clean out !!

triggerno9 · #1 09-23-2005, 11:19 AM

I've just stripped the paint off my db, Iwanna know if anyone has any tip on getting all the dust and flakey bits of paint from the inside of my bass ( other than turning it upside down and shaking it !! should have taped the f-holes up, i know. cheers

Steve Killingsworth · #2 09-23-2005, 11:52 AM

It's pretty Rube Goldberg but what about a length of PVC pipe or garden hose ducttaped to a shopvac hose?

JimmyM · #3 09-23-2005, 11:52 AM

You can take paper towel rolls, tape them together, then tape them to a vacuum cleaner hose and moosh them down and put them through the f-holes and vacuum it out, but I think the easiest way is to just hold it upside down and shake it out for a few minutes. I had to do that with my bass when I got it.

Trevorus · #4 09-23-2005, 12:00 PM

A powerful vacuum. What you could to is turn it upside down (make sure it is well supported) and use something like a shop vac to suck out as much as you can. Covering most of one F-hole with your hands and using the vacuum on it should suck out most of that stuf.

mchildree · #5 09-24-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Killingsworth

It's pretty Rube Goldberb but what about a length of PVC pipe or garden hose ducttaped to a shopvac hose?

That's exactly what I did.

hdiddy · #6 09-24-2005, 02:34 PM

For what the vacuum can't get out, a ball of masking tape on a stick does wonders.

Just make sure the ball doesn't come the end of the stick.

Doug Ring · #7 09-26-2005, 09:17 AM

I taped a piece of copper water pipe to the hose of a household vacuum cleaner. A rigid pipe was easy to direct where I wanted it. Then I stood the bass upright so that all the crud fell to the bottom, poked the pipe (carefully) through the F-hole and sooked it all up.

drurb · #8 09-26-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triggerno9

I've just stripped the paint off my db, Iwanna know if anyone has any tip on getting all the dust and flakey bits of paint from the inside of my bass ( other than turning it upside down and shaking it !! should have taped the f-holes up, i know. cheers

I got a length of clear tubing at Home Depot and wrapped one end in duct tape. I shoved that end into my vacuum cleaner hose-- it makes a nice seal. The clear tubing is small, soft, and pliable so it's easy to snake it around inside the bass via the f-hole. Works like a charm!

Ed Fuqua · #9 09-26-2005, 10:48 AM

The guys at Gage use large bore surgical tubing taped to a Shop Vac hose. The tubing is softer than a lot of stuff, so less chance of damaging something inside the bass...

Benton · #10 09-28-2005, 06:39 PM

I use compressed air to blow dust out of all sorts of string instruments. I brought my cello to camp for the kids, it came home full of dust, I blew it out with my compressor. It is part of my routine when I restore an old guitar, cello, or violin. I tried the vacumm but it was to hard to work through the f holes.
peace
Benton