The Yamaha Power Amp That Refused To Die!
In our thirty-five year history, we’ve come to know and believe in the dependability of Yamaha power amps. As that old commercial goes, “. . . it takes a licking, and keeps on ticking.” Our story is about one such amp that will make you a believer too.
One of our frequent customers back in the 1980s, a local night club, purchased a Yamaha P2201 power amp for their house band. The club property was adjacent to a large storm drain, that would occasionally overflow after heavy rains. It was after one such storm where our story begins.
The rain came down for days, and the storm drain overflowed into the club and surrounding properties (see picture). As with most bands, the large gear stays in the club and only the instruments are taken home. It’s accurate to assume they lost quite a bit of music gear in the “great flood”.
The club owner called and asked us to retrieve the sound gear and make repairs as necessary. We grabbed our trusty skiff and proceeded to the club to begin our task. We paddled up to the stage (sounds weird doesn’t it?), and lifted the amp, dripping with water, mud, and debris! We thought, “no way this is ever going to work again!”
We decided the best course of action would be to let the amp dry completely before attempting a repair. After several days of watchful waiting, we removed the covers and knobs, but we did not remove or replace any components. We cleaned, degreased and wiped down the inner parts and chassis. We re-installed the cover and knobs, plugged it in - and with great anticipation - turned it on.
It worked! I wouldn’t believe this story either if I hadn’t witnessed it with my own eyes!
Yours truly,
Andy