My Genz Benz Uber 410 and Hartke LH1000 were submerged sue to Sandy - Salvagable?

[Da Funky Fish]

Well, my band shares a small rehearsal room with another band and the room became completely submerged with salt water from the Gowanus Canal (which is nasty). I have not had a chance to get down there yet but just wondering if anyone has had a remotely similar experience with major water damage and if either the head or cabinet may be Salvagable. Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

[maurilio]

Very sorry to hear that! It sucks big time!

I doubt that salt water on circuit boards and pots would have mercy, plus the wood in the cabinet and the driver's "paper" would warp and melt.

I feel for you, and for all of the people involved with this mess, at least you are safe, tho

M

[5StringPocket]

My condolences - that's a slammin' rig.

[godblender]

Damn.

Sorry to hear that. While I don't have any experience with such a dilemma and no real advice for you...I'm glad that you're at least safe and I hope that everyone in your area is doing well.

Good luck.

[Da Funky Fish]

Thanks all. We're in Brooklyn, NY. While this canal was close by we did not think this would happen. The whole studio, maybe 8 rooms of bands shares were wrecked. Some rooms had the walls bust due to the water too. In not even bummed due to the people in the area with much bigger problems than this. God bless everyone!

[agent77]

I think I read here on TB that someone's Peavey head survived a flood.

[mattbass6945]

man, my first thought is that the equipment is probably toast. that being said, i'm far from a tech/builder/electrical engineer. my next thought (probably a long shot), does the owner of the rehearsal spot have any kind of insurance that would apply?

[shackled]

Sorry to hear. It sounds like you have a good attitude, though.
Much better than I would have...

[jeff7bass]

Nice rig, sorry to hear that. I would definitely sue Sandy.

[Jim Carr]

Gowanus Canal? OMG, nasty with a capitol XXX!

The head might live again. Flush it out in the bath tub and send it back to the factory. The cab could possibly be dried out, but it depends on the materials and adhesives. Clearly the drivers are dead, but a recone might save the frames and magnets.

Get the salt/Gowanus poison off, and dry it all out. Then find a service guy to evaluate it. Sorry for your loss. Hope you and your family are OK!

[Da Funky Fish]

I don't think there is insurance by the owner. I think there were talks of a collective FEMA submission from all the bands etc. I'm not sure what FEMA is totally and I'd rather not milk the system when people's homes have burnt to the ground. I think I'll have to see the amp for myself first, them decide. I'm safe. Didn't even lose power. I guess it's back to my old Hartke Transporter rig, the rig that will never die!

[Jim Carr]

Hartke Transporter gear is good stuff.

[xray]

Bum-ER, man. 1st thought that comes to mind is insurance - flood damage that the building owner may carry or his comp should cover your loss. Not sure how NYC is about these things.

[agedhorse]

Sorry to hear this man... But at least you are safe and still have a roof over your head, to put things in perspective.

Here are some generalities regarding what happens to equipment under such conditions. For electronics, even fresh water contains small amounts of salts and minerals which act to corrode the circuit board traces and especially vias or feedthroughs. Also these corrosive elements get under the components and around the lead seals dissolving the metals and wick into the devices damaging bond wires. Same goes for switches and pots, transformers, etc. I have found over the years that no amount of cleaning and neutralizing is particularly successful over the long term and reliability almost always suffers. With salt water, it's just much, much worse.

For speaker cabinets, almost always the wood and covering is damaged beyond salvage because the glue bonds are weakened, the ply glues fail causing delamination. The swelling causes braces and cleats to fail, the coverings come loose and shrink relative to the swelling wood and then there's the mold and funky stuff that starts to grow. The driver frames may be salvageable but they need to be stripped of all the soft parts and washed thououghly in warm water followed by a couple of rinses and a final rinse in distiller water. Then they need to be thoroughly dried before any corrosion starts. Your neo frames can be reckoned, I have the parts, but without a cabinet it may not be worth the effort.

[Musicman20]

Originally Posted by agedhorse

Sorry to hear this man... But at least you are safe and still have a roof over your head, to put things in perspective.

Here are some generalities regarding what happens to equipment under such conditions. For electronics, even fresh water contains small amounts of salts and minerals which act to corrode the circuit board traces and especially vias or feedthroughs. Also these corrosive elements get under the components and around the lead seals dissolving the metals and wick into the devices damaging bond wires. Same goes for switches and pots, transformers, etc. I have found over the years that no amount of cleaning and neutralizing is particularly successful over the long term and reliability almost always suffers. With salt water, it's just much, much worse.

For speaker cabinets, almost always the wood and covering is damaged beyond salvage because the glue bonds are weakened, the ply glues fail causing delamination. The swelling causes braces and cleats to fail, the coverings come loose and shrink relative to the swelling wood and then there's the mold and funky stuff that starts to grow. The driver frames may be salvageable but they need to be stripped of all the soft parts and washed thououghly in warm water followed by a couple of rinses and a final rinse in distiller water. Then they need to be thoroughly dried before any corrosion starts. Your neo frames can be reckoned, I have the parts, but without a cabinet it may not be worth the effort.

To the OP, glad you are safe and sorry about your gear.

Great to see GB giving advice so quickly.

[mattbass6945]

man, gotta give credit to the op on their great attitude. not so sure i would be that calm and logical about my gear! best of luck, hope it all works out in your favor.

[agedhorse]

Originally Posted by mattbass6945

man, gotta give credit to the op on their great attitude. not so sure i would be that calm and logical about my gear! best of luck, hope it all works out in your favor.

I agree, there are, of course, many folks there who are not as fortunate as Funky Fish, and it's refreshing that he recognizes his favorable conditions relative to those less fortunate. In the end, the gear is replaceable and perhaps an inconvenience compared to what others lost.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by agedhorse

it's refreshing that he recognizes his favorable conditions relative to those less fortunate.

I agree, unlike the guy I had to listen to today about how he has no cable tv. Hours complaining to coworkers and 45 minutes on the phone with his cable company. You could tell the person on the other end was just like "dude...you know we had a hurricane, right?"

OP, I hope everything gets sorted out for you. It's a bad situation over here.

[BrentSimons]

Sorry about your gear my friend. But at least you are in one piece. Irene hit Vermont hard last year but the pictures of what is going on in your area is just devastating. Keep your chin up!
Brent

[mudpup]

Originally Posted by agent77

I think I read here on TB that someone's Peavey head survived a flood.

Peaveys and cockroaches have a lot in common