Cigarette smell...

[pete11426]

Hi everyone! I just bought an old Fender Bassman 60, late seventies model. It sound great, but man it smell really bad, like an old ashtray!!! The previous owner was a big, big smoker... What can I do to get rid off that smell... thank you!

[pete11426]

Also, it said to look on the transformer to have the code to know the year model... how do I do that? It’s my first « old/vintage » amp so I don’t want to break it doing something stupid!

[Ken Baker]

You may have a tough time getting it cleaned up because of the soft(-ish) materials used to build the thing. And time; you may use a lot of it.

If it were mine, I'd tear everything I could from the cabinetry. Amp chassis, speaker; basically anything that can be removed from the wood. I'd use surface cleaner on every hard surface I can get to. Pull the knobs off and clean the bezel and the rest of the chassis that was exposed to the smoke. Caps & wiring underneath would be avoided, but should be able to carefully wipe down the transformers and tubes. I'd test an area of the tolex to make sure the cleaner is okay with it. If it is, spray, brush, & wipe down until the rags stay clean. If it's tweed, a re-cover might be in order.

I'd think long & hard about just replacing the grill cloth. Fabric just soaks up smoke and grill cloth isn't really made to be cleaned the way this one will need. The inside of the cabinet can be brushed and vacuumed out get the dust out, then sprayed with Febreeze or a spray odor killer from a pet supply. If there is an inner label it should be well protected from the spray or, if possible, removed to be replaced later. The speaker cone will probably smell like smoke, but can't really be cleaned without damaging it. If really skanky smelling, a recone should take care of it. Or just live with it.

As to surface cleaners: Store-bought products will likely do the job. Windex, Glass Plus, SImple Green; that kind of stuff. The problem is that they can leave an odor of their own that may be just as offensive as the cigarette smoke. I make my own cleaner here at Casa BassesByLeo. Equal parts rubbing alcohol, regular household ammonia, and water (distilled to avoid streaking on glass) in a spray bottle. It cleans incredibly well, but has such a strong smell that we call it "Loud Stuff" because it smells so loud. The plus side is that it evaporates off fairly quickly and the smell goes away. The down side is that I sometimes have to be careful on some painted surfaces or silkscreened lettering.

Ken...

[Ken Baker]

Also, it said to look on the transformer to have the code to know the year model... how do I do that? It’s my first « old/vintage » amp so I don’t want to break it doing something stupid!

Look here for code info. There may also be date codes on the speaker and pots.

Ken...

[pete11426]

For the grill clothe, I soaked it up with Oxyclean baby and let soak for a couple of minutes before rinse it with hot water. Great result, but it was disgusting... I had to wash the bathtub after it! It was stained with a brownish, yellowish residue... damn cigarette! Next step, inside the cab!!