Steel Guitar Strings
Strings & instruction for lap steel, Hawaiian & pedal steel guitars
http://SteelGuitarShopper.com
Ray Price Shuffles
Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron.
http://steelguitarmusic.com

This Forum is CLOSED.
Go to bb.steelguitarforum.com to read and post new messages.


  The Steel Guitar Forum
  Pedal Steel
  Does it hurt to spray FeBreeze on your Guitar

Post New Topic  
your profile | join | preferences | help | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Does it hurt to spray FeBreeze on your Guitar
Nick Reed
Member

From: Springfield, TN

posted 12 February 2006 11:41 AM     profile     
Since I'm not a Smoker, the smell of nicotine on my equipment absolutely grosses me out. My band plays in alot of Clubs where Smoking is usually at a premium. Therefore my Steels usually reeeeek with a nicotine smell after a gig. I was wondering if spraying FeBreeze on the guitar would hurt it, especially the undercarriage parts. It sure would make the instrument smell better but I'm wondering if any of you guys have ever tried this before. Nick
Chris LeDrew
Member

From: Newfoundland, Canada

posted 12 February 2006 12:18 PM     profile     
Smoking in bars is now banned in my neck of the woods, but before the ban I would polish my steel with a little bit of orange oil after a gig, and that usually took care of it. The smell is pleasant but strong, so it works well in getting rid of the stale smell of nicotine.

I've got a Fender Twin with a smoky-smelling grill cloth. In this situation I just have to live with it, but it can be off-putting. My whole room smells like the amp.

Nick Reed
Member

From: Springfield, TN

posted 12 February 2006 12:23 PM     profile     
Chris,
When I got my Webb Amp it smelled really bad with nicotine.

I took the grill out and cleaned it with some pink stuff called "Quick N' Bright". Then I rinsed it with hot water. The rinse water water was as brown as a Coca Cola but that sure did clean it good and get rid of the bad smell. Now what about putting FeBreeze on the undercarriage of a Steel. . . . .do you think that would hurt it?

[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 12 February 2006 at 12:28 PM.]

Tommy R. Butler
Member

From: Nashville TN.

posted 12 February 2006 12:36 PM     profile     
Nick I'm with Chris, All the bars here in Savannah are no smoking and it's kinda nice to get home at the end of the night and not stink up the house when you bring your equipment in & hey my eyes dont even burn anymore. I'll call ya this week about meeting up in Richmond Hill Friday 17th.
JW Day
Member

From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA

posted 12 February 2006 01:00 PM     profile     
Nick, my Emmons set at an American legion for 3 years after I bought it new. I always kept it covered during the time that I was not playing but it still got the ole' bar room smell, this was in the early 80's. I was telling a friend about the smell, he advised me to put an open contained of vanilla flavoring in the case and close it. It has worked for me and was very inexpensive. Let me know when you guys are playing close to E-town again. JW Day
Pete Burak
Member

From: Portland, OR USA

posted 12 February 2006 02:47 PM     profile     
Windex and a stiff plastic-bristled brush do a wonder for getting all the micro-gook out of the micro nooks and crannies in an amps tolex.
Then Armour All for finishing.

I used FaBreeze on a smelly amp grill, and it worked O.K. I am now going to use the rinse in hot water method (posted above) to make sure I got it really clean.

I have left my steel outside for several hours on a nice day to "air it out" after the smelly bar factor set in. I haven't sprayed any FaBrezze in the under-carrige though.
Maybe you can use some Arm&Hammer baking soda to make an oder eliminator? Maybe like a long sock filled with it that you lay in the undercarrige after a gig?

'Can't wait 'till Oregon goes non-smoking... next year? Non smoking seems to be the current trend around here, even though it's not a law yet.

Chris LeDrew
Member

From: Newfoundland, Canada

posted 12 February 2006 03:24 PM     profile     
Nick,

Thanks for the heads-up on the amp grill........I'm going to try it.

Personally, I'd be afraid to spray Febreeze on the undercarriage. I'm not sure what chemicals are in it, but I'd be nervous spraying anything onto the rods and springs. Also, I don't find that Febreeze works in the long term. It seems to do the job for a few days, but it wears off quickly in my experience using it around the house.

Maybe you could put a sheet of fabric softener between the rods after the gig, before you pack it away? It also helps to store the guitar case away from the smoke while you're doing the gig, and make sure it's closed and fastened. If the case takes on the smoky stench, it will always be on the guitar.

