Sanitising a new guitar?

[Quarterquay]

I'm thinking to buy a new guitar, an electric, after years of acoustics. I think I can get away with it now after 40 years, without anyone shouting out "Judas!" as long as I keep the flat windows shut.

Given the strange times,sweating away in a mask aside, I'm not comfortable sitting in a shop trying out guitars for now,but I'd still far prefer to buy from a geographical guitar store than an international monster warehouse.

The shop I'm thinking of also does set ups and since I've never had an electric guitar before I think that would be a good idea.

Which leads me to the subject of this thread.

A set up will of course involve someone I don't know handling the guitar whilst setting it up, then maybe handing it to someone else to pack it up ready for delivery.

Lets assume for sake of argument that the set up person has symptomless Covid and breathes the coronavirus onto the guitar. It then gets delivered to me. The set up person might well be a super cautious mask wearing hand washer but i have no way to know that for sure.

So,what would you do?

1.Assume that the virus only lasts the reported 72 hours on hard surfaces and leave it standing untouched for a few days?

2.Sanitise the guitar? And if so, how??? I can find very little information on what would, on the one hand destroy the virus and on the other, not damage the guitars multiple materials, surface finishes and electrics.

3. Stop being so paranoid and just play the thing?

The guitar I'm thinking of is a Jerry Donahue reissue JDV58AB from Vintage. (anyone tried one or got one? Your opinions on it would be appreciated too!)

[Pickers Ditch]

No1 followed by No3.

[Michael Messer]

Every MM Guitar is first setup by my luthier, they are then put in a storage room by him where they are left for a minimum of three days before I collect them. They are then packed by me wearing gloves and are then left for three days before shipping, so that when they reach the customer they have had at least five days quarantine.

Nobody should take this situation lightly.

Shine On
Michael

[Quarterquay]

Absolutely Michael. Your system for dealing with the situation is exactly what I would have expected from you. Spot on.
Since I don't know the people I shall be buying from if I go ahead I'll be leaving any purchase standing for several days, packaged then unpackaged.
I wouldnt want this turning into a covid thread any more than you I'm sure, but suffice to say, speaking as someone whose partner had a bad non hospital dose of this, all possible sensible precautions are best taken to avoid it.
No harm leaving a guitar standing for a few days rather than being laid up for a few weeks or worse.

Now, back to guitars and music.