Official Luthiers Forum!

After reading the discussion on guitar finish durability a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would share a recent experience. Be aware that I AM NOT in a strait jacket as I write this although the need would be well founded. Read on...

Several days ago after a particularly trying day at work, I came home, fed the dogs, prepared a suitable libation and prepared to sit for an hour as I waited for my wife to come home so we could eat dinner (leftovers, no cooking necessary. Hence, my ability to sit)

As I sat and watched a profoundly educational program (M.A.S.H. re-run) I noticed that the dog was unusually thirsty. Lap, lap, lap. Then Lap, lap, lap again. Now, the dog is overweight but this was a little much even for a fat beagle.

I cranked myself out of my chair and looked... no dog.

Now I started to get worried. I still heard the sound of water. I went down the hall, opened the door to my study (The music room, in fact) and to my horror, IT WAS RAINING!!!

I freaked (the understatement of the year) and ran up stairs. My daughter had run bath water and forgot about it. The overflow couldn't keep up and I waded into 2" of water in the bathroom immediately above my music room (so-named because of the guitars, recording equipment, stereo, near-field monitors etc. there-in. My wife won't even dust in there!) that was in the process of finding every avenue available to make haste to the first floor!!!

I didn't know what to do first but I ran to get buckets as I had my daughter start sopping up the water upstairs. This is when, to my horror, I realized that I had left my guitar out on its stand! My beloved GV Rubio with my beloved Brazilian rosewood back and sides and it was sopping wet!

I removed the guitar from the room and noticed that the finish (see, I finally got there ), French Polish had water spots all over it! Fortunately, no more than a drop or two reached the interior. I dried the guitar (to heck with the damage to the house! I have my priorities! ) The spots remained. It was then that I remembered that I had waxed the finish with Martin's Guitar Polish. I took a chance and re-waxed the guitar. Spots dissappeared! Thank the Lord!

Moral of the story is that the wax really does offer a measure, albeit small, level of protection. It undoubtedly saved the finish.

The house, btw, survived. As did my sanity. My daughter, on the other hand...

Great Story, happy ending!

eeeeyyaaahhh. what a nightmare. How did the house turn out? Any damage to sheetrock, flooring, etc. ?

Thanks for asking. The cieling is still suspect. At the very least, it will need painting with Zinzer or Killz and then repainting.

My real concern is the area between floors. Will it dry? Will it just produce mold? I really don't know. I am a pretty good drywaller but I HATE doing cielings.

Regards, Steve Brown

Redoing ceilings sucks, just tear up the bathroom floor to get at the insulation. Doing the floor, tile & grout is much better

It should dry.. as long as you keep your daughter away from the upstairs tub I thought the mold thing was more of a problem with areas that get wet/leak regularily.

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Actually, the FP might not have spotted at all if it had not been for the wax. It might have, of course, but shellac by itself is quite water resistant so long as the water doesn't sit for too long. Even without the wax, if the FP had spotted, it would have been easy for anybody that knows about that sort of thing to touch it up so that you'de never see it. That's one major attraction of FP: it may damage easily, but it repairs just as easily.

"Redoing ceilings sucks, just tear up the bathroom floor to get at the insulation. Doing the floor, tile & grout is much better

It should dry.. as long as you keep your daughter away from the upstairs tub I thought the mold thing was more of a problem with areas that get wet/leak regularily."


I hope you're right!

Stevesfbrown38579.3640509259

[QUOTE=Alan Carruth] Actually, the FP might not have spotted at all if it had not been for the wax. It might have, of course, but shellac by itself is quite water resistant so long as the water doesn't sit for too long. Even without the wax, if the FP had spotted, it would have been easy for anybody that knows about that sort of thing to touch it up so that you'de never see it. That's one major attraction of FP: it may damage easily, but it repairs just as easily. [/QUOTE]

You may be right but bear in mind my state of mind... or lack thereof.

Steve

Very good story,sure am glad your prized geetar lived through it.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

sentence your daughter to listen to lawrence welk for an impossible number of hours!!!

glad to hear the house survived. many years ago, whilst still married, and despite (or perhaps because of) my urging that she do so, my wife refused to turn off the washing machine taps and depressurize the connection hoses. of course, eventually one burst creating a massive mess which involved having to lift and dry carpet and underlay, etc., etc. never had to ask her to turn the taps off again...