onewilyfool Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I have two guitars that have a cigarette, mouldy, bar room smell that to me, is pretty obnoxious.......One is a 1900 Washburn Parlor, one is a 1950 Kay archtop.......they really DO have the Mojo, but I must say, that mojo smell is not high on my list of attributes......On the Washburn, I finally put a couple of drops of Sandlewood oil on the inside of the sound hole, which helped somewhat, but it is like spraying perfume on a pile of crap. So, I'm really interested to see if you guys and gals, have had similar problems and what miracle methods you used to eradicate that smell....thanks in advance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Sorry, don't know of any DIY remedies. Not sure if this is the way to go, but I'll throw it out there: don't pro cleanup services use an "ozone tent" when getting smoke/fire smell out of clothing and furniture from a house fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Send her out for more beer and then change the locks! Actually I had a guitar given to me by a old friend who is a heavy smoker, I tried baby powder in the case, everyone looked at me like I was transporting a white powdery substance. I took it to a guitar repair guy, he used a rag with some turpintine to clean the glazed nicotine off. After 5 years I still can smell the nicotine but it's tolerable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Make a sachet with a stocking filled with baking soda, put it in the soundhole, and close the case. Be careful to keepthe guitar humidified, as the baking soda will also absorb moisture. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Never tried it, but I have heard a couple dryer sheets inside the soundhole can help. Otherwise I would try the Baking soda trick above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 So Wily, I guess you won't want any of my guitars. I was going to give you my 1947 L-7, but I guess with my two pack a day habit, and the hundreds of bar/nightclub gigs I've played, I'll just have to give it to someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwatsonfan Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I've used coffee grounds, air fresheners, and scented candles, don't light them lol ..... inside a closed case...... takes about a month though! definitely worked for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 So Wily' date=' I guess you won't want any of my guitars. I was going to give you my 1947 L-7, but I guess with my two pack a day habit, and the hundreds of bar/nightclub gigs I've played, I'll just have to give it to someone else.[/quote'] Larry.....now let's not be rash about this......lol......for that guitar, I would be willing to PLUG my nostrils.....lol. No offence intended Larry by the way, the smell that bothers me the most is that musky mildew moldy smell....not the cigarettes..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 Great ideas guys......I will try some of them and report back!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterGibs Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 So Wily' date=' I guess you won't want any of my guitars. I was going to give you my 1947 L-7, but I guess with my two pack a day habit, and the hundreds of bar/nightclub gigs I've played, I'll just have to give it to someone else.[/quote'] Give it to me! Will keep the smell good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Dry coffee grounds will get it done. Have also tried apple halves in a baggie. Wont happen overnight tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacdubro Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I've used multiple sachets of cedar chips in cheese cloth placed inside the body and case. It'll take some time but it's worked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Fabreeze is one of the more effective commercial products our there. I bought a used case for my Rickenbacker 320 that had obviously been stored in a damp basement for years. It had that musty smell. So I Fabreezed it liberally and then left the case closed with a new box of Arm 'n Hammer baking soda in it for a month. Now I just keep changing the box regularly. It has taken about a year but the smell is almost gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigshot Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Get a giant sized trash bag and put the guitar inside with a pie tin filled with that citrus cleaner orange stuff. Leave it for a couple of days, and afterwards it should smell fresh as a daisy. I collect antique phonographs, which are often host to rats nests and can stink to high heaven. This is the way phono collectors fix the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Did I ever mention how awesome this forum is? The collective knowledge that is shared is great for newer players like myself. I have picked up a dumptruck load of tricks I can try on a case that I found. No kidding, one day I was flyfishing in my belly boat when I spotted a guitar case floating in the reeds. Obviously I had grand visions of finding some vintage guitar inside. I feverishly kicked over there & guess what was inside?!?! NOTHING!! Not even a pick, or a broken string. Being the packrack that I am I took it home and dried/aired it out in the garage (where it has sat now for 2 years). I'll try some of the ideas listed in this forum to make it hospitable for when I do find a vintage guitar to put inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 After playing in bars for so many years all of my guitars were covered in a nice coat of nicotene. While it did not bother me it drove other folks nuts. Problem is you do not want to be dousing your guitar with ozium spray or something. I went and brought the guitars to my repair guy who gave them a good and safe cleaning and buffing. It was scary how much crap came off of those guitars. But the smell itself was not coming from the guitars as much the cases and canvas amp covers I was using. Those I hit with a few shots of ozium and then put them outside in the sun and air for a bunch of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds111 Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Maybe try new cases???? A lot of the smell is probably in the case lining. It's more absorbent that wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 i had a case that had a really bad smell, i just let it bake in the sun for a couple of days and it was good as new. now i wouldn't suggest that with a nice old guitar, but if you have a place you could leave it outside for a few hours at a time (in mild temperature and correct humidity) it might solve it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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