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Thread: Pedal board does not float.

  1. #1
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    Default Pedal board does not float.

    So, I live in Upstate NY. My band's rehearsal studio is in Owego, NY. Owego is on of the towns that was hardest hit by flooding this past weekend. I went to my buddies house today to help him deal with the aftermath. His house (and the studio) are right on the Susquehanna River. Due to the flooding, we ended up gutting the first floor of his house down to the studs and joists. After we finished, we took a walk over to the studio (about 50 yards further from the river). He and another band mate had the foresight to take out all of the amplifiers and guitars and place them on the second floor of the house. The rest of the gear (including three PA systems, a Rhodes organ, two Hammond M-3s, a Leslie, and two drum sets) was placed off the floor on shelves at least four feet high. As I opened the door, the first thing I saw was that my pedal board had fallen off the shelf and was laying on the floor upside down and open. Everything inside was caked with a thick layer of silt. I took them outside and am letting them dry out but don't hold much hope for them. The case may be shot too. Luckily, I had pulled off several pedals to use for recording. So, all-in-all, it was a Pedaltrain Pro HC, BBE Supa Charger, Planet Waves tuner, Morely Little Alligator Volume, Digitech Whammy IV, Analogman DS1, BBE Boosta Grande, and a Line 6 MM4. It kind of stinks, but compared to the losses of other people in the area (my friend included) it's small potatoes. If I was a religious man, I'd think someone was commenting on my excessive pedal use.
    Patrick

  2. #2
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    Default

    Bummer, but like you say, others had it worse. There were some nice pedals in that list, too. Well, now you can at least have fun shopping (and unfortunately also paying) for some new replacements.
    Maybe you can start with what DVM is selling off at crazy low prices:
    http://www.thefret.net/showthread.ph...-of-pedals....

  3. #3
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    I remember reading some helpful info about caring for electronic items that had been submerged in water, 'may have been cell phone related, I can't quite recall. It might be worth a few Google searches. I think some one had mentioned WD40 as a water dispersant before spraying De-Oxit.
    Packing the pedals in an enclosure filled with uncooked rice may help absorb moisture.
    Good luck, I hope you can salvage them

  4. #4
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    Yeah as Otay said, don't write them off just yet. I once had 3 boss pedals in a waterproof bag with cables and stuff, and not one, but three cats proceed to fill it with pee during the week. I tipped them all into the shower and after they were flushed with water I ripped them apart and hit them with a blow dryer, followed by application of WD40 to exposed metal (power and signal jacks) and they have both been working no problem for the last 13 or so years. Which, indecently, is more than I can say for two of the three cats....

  5. #5
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    Simple components are usually OK to salvage IMO...cel phones etc. have these micrometre-class circuits open that easily corrode or 'jump' with dirt in there...but larger components and usual pedal solders & circuits are quite coarse...so it could well be cleaned. This is how I'd do it if it was _completely_ soaked:

    Remove all IC's that come off from sockets, etc. parts
    Put in distilled water & ultrasonic vibrate it if possible, if not, just soak the perhaps 'invisible' dirt loose and rinse well
    Dry with blowdrier, then put in uncooked rice or silica gel for a while
    De-oxit the hell out of it
    Use WD-40 or such for switches etc.

    I would venture at least the actual circuits could well be salvageable.
    Dee

    "When life's a biatch, be a horny dog"

    Amps: Marshall JVM 410H w/ Plexi Cap mod, Choke Mod & Negative Feedback Removal mod, 4x12", Behringer GMX110, Amplitube 3/StealthPedal

    Half a dozen custom built/bastardized guitars all with EMG's, mostly 85's, Ibanez Artwood acoustic & Yamaha SGR bass, Epiphone Prophecy SG, Vox Wah, Pitchblack tuner plus assorted pedals, rack gear etc. for home studio use.

  6. #6
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    Oct 2009
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    Try some electronic contact cleaner spray once they dry out - if there was no power applied when they went under the components might just be OK.
    Dave
    Guitars: Ibanez AF-75, Schecter Solo-6 Custom, Douglas SG
    Amps: Fender Princeton 65, Marshall AVT50
    Pedals: Metal Muff, MXR Smart Gate, EHX Cathedral Reverb, Digitech RP-255

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