Disaster....looking for a little help.

[VoiceX3]

It's been a while since I've posted, but know this is probably the best place to turn for the answers I need. I'm a little flustered so please excuse me if this turns into a ramble.

I keep my guitars and all my gear in a small climate controlled "studio" room. Well, this week during the noreaster snow, a pipe that was turned off in my garage cracked right before the shutoff valve and was spraying for 2 days up and on to the top of the one room it absolutely couldn't. Everything got rained on for 2 days. Most guitars were in cases but a couple were on the stand as my go to home players. I need to figure out what to say to insurance for what is I'm sure a long battle ahead. The ones on the stand and are in bad shape are:

1. Jackson USA Soloist serial J3359. Wine, S/S/H J90C 3 mini toggles JT6. Is bone stock with 2 chips, one on bottom horn's side and one under top horn straplock. Both smaller than a match head. All hardware is corroding, pots feel shot...not only can you see the glue joints but the grain of the wood thru the finish......owned her since she was brand new......devastating.

2. Jackson Performer PS3 Rhoads. Loaded with electronics from DKMG (EMG-HZ and Afterburner) JT590, nut and tuners from Warrior Pro. Hardware and electronics trashed, body/finish cracking......

3. Takamine acoustic filled with water, warped, cracked, seems splitting

4. Charvel 80's Parts mutt Bass.....soaked but perfectly fine....go figure.

(Water also poured directly into my Bugera 333XL head and ran down thru both of my 4X85 watt celestian Peavey cabs...afraid to open them yet) Also lost all my recording pc, mixer, midi keyboard.....UGH!

There were 2 guitars in cases in there that have some surface tarnish on screws, trems and other metal parts as the cases got some moisture on the bottom....so far otherwise seem ok.

1. Jackson USA KV2 BGF serial J11797

2. Jackson KV Pro Mustaine serial J302189

I know the insurance will try and lowball.......how do I approach the fight ahead? Out of my mind here.

Admins, please move post if it shouldn't be here. I figured the bulk is about the Jacksons.

[veemagic]

Ahhh buddy, that is horrible! So sorry for you. A complete nightmare situation. I wish I had some insurance advice, but I am sure someone will chime in soon. Hang in there.

[pianoguyy]

don't use words like corrosion and nicks to an insurance company.
and the lower the serial, its a collectible.

Fyi, once you max out your musical instrument insurance limit, you can list those as collectibles.


And for pricing...
please contact AlienXnation or some other over priced online reseller.
If they give you 60% of the inflated prices, you may be able to replace them from a regular price.

[artonsafari]

And for pricing...
please contact AlienXnation or some other over priced online reseller.

That's some funny shit.

Sorry you're equipment got ruined. Good luck recouping some money and building the stock pile back up.

[shreddermon]

That's brutal, sorry to hear. Please check your insurance policy, as some specifically exclude musical instruments.

Good luck.

[VoiceX3]

Thanks guys. I know it's all replaceable stuff, but that Soloist has been with me about 28 years and that's just something that is like losing a limb. Still quite in a state of shock. Thank god the KV2T and Warrior Pro were in the football room at the time.

[VoiceX3]

That's brutal, sorry to hear. Please check your insurance policy, as some specifically exclude musical instruments.

Good luck.

Fortunately ours does not exclude musical items so all will be covered but how much? Computer equipment is so that's going to be a total loss.

[pianoguyy]

28 years. Hand made. Custom made. One of a kind. Legendary. Highly sought after. Pre-ban era ebony.
The mythical entity that was a Jackson during its prime.
Company is out of business.
Irreplaceable


Then we wonder why some of them are being sold for $5k on ebay.

[Jaxsnake]

Was your insurance policy bought through an agent or direct from the insurer? If it's an agent, you may be able to get additional help through them in negotiating with the insurance company.

Does your policy have "replacement value" coverage? On something like a tv, for example, you might pay $1500 for it new and it gets destroyed 6 years later when it's worth next to nothing. And the insurance company gives you next to nothing, even though you have to go out and buy a new one for the full $1500. If your policy has the "replacement value" coverage, it may help. (Although I'm not sure how much because in the case of collectible guitars, replacement value IS the current value.)

I'm assuming none of them were covered individually? We have a couple of things, like my wife's engagement ring, that are special coverage for a set amount determined by a qualified appraiser. So if something happened to it, the amount the insurance company will give is already figured out. I never thought to do that with my guitars, but it sounds like it might be a good idea.

I'd research heavily. Find comparable guitars on eBay, Craigslist, guitar value guides, etc and provide them to the insurance company as proof of value. Probably a mix of listed guitars and actual sold ones. Don't let the morons at the insurance company try to lowball you with their "give you as little as they can" research . . . they're not going to know half as much about guitars as you do. Give them the proof yourself and I bet you'll have an argument against any crap values they try to give you, (if necessary). Probably wise to have before and after pictures of your stuff so they can see their condition vs. what you're comparing them to. And I'd get quotes from the shop of your choosing for any repair work . . . maybe they'll just go by that instead of using the quote of some shop you have no desire to do business with. (I had a situation with a car once where I took it to my auto-body guy and got a price of $2700 . . . insurance company would only give me $2200 because that's what THEIR shop would charge. They said I could either have the work done at their shop, (which I didn't want to do), or put the check towards the bill from my guy, who I knew would do the best work, leaving me $500 short. Crappy.)

You bought insurance to cover situations like this. I would think that as long as you have as good an understanding of your policy as possible, and are armed with a lot of info about the value of the things you lost, (and repair costs if they're salvageable), you'll be in good shape to get things back to where you want them to be.

Good luck!

[VoiceX3]

Having a REALLY hard time finding a comp for the Soloist. Who knew Black JT6, 1 vol, 1 tone 3 on/off mini toggles with a sub-3400 serial number would be so hard to find. I think because like me, nobody sells them.

[toejam]

Welcome back, Jim. Sorry to hear about your gear.

[VoiceX3]

Thanks Joe. Just sitting here with the Mrs talking about just how surreal it all seems. Never imagined anything like this happening. Funny thing is that I cut down my gear a bunch to get a decent down payment for a newer car by selling off all my bolt-on's aside from the PS3. The only amp I kept aside from the stack was a GK250ML for practicing. I still don't think the magnititude of what I am going to have to replace. No cabs, Heads....hell even half my PA speakers......ugh!

[puddy]

I had an insurance situation with guitars and amps when I was involved in a car accident. It was the other persons fault. Number one! Insurance companies know nothing about guitars and don't care.
They will use depreciation as a way to give you less. If a guitar is 10 years old they will look at it as if it were a 10myear old car. They don't care if it is considered collectable unless you have documentation from a appraiser. What I did to win in my situation was have a friend at my local music store give astronomical prices to repair/replace. 'You can't get these anymore so it is going to be $XXX to find one" It will be $XXX to fix that." I made a bundle with the help of a long time friend at my local shop. He wrote out a letter from the shop for me to give the insurance co. Hope this helps! Good luck

[Mudlark]

Sorry to hear of your situation. You may have to settle on ads for an '87 Soloist with somewhat similar specs and explain how all 1980's guitars were individually spec'd, and, essentially, a one of a kind custom build. An appraisal by a reputable establishment sounds like a wise idea. Best of luck.

Who knew Black JT6, 1 vol, 1 tone 3 on/off mini toggles with a sub-3400 serial number would be so hard to find.

[j2379]

that sucks, you may want to buy a blue book of guitars to show your insurance company. i hate to say it but try and make sure they consider them total losses and not repairable.