UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45
Removing Smoke Smell/Colouring - Help *UPDATE*
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I recently bought a Gibson J45 Custom from my Dad who’s a smoker, and the guitar smells really bad and has discoloured too, as you can see from the photo below of the pins and saddle
Is there anyway to remove that smoke smell from these parts? I’m not fussy about the look, I like older looking guitars, but I really want to get rid of as much of the smell as I can.
I know I could just replace them, but I’d like to try and keep it original as much as I can
Any recommendations on the best way to tackle these, and the rest of the guitar would be greatly appreciated (what’s the best way to clean gold hardware without damaging it?)
It’s a cracking guitar and want to get playing it ASAP.
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Comments
Just a bit of elbow grease.
In this case I'm not sure.That discolouring may have gone into the bone? @ICBM.
As to the smell that's impregnated the guitar, I would be tempted to get one of those gel-type air fresheners in a "woody" fragrance like cedar, or the "wintery" fragranced ones that smell like cinnamon and nutmeg, and leave it sitting inside the guitar body (guitar on its back) with the soundhole covered with a bit of cloth. There is nothing I know of that is emitted into the air by those gel air fresheners that would affect glue or anything inside the body. Even some fragranced potpourie made from wood shavings and dried flower heads and orange slices might give off enough pleasant fragrance if you put it in a bowl inside the body.
Some scented fretboard cleaner/conditioner like Dunlop's Lemon Oil should cover the tobacco smell on the wooden bridge and darken it nicely. For the lacquered body I would try what @Mellish has suggested. Naptha-based lighter fluid (the liquid for Zippo type lighters) is usually quite safe with most lacquer finishes, but it would be very wise to test it out with a soft cotton cloth on a small area in the least conspicuous place you can find. It evaporates very quickly, so you could go through a fair amount of it.
Cleaning gold hardware? Not sure. I would certainly just try a soft cloth slightly dampened with water and maybe a drop of washing up liquid to help remove the stickiness of accumulated tobacco tar. I MAY also be tempted to try a soft cloth slightly dampened with WD-40 if the other methods didn't work, but perhaps hold on with this and see if any experts give any contra-indications of WD-40 for this.
Makes you think though, if it's done that to a guitar, what state are his lungs going to be in......
Used lightly, this was desined to Remove and change the molecules
Ian
Lowering my expectations has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.
Seriously, give the wood shavings a go. The smoke smell on my guitar was as bad inside the body as out, and I had got to the point of deciding to sell it as I couldn't stand the smell. After the cedar shavings treatment, it smells fresh and woody, again and no trace of the smoke. It was a last ditch effort for me after trying baking soda, Fabreze and other options.
Ian
Lowering my expectations has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.
I like the look of the muslin bags. If they're small enough bags (no visual scale reference) you could lower them in & leave for a few days, re-insert if necessary.
When used you could fire up your log burner with them. Or the guitar if they don't work....
surprised if there is one. I think at best you're looking at weeks.
Sorry about that.
We've got one in the fridge, and have to say - its bloody fantastic
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.