Did Hurricane Helene leave your guitar waterlogged? Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
If your guitar was damaged by flooding, here’s what you can do right away to give it the best chance of recovery:
Step 1: Bring your guitar to Hank’s Guitar Shop in Clearwater for a free evaluation and expert advice. We also offer full restoration for flood-damaged guitars, so you’re in good hands! Or, if you’d prefer to try some DIY steps first, here’s what you can do:
- Remove and discard the strings. Keep it unstrung until it’s completely dry.
- Wipe it down with a damp rag (like a soft washcloth) to get rid of any salt residue. You might need to wipe it several times to get it fully clean.
- Take out and throw away any batteries from the guitar.
- Remove all the hardware, including strap buttons.
- Take out the electronics if you can.
- Clean tuner keys and strap buttons with a wet toothbrush to remove salt. Dry them off with a towel and use a hair dryer to make sure they’re completely dry.
- For electronics, they might not be salvageable, but you can try flushing them with electronic contact cleaner spray to remove salt. Let them dry thoroughly before testing.
- Let the guitar dry slowly in a temperature-controlled room. Make sure it’s completely dry before you think about restringing it!
Once your guitar is dry, it will likely need a setup. The humidity and moisture can throw off its natural balance, but no worries—Hank’s Guitar Shop has three expert guitar techs ready to give your instrument the love and attention it deserves!
If you feel your guitar is a loss – Please don’t toss it in the trash! If you donate it to Hank’s, we’ll either restore it, or use parts to restore another and we’ll donate the guitars to deserving kids or seniors who might not otherwise have a chance to learn to play.
– Hank & crew
If you feel your guitar is a loss – Please don’t toss it in the trash! If you donate it to Hank’s, we’ll either restore it, or use parts to restore another and we’ll donate the guitars to deserving kids or seniors who might not otherwise have a chance to learn to play.
Visit us at Hanks-Guitar-Shop.com, call us at (727) 228-0125, or stop by our shop at 25008 US 19, Clearwater for setups, repairs, upgrades, and more!
Services We Offer:
- Setups, Repairs, Upgrades, Restrings
- Buy, Sell, Trade Used Guitars
- Professionally Set Up Guitars with a 90-Day Warranty
- Guitar, Banjo & Ukulele Lessons for All Ages (8 to 108!)
We’re here to help you get back to making music, even after a storm!
We’re on the west side of Hwy 19 a couple miles south of the Countryside exit.