Tony Dingus
Member

From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

posted 12 February 2006 04:18 PM     profile     
Nick,I don't know if the febreeze would be a good ideal or not so, try this, put a couple of dryer sheets in your case with the guitar and see if that helps. I use them in my Jeep and it works ok. Let us know what you use and how it worked. Thanks

Tony

Paddy Long
Member

From: Christchurch, New Zealand

posted 12 February 2006 05:21 PM     profile     
Pete we went non-smoking in pubs and bars about 18 months ago and it is amazing the difference it makes - I'm a non-smoker and notice it really badly, so it is nice to have sweet smelling equipment again !! Our lead singer said he no longer gets sore throats etc after singing his lungs out all night either.

And you can actually see the other end of the bar from the stage now !! ha

Bill Hatcher
Member

From: Atlanta Ga. USA

posted 12 February 2006 06:10 PM     profile     
I have reparied Fender amps that had been in smoky bars so long that when I opened up the chassis you could take a screwdriver and scrape the brownish gold smoke residue goo off the inside surface and that was smoke that had no other way to get in but through the 1/4" jacks in the front and back. Imagine what that stuff does to your lungs!!!
Ronnie Green
Member

From: Des Moines, New Mexico, USA

posted 12 February 2006 07:47 PM     profile     
Any chemical product you spray on your guitar is a NO NO period. It might take a few years for it to show up but believe me it will. Pedal steel guitars are to beautiful to put any chemical on. If you can't put a little elbow grease in it, you need to get a banjo!
Jody Sanders
Member

From: Magnolia,Texas

posted 12 February 2006 09:30 PM     profile     
Hi Nick. Say NO to Febreeze. I tried it on one of my cases, and the latches started rusting. Jody.
David Mason
Member

From: Cambridge, MD, USA

posted 13 February 2006 01:32 AM     profile     
Odors are particulate - when you smell smoke it's because an actual smoke molecule has climbed up your nose*. You could glue the molecules down with some sort of spray, or try to overpower them with more, smellier molecules of a different origin, but I wouldn't call either of those solutions "cleaning." Scrubbing and brushing will certainly lead to faster results than airing out alone; smoke forms a kind of sticky tar, right? I would think some sort of solvent like rubbing alcohol or ammonia (Windex) would work. If it's totally grim, there's a product called "Goo-Gone" that dissolves sticky stuff without harming wood or most plastics.

*(Just stop going to the bathroom, that's all, it's the only solution. )

Per Berner
Member

From: Skövde, Sweden

posted 13 February 2006 06:33 AM     profile     
I recently aquired a '40s parlor-size acoustic guitar which smelled like it had been smoking 3 packets a day for the last 50 years or so...

Anyway, someone pointed me in the direction of trying ozone treatment, which is commonly used to deodorize interiors to make smokers' cars saleable.

Maybe you could persuade a car reconditioner to allow you to place your steel inside a car undergoing such treatment.

------------------
´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Peavey Nashville 1000


Herb Steiner
Member

From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX

posted 13 February 2006 06:43 AM     profile     
I think the odor is caused by micro particles of smoke residue adhering to the undercarriage, finish, and flocking.

I'd wipe the guitar down with isopropyl alcohol (NOT ON LACQUER FINISH!!), also the undercarriage parts, and see what that does. Re-lube if necessary. Then lightly mist the flocking with Ozium and air the guitar out for a day or so. I'd use FeBreeze on the flocking only as a last resort, since I personally don't care for the aroma of the stuff.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association


KENNY FORBESS
Member

From: peckerwood point, w. tn.

posted 13 February 2006 10:31 AM     profile     
Nick,
"Bounce" fabric softner sheets in your case and in the rear of your amp helps .
Works good for me.
Kenny
Dave Zielinski
Member

From: Pennsylvania, USA

posted 13 February 2006 01:48 PM     profile     
looking at a bottle of it now.... the label says....it is just alcohol with fragrance.

can I drink it then?? hahahaha!


Seriously, i suffer from the same thing. I have to leave my clothes in the garage after a gig. I air out my gear weekly and it helps.

Dave

John Bechtel
Member

From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.

posted 13 February 2006 01:55 PM     profile     
Nick;
When you get home from the gig, why don't you try spraying a fluffy~cloth with something like Lysol~Spray, lay it on the guitar and close to lid for a while? You could also drop one in the back of your amp. and replace the cover for another ‘while’. [This is the lazy~mans way to do it!]

