, mi amore.... Covered from head to toe in water ( or whatever). lying on my bed after she had jst been shot with the spray from my screen.

as im holding her in my arms i feel her pores swelling, i feel he ireversible damage taking place and i freeze.. i just look at her as her life is slowly being taken from me and i i just dont know what do to....

i snap out of it fast and wipe her off and set her down in a nice dry place for the night, make my bed, and go to sleep...

in the morning i play...... i can feel the difference.. she just doesnt sound the same. she doesnt sing to me like she used to, shes tampered, used, abused, damaged goods.... she works, but not as hard as she used to.....

so my question now... is there a way to fix water damage... like extreme.. water got all inside the uke and all on the fretboard... the stuff on the body wiped off but its the water inside... on my pickup and such, that im woried about...

Any help would be awesome.

Thank you all in advance!

Spuash

srry for the long post.. but i love telling stories

haole · Jan 19, 2009

Hooooly crap. I'm sorry to hear that!

I hear fixing water-damaged instruments is a job and a half, but it can be done. You'll likely have to take your uke to someone who knows what they're doing; I found this article just now about what to do for a water-damaged guitar.
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-a...on-of-musical-instrument-by-water-540464.html

It might be an expensive job, too. D: If you're afraid of the costs, you could try just letting her air-dry completely over a few days (don't use a blowdryer; that could make things worse!) and maybe the wood will contract slowly enough to not crack.

Hobgoblin Steve · Jan 19, 2009

I dont know how well this will work for a uke, but it worked for my clock (an old coo coo.
Submerge it in rice. Rice draws out moisture like you wouldn't believe (and the rice will still be good)

Link · Jan 19, 2009

Lame man.. I'd hate to lose one of my Ukes to water damage.

So what was the booming noise?

upskydowncloud · Jan 19, 2009

Spuash said:
So last night im sitting at my computer creeping around the internet and all of the sudden *BOOM*!!!!

i get up look around and get a little freaked out, grab a bat and as im walking outside *BOOM* again on my window.

i get outside and to my surprise no1 is there but there is water, or some other clear substance dripping from my window and on to my neighbors car.

i run back inside to make sure everything is ok (because my window was open in my room) and there it is... my beautiful mikall.. my black beauty, my love, mi amore.... Covered from head to toe in water ( or whatever). lying on my bed after she had jst been shot with the spray from my screen.

as im holding her in my arms i feel her pores swelling, i feel he ireversible damage taking place and i freeze.. i just look at her as her life is slowly being taken from me and i i just dont know what do to....

i snap out of it fast and wipe her off and set her down in a nice dry place for the night, make my bed, and go to sleep...

in the morning i play...... i can feel the difference.. she just doesnt sound the same. she doesnt sing to me like she used to, shes tampered, used, abused, damaged goods.... she works, but not as hard as she used to.....

so my question now... is there a way to fix water damage... like extreme.. water got all inside the uke and all on the fretboard... the stuff on the body wiped off but its the water inside... on my pickup and such, that im woried about...

Any help would be awesome.

Thank you all in advance!

Spuash

srry for the long post.. but i love telling stories

This is along the lines of the other posters but you could try and put silica gel (normally in the small pouches you get in a new pair of shoes) in the case with your instrument. Silica is a deccicant and will take out the moisture (the opposite of a humidifier!). Obviously you don't want to go too much the other way and end up taking out all of the moisture so it cracks but I don't think you'll have this problem.

I'm sure one of the luthiers will have a better idea but that's my non-expert opinion.

Spuash · Jan 19, 2009

Link said:
Lame man.. I'd hate to lose one of my Ukes to water damage.

So what was the booming noise?

Water baloons......... better than rocks i guess

Spuash · Jan 19, 2009

upskydowncloud said:
This is along the lines of the other posters but you could try and put silica gel (normally in the small pouches you get in a new pair of shoes) in the case with your instrument. Silica is a deccicant and will take out the moisture (the opposite of a humidifier!). Obviously you don't want to go too much the other way and end up taking out all of the moisture so it cracks but I don't think you'll have this problem.

I'm sure one of the luthiers will have a better idea but that's my non-expert opinion.

that sounds like a goo idea but i think im going to take it to someone.. i jsut hope it doesnt cost the same as a new uke...

and one more thing. in the article i read it says to take the strings off and such, but so much water got on the neck and fretboard that im scared that if i take off the strings... everything will get warped

UkEdman90 · Jan 20, 2009

how bad is it? post a pic. im sorry to hear that! i got water on my acoustic guitar yesterday but it still plays ok. not sure bout repairing a uke though could be costly!

Spuash · Jan 20, 2009

UkEdman90 said:
how bad is it? post a pic. im sorry to hear that! i got water on my acoustic guitar yesterday but it still plays ok. not sure bout repairing a uke though could be costly!

it doesnt look bad right now, but ill be sure to post a youtube vid later today... when it comes to a pic.. its all inside.. the outside (besides the neck) was able to be wiped dry but its the stuff inside (the sneaky stuff i cant see) that im scared of

MisoHappy · Jan 20, 2009

Spuash said:
Water baloons......... better than rocks i guess

MUCH better than rocks

Did you find the hoodlum responsible for this unforgivable act?

hoosierhiver · Jan 20, 2009

Do you have home or renters insurance?,maybe you can get compensation.

NatalieS · Jan 20, 2009

Spuash said:
as im holding her in my arms i feel her pores swelling, i feel he ireversible damage taking place and i freeze.. i just look at her as her life is slowly being taken from me and i i just dont know what do to....

That's very tragic but also strangely poetic.

Spuash · Jan 20, 2009

hoosierhiver said:
Do you have home or renters insurance?,maybe you can get compensation.

i live in Isla Vista Stanta Barbara and for those of you who know... its not a good place for valuables.. its a college town with a lot of poor immigrant families packed in to 1 square mile.... so sadly.. no insurance to fix the damages

the kids were never caught, but i swear, if i find out who dun it... the police wont be receiving a call...

Spuash · Jan 20, 2009

NatalieS said:
That's very tragic but also strangely poetic.

Thats how i write.. my teachers hate it but it makes my insides feel complete

MisoHappy · Jan 20, 2009

Spuash said:
Thats how i write.. my teachers hate it but it makes my insides feel complete

You've got author's material! That's natural talent!
I really hope you catch the dirty, sneaky, foolish.....

Spuash · Jan 20, 2009

MisoHappy said:
You've got author's material! That's natural talent!
I really hope you catch the dirty, sneaky, foolish.....

hehe thank you very much... i wish my writing could breath decent sounding life back into Mikall's chamber of secrets that she is just dying to tell the world about.

my fingers are ready, wiling, able..
but she's still waiting for her operation if we can afford it.

Spuash · Jan 21, 2009

*Update*

The water damage inside can be repaired but its going to cost the price i paid for the Ukulele... i could try changing the strings and keeping her in a place where it might evenly evaporate for a little bit but i dont know what to do... i think im just goign to change the strings and go from there

thejumpingflea · Jan 21, 2009

Sorry to hear this. I hope you can figure everything out.

I'd try the rice thing though. I work in a kitchen and we'd put rice in with the salt to suck out/keep out all the moisture.

Spuash · Jan 21, 2009

thejumpingflea said:
Sorry to hear this. I hope you can figure everything out.

I'd try the rice thing though. I work in a kitchen and we'd put rice in with the salt to suck out/keep out all the moisture.

im going to try that now but i dont know how much to put in and like where and stuff so im going to go back to the music store tomorrow

UkEdman90 · Jan 21, 2009

im sorry to hear this! yet again! heck good reason to snag a new uke!

Water Damaged goods

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