This amp STINKS ..... literally

[Digam11]

Just got a Vox Wesminster head and it wreaks of cigarette smoke. I`ve got it out in my back hall w/ the windows open at night and on the porch during the day.

Anyone have any sure fire solutions for getting this smell out of this amp ? Or at least some of it.

Thanks

[rob2001]

Wipe it down with Budwiser!! Sorry, couldn't resist!! Not sure, maybe Fabreeze?

[illini]

They do make an odor eater spray for getting rid of cigarette smoke in cars and homes, you could try it. It actually contains odor eating enzymes, so it doesn't just cover up the smell. Otherwise, you could just clean it up some and wait. The smoke smell will go away on its own.

[Jon Silberman]

Too bad the smoke was from cig's and not "sweet leaf."

[gilman]

You could use an ozone machine.The amp will have to be placed in a closed room with the ozone mach. on. You cant leave it in there for to long because the ozone gas is corrosive for certain materials.Try it for 3-4 hour first and see if this does the job.
A rental center might have them or some of the comercial room filters have them built in.If you use an ozone unit avoid breathing in the ozone.
Air out the room if possible when your done.And keep in mind try this at your own risk.
Some car dealers use them for the interiors smelly cars.
Hotels use them to help deodorize rooms.
Good luck

gilman

[MichaelThomas]

Same thing happened when I bought my old 70s Ampeg V4. It was terrible. Everytime I gigged with it, the smell would linger in my car. I ended up tearing off all of the tolex, exposing the beautiful wood casing, sanding it, and coating it with a sealer. Don't know if you want to do something that drastic, your amp has more histroic value than a V4. But the end result was beautiful and best of all IT DIDN'T SMELL!!

[telecopter]

I had an amp like that. It smelled like an ash tray(not mentioned in the ad, of course). I left it outside for a week straight last summer. I'd take it out in the a.m. and back in in the p.m. I also used tons of Fabrese, and stuffed many clothes dryer good smelly thingies in the back.

Guess what? It helped very little. I couldn't take it any longer and sold it to a smoker. It stunk up my whole music room while it was in there.

NOW, I ask before I buy. People think I'm anal, but who cares.

[StompBoxBlues]

You could start smoking, then you wouldn't notice it anymore


I've read threads before, but unfortunately don't remember the answers, some folks had tried less drastic than re-tolexing it...

I did get to wonder though, would it be the whole amp is nicotined, or can the tubes play a bigger part in this? Just thinking that tubes are glass on the outside, glass gets nicotine-smoke buildup, and when the amp is on might be "re-energizing" the smell. It might help to retube, or take the tubes out and windex em, let em dry throuroughly and put back in.

Hang one-of those gas station pine-scent trees in the back of the amp?
lysol? If you open it up be really careful about the voltages in there even with the amp off.

By the way, that would be a great question to send Gerald Weber in the techincal column of Guitar Player!

GOod luck with it, don't take up smoking, it really isn't worth it

[skydog]

Coverups are just that. You need to eliminate the source of the smell. Febreze is especially designed to do just that. I believe they even have one designed for smoke. My son uses it a lot on his drum cases. We live in Indiana and it is probably going to be the last state in the union to ban smoking.

[kurtsstuff]

Thats what happens to gear that gets gigged or has been gigged alot. I smoke and can't stand that smell!!!...part of the deal..

[VintageKnob]

Originally Posted by telecopter

I had an amp like that. It smelled like an ash tray(not mentioned in the ad, of course). I left it outside for a week straight last summer. I'd take it out in the a.m. and back in in the p.m. I also used tons of Fabrese, and stuffed many clothes dryer good smelly thingies in the back.

Guess what? It helped very little. I couldn't take it any longer and sold it to a smoker. It stunk up my whole music room while it was in there.

NOW, I ask before I buy. People think I'm anal, but who cares.

I had a silverface champ, great little amp - STUNK to high heaven lite cig smoke, took it all apart, pulled off the knobs, cleaned everything with orange cleaner and then soaked it with febreeze. I even cleaned the grill cloth with orange cleaner. Best I could anyway.

Still stunk up my home office/studio so I to sold it to a smoker.

Hope you fare better.

- D

[marsos52]

simple green get some simple green and wipe it down with that doesnt harm electrical components

[Joe M]

I had a DRRI that smelled pretty bad...tried everything....febreeze, baking soda, sunlight, "guaranteed-to-work" smoke removers, nothing worked. Then, someone told me about this site http://scoe10x.com/Scripts/default.asp checked them out and ordered a bottle of the stuff and it does work. I had to apply it several times but the stink did come out (and it was really bad). It's not cheap, but I was ready to try anything. Might be worth a look.....I have no affiliation with the product or the company....just trying to help out...you might have a bigger problem since the amp is a lot older than my DRRI was, but I'd give it a try....

[skydog]

If anyone ever feels like starting to smoke, walk into an American Legion or VFW at noon on a hot day and just take a deep breath. Man, that stinks.

[Digam11]

I`ll try some of these solutions and see how I make out. I`ll look for that Fabreeze smoke stuff first and go from there.Beautiful day here so it`s out under a tree in the yard .... LOL