------------------
“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

Larry Robbins
Member

From: Fort Edward, New York, USA

posted 13 February 2006 04:29 PM     profile     
Ozium.....
Wow I had not thought of that stuff in a while. Used to carry some in the glove box just in case you got pulled over! ahhh, the late 60's and 70's....and then again,...most of the 80's
( what year is this) anyway, I bought a steel a year ago that smelled as if it had been in a barroom for the last 20 yr.(who knows?) I cleaned the outside with a slightly damp cloth, waxed her good and cleaned the undercarridge with some windex, then relubed, let it air out a couple of days and it was fine. Good luck with your steel!

------------------
SHO~BUDS,FENDER AMPS& GUITARS, TUT TAYLOR RESO'S

"What a long, strange trip it's been"

David Cobb
Member

From: Chanute, Kansas, USA

posted 13 February 2006 06:31 PM     profile     
A friend cautioned me against using the product on precious items, because even though it seems like "the bomb" when you first use it, it will sour as it ages.
I haven't put it to the test to see if what she told me is true.
Eric West
Member

From: Portland, Oregon, USA

posted 13 February 2006 07:45 PM     profile     
How about "Summer's Eve™"?

Just a thought...

< ; )

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 13 February 2006 at 07:46 PM.]

Herman Visser
Member

From: Rohnert Park, California, USA

posted 13 February 2006 08:30 PM     profile     
Ive Sprayed and Sprayed that stuff on my steel and my playing still Stinks.
Chris Bauer
Member

From: Nashville, TN USA

posted 13 February 2006 08:50 PM     profile     
I was gonna try the FaBreeze idea but my guitar was in such bad shape when I got it out of the washer that it was just no use.
Steve Hinson
Member

From: Hendersonville Tn USA

posted 14 February 2006 04:57 AM     profile     
Mooney took his to the car wash and turned the hose on it...I prefer to put mine in the back of my truck and run thru one of those automatic car washes right quick...

------------------
http://home.comcast.net/~steves_garage

Chris LeDrew
Member

From: Newfoundland, Canada

posted 14 February 2006 06:07 AM     profile     
I just took up smoking........the smell just seemed to vanish.
Tom Campbell
Member

From: Houston, Texas, USA

posted 14 February 2006 10:52 AM     profile     
I've used FeBreeze in my guitar cases. Spray it on very lightly (just a mist...do not soak it!) and let the case open to air dry. Sometimes, after spraying, I've taken the case outdoors and let the sun shine on the open case. If you live in a humid area, pick a low humidity day. (I live in Houston, Ha!)
Alan Harrison
Member

From: Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA

posted 14 February 2006 05:02 PM     profile     
Years ago, I took the grilles out of my amps after they sat in a club and collected smoke for several weeks or months and sprayed them with 409 then took the hose and washed the yellow gunk away, works great. Also sprayed it on a soft cloth and wiped the tolex then wiped with clean water. I always kept my steel covered but don't know why you couldn't delute the 409 and wipe it down also then dry completely. I used it straight on the legs and pedal rods.

------------------
Emmons LeGrande II D-10, 8 & 5, Willy D-10, 8 & 8 two Peavey 112's, Profex II and Hilton Pedal.


Jimmie Martin
Member

From: Ohio, USA

posted 14 February 2006 05:34 PM     profile     
legend has it an ole fellow sprayed his guitar down with febreeze just before the opry. he got set up and hit a high note about the 12th fret and the guitar split in half. the keys went shootin up to the ceiling. the strings wrapped around everything in site. one of the legs knocked off the wig on a lady on the front row. the pickups knocked out 1 singer and the fiddle player. they found the steel player on the back of the stage saying whew that is some powerfull stuff. they asked him if he would do that again and he said sure the next time i borrow one of bobbe's guitars. no problem. sorry i couldn't help myself
Barry Blackwood
Member

From: elk grove, CA

posted 14 February 2006 05:37 PM     profile     
Eric (West) only good for fish odors ... It's always been my understanding that Febreeze was for use on fabric like clothing, upholstry, etc. I don't think it was intended for 'smokey' guitars.
Jim Walker
Member

From: Florida Panhandle

posted 18 February 2006 02:36 AM     profile     
Off topic for a second but I been hanging around the forum for 6 years, I swear some of these cats missed thier true calling as Stand up Comics and started playing steel instead.

On topic: I use lemon Pledge on the axe and Snuggle Dryer Sheets in the case. It really works.

------------------
Tele-Bender-Blaster-Caster
Line 6 Amps
www.jimwalkeronline.com
Steelin' Again Too!

Jimmie Martin
Member

From: Ohio, USA

posted 18 February 2006 05:35 AM     profile     
jim do you really think i could make it. i can't play steel very well.

All times are Pacific (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Pedal Steel Pages

Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain.

Powered by Infopop www.infopop.com © 2000
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46

Our mailing address is:
The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Support the Forum