Subject: [Harp-L] someone spilled beer in my harmonicas!!!!!

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Hi Randy: 
 
With a plastic bodied harp water is perfectly fine if you'd done it right  
away - as is the ultrasonic cleaner Mike mentioned. Dunking is probably too  
late since the stickiness of Guinness is like glue by now. The main issue 
with  dunking a whole harp in water is the brass of the reedplates and reeds 
which can  become discoloured and even begin to rust if not dried off (as 
can the underside  of coverplates), so one should still take each apart and 
then dry them off  thoroughly before reassembling. 
 
To that end, I'd suggest watching Jason's step-by-step cleaning method as  
seen here:
 
 
_http://www.youtube.com/user/jasonricci#p/u/17/E3RwSiMEQvg_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/user/jasonricci#p/u/17/E3RwSiMEQvg) 
 
 
 
If Purple Kaboom isn't available in your area, I'd guess any 'foamy' spray  
bathroom type cleaner would work. This isn't how I clean mine but I'm 
working on  primarily chromatics and I always polish all of my metal surfaces 
with  MAAS in between two treatments of the Isopropyl alcohol, or soap and  
water for the CX-12's. There is no substitute for the dedicated toothbrush. It  
works equally as well for a CX-12 shell.<G>
 
Much luck,
 
Elizabeth

 
Randy Singer writes (snipped):
 
'Someone knocked a beer off the table and it landed on my harps. I was  
SHOCKED and horrified to see six of my golden melodies LYING IN A POOL OF  
GUINESS BEER!!!!

It was a crime scene to meââ.like seeing my harps in  a  pool of bloodâ..i 
was so outragedâ..grabbed them up and the beer poured  out of my pristine 
harmonicas!!!

I did my best to wipe the cover  platesââ

problem is some of them are now stickingâ.there is residue for  sureââ.i 
had a session yesterday and had to use a razor blade to free three  stuck 
reeds.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A SOLUTION?

Can i dunk a plastic  harp in water? In hindsight, I probably should have 
done that the moment it  happened since the water could not have been 
anywhere worse than the thick  beer.

I guess that's why they call it the bluesâ..

your advice is  appreciated'