Cleaning tobacco smoke residue off of wooden guitar parts ..

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 29 Jul 2009 4:52 pm

Got a guitar yesterday that once belonged to a heavy smoker. It is browned from an intense amount of sticky tobacco tar residue. It feels sticky to the touch in places. I've tried naptha and mechanics soap but it only touches it.

anyone know a way to get this stuff off a nitro lacquer finish safely?

Thanks!

Jack Strayhorn · Post by **Jack Strayhorn** » 29 Jul 2009 5:27 pm

varsol

Jim Kennedy · Post by **Jim Kennedy** » 29 Jul 2009 6:24 pm

Years ago a read an article by Dan Earlawine, famous luthier, featured on the Stewart McDonald web site, to use saliva. Spit on a rag and start rubbing. The enzymes in the rag go to work on the grime and do not harm the finish.

Chris Erbacher · Post by **Chris Erbacher** » 29 Jul 2009 6:28 pm

i used to puff a lot of ganja in college...we used to have to clean our pipes...to clean the tar off them...there were three main methods...boiling your pipe (i don't think you want to boil a guitar...), rubbing alcohol and cloth...and a product named GOO GONE...i would reccomend the GOO GONE...i see that office depot has it advertised on the web for $6.29 and i bet you could do a whole guitar with a small bottle of the stuff...good luck...

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 29 Jul 2009 6:51 pm

Thanks!

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 29 Jul 2009 9:33 pm

I learned about Goo-Gone on this forum. I haven't
tried it on nicotine stains, but it is a great product for lots of gummy stuff like tape residue.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 29 Jul 2009 10:10 pm

now why would you want to go and ruin it ?
bet it took that fella years to get it broken in like that .
it just means he spent many happy hours at it

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 30 Jul 2009 5:02 am

Because it is a dead-mint 1979 Martin HD-35 that would play and sound a lot better if I could get the sticky residue off of it. I mean it is dipped in the stuff...

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 30 Jul 2009 6:13 am

is goo gone safe for laquer finishes tho?

and chris , we used a 60 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean our "water pipes". goo gone is expensive and leaves a citrusy odor.

Greg Wisecup · Post by **Greg Wisecup** » 30 Jul 2009 7:20 am

Best de-greaser in the world. Should work on nicotine. It worked for me on other projects. Ammonia. (and it's cheap)

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 30 Jul 2009 8:11 am

Years ago, I cleaned up an old 'mica MSA that had decades of nicotine and various oils and lubricants gunked up on the top side and the bottom. I used WD-40 and that cut it all off.

I wouldn't recommend that for a finished instrument though. I think you should check with a luthier before applying anything to that Martin. An email to Martin might get you some info.

Lee

Tim Herbert · Post by **Tim Herbert** » 30 Jul 2009 10:47 am

My Sierra was covered with smoke sludge when I got it. I used Goo Gone on the mica, and Mothers polish on the bright work, which cleaned it up nicely. But, it still smelled bad. I poured a few ounces of baking soda on a paper plate and put it in the guitar case, and then put the guitar in the case too (making sure that nothing contacted the soda directly) and closed the case. A few days later, all traces of the odor was gone from both the guitar and the case.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 30 Jul 2009 11:14 am

I think Lee has the best advice. Email Martin!
And lettuce know what they suggest.

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 30 Jul 2009 11:17 am

Tim, do you suppose that would work with an amp that was supposedly never played in a bar, yet smelled like an ashtray? Probably wouldn't do anything for the gummed up jacks, though. Oh well, just a thought.

Chris Erbacher · Post by **Chris Erbacher** » 30 Jul 2009 6:18 pm

hey ben, yeah we found that out about the odor...boiling them and using alcohol after is the best
...

William Clark · Post by **William Clark** » 30 Jul 2009 8:56 pm

I can tell you what I have used in the past to clean nicotene off of vintage guitars. I took it out of the Dan Erlewine book. He recommended starting out with water and a clean cloth, saliva and Naptha (Lighter Fluid). You want to be careful with anything you use if the finish is checked. Checking is weather cracking in the finish. Anything that you use could get under the cracks and lift the finish off. I have used Naptha before. I would put a small amount on a clean rag, wipe down the guitar with small circular motions. The naptha will turn the finish cloudy. Then I would take a clean rag with no solvents on it and polish the guitar up. Then finish it off with guitar polish. I have also used a product called Virtuoso for years. I usually buy it at Guitar Center. They make two different products. One is a cleaner and the other is a polisher. Their promotional material says that the cleaner will actually pull dirt out of the finish. It takes a lot of elbow grease to use it the first time. Once I clean the guitar with the cleaner I finish it off with the polish. After I use their products, my guitars usually polish up great with just a good wipe down with a cloth. Good luck and I hope that helps!

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 31 Jul 2009 4:31 am

Thanks! Sounds like I have a weekend project.

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 31 Jul 2009 5:00 am

Pledge furniture polish works great. I've used it for years on guitars. The longer you use it the better the finish looks.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 31 Jul 2009 5:58 am

James Marlowe wrote:Tim, do you suppose that would work with an amp that was supposedly never played in a bar, yet smelled like an ashtray? Probably wouldn't do anything for the gummed up jacks, though. Oh well, just a thought.

not sure if this will work but am about to try it on a stinky used amp.

throw a fabric softener sheet in the back of the amp...Bounce or something.

At an experts suggestion, I used lighter fluid (with naptha) to clean my fender 1000...and I mean I hosed that thing down in lighter fluid. It did not adversly affect the finish. careful with the soaked rags

These guys are right tho call martin, or for a quicker answer..go to the martin guitar forum and ask there

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 31 Jul 2009 7:10 am

Ben, it's worth a try! Can't hurt.
Thanks

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 1 Aug 2009 12:27 pm

Okay, here's the stuff: Virtuoso Guitar Cleaner and Virtuaoso guitar polish. Eight bucks each from Guitar Center. I've heard of this stuff but was unprepared for how great it works. Check it out:

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Tim Hurst · Post by **Tim Hurst** » 1 Aug 2009 4:07 pm

Aren't you glad though that it was tobacco smoke residue and and not residue from smokeless tobacco!

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 2 Aug 2009 1:02 am

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 2 Aug 2009 9:45 am

Yeah, Rick, but I'd use 'er on the slowest speed!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 2 Aug 2009 9:47 am

"I'd use 'er on the slowest speed!"

And with 80 grit paper.