Gibsons from 2010 Memphis. Should I worry about flood damage?

[Outlier]

Maybe picking up a used 339 this week with a Memphis serial number from 2010. I know the factory got flooded in 2010 and there were many guitars that were heavily damaged by water. Does anyone know if those guitars got refurbished and sold? I'm a bit nervous that I could buy a guitar that was in the flood. Is there any way to tell?

 

[Outlier]

So what happened to these?

 

[cvansickle]

The 2010 flood was Nashville.

 

[Outlier]

The 2010 flood was Nashville.

It was my understanding that both Nashville and Memphis plants got flooded badly... I live in Canada so not exactly close to the action in question.

 

[SPROING!]

I can't imagine they sold water damaged guitars.

 

[Outlier]

I can't imagine they sold water damaged guitars.

I have no doubt Gibson would not sell them. However, they became the property of the insurance company and who knows what they did with them or how many found their way into the market through people salvaging them after the flood. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I've heard many horror stories of vehicles that are sold all over the world that were under water in some flood at one point in time.

 

[Tim Plains]

If something like that bothers you now it will likely drive you crazy if you actually own and look at it everyday. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[slipbeer]

I am pretty sure Memphis was not flooded, just Nashville. You might try checking the archives of the Memphis Commercial Appeal as a reference.

I do agree if you're not totally convinced it's not an issue it will probably drive you crazy to buy the guitar.

 

[TBennetts]

pretty positive it was just Nashville. I would not worry one bit. Just me though!

 

[Boris Bubbanov]

I am pretty sure Memphis was not flooded, just Nashville. You might try checking the archives of the Memphis Commercial Appeal as a reference.

I do agree if you're not totally convinced it's not an issue it will probably drive you crazy to buy the guitar.

I agree, the event that caused the flooding was in watersheds that are 100s of miles "upriver" of Memphis. The water has got to go round and round, all the way up to Illinois and back down almost all the way to the Mississippi State border.

Not to say that all Memphis is super high and dry all the time. The Miss. River going by was quite high this Winter (but the Factory is on a bluff way above that) and just the other week the local rivers (Wolf, Hatchie, Nonconnah) were sky high.

 

[SPROING!]

I have no doubt Gibson would not sell them. However, they became the property of the insurance company and who knows what they did with them or how many found their way into the market through people salvaging them after the flood. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I've heard many horror stories of vehicles that are sold all over the world that were under water in some flood at one point in time.

Well, spotting water damaged wood is easy. Just look inside the body. Stains? Pass.

 

[onemoretime]

Seriously?

Nashville was flooded, not Memphis.

 

[onemoretime]

So what happened to these?

Reserved for buyers who prefer heavier guitars?

 

[Veritas]

I'll reiterate that Nashville was flooded, not Memphis. Memphis is a 3 hour drive from where the flooding happened.

 

[SPROING!]

I'll reiterate that Nashville was flooded, not Memphis. Memphis is a 3 hour drive from where the flooding happened.

Well, they're both in Tennessee! Come on, man!

 

[Outlier]

Got it! Thanks for the quick geography lesson! Will rest easier now.