Bought a cab....and it smells horrible. Any suggestions?

[J-Bassomatic]

For the archives - this can be dealt with. Technology courtesy of the marijuana growing crowd and used car detailing crowd. The answer is in a product called an Ozone Tube or Ozone Generator. Ozone is great at breaking down odor causing pollutants in the same way the sun's UV rays do. Ozone tubes / generators create copious amounts of ozone and allow it to directed / distributed to control and eliminate odors. Marijuana growers use them to control the horrendous stench of a grow room. Used car dealers use them to clean up offensive smelling vehicles which is MOST used cars.

If the OP were to place the cabinet in a small room or closet with an Ozone tube for a couple days, the smell would be significantly diminished or completely removed. The problem in this case is that the OP has 2 days to work it out which isn't likely. But it could be dealt with. If he likes the cab, he should get wit hthe seller and propose an extension of the trial to see if this could be worked out.

I passed on a killer marshall guitar stack for this same reason about 10 years ago. This was before I knew about ozone. Wish I had THAT decision to make again!

I bought a house from some smokers and I used a huge ozone generator, pumped it in with one of those 4" dryer vents and let it run all night. It did a pretty good job. Warning, do not be in the room/house unless the room is completely sealed off, that stuff can kill you. Of course we had an industrial strength one (like those salamander heaters). There were dead insects (and who knows what else) everywhere.

 

[BornAgainBass]

I bought a house from some smokers and I used a huge ozone generator, pumped it in with one of those 4" dryer vents and let it run all night. It did a pretty good job. Warning, do not be in the room/house unless the room is completely sealed off, that stuff can kill you. Of course we had an industrial strength one (like those salamander heaters). There were dead insects (and who knows what else) everywhere.

Yeah they have plug in ones now too for hunting that you plug in to your car's cigarette lighter and has a cord adapter. You keep it on while you are out of the car to kill all the scents in your vehicle. I also use the battery powered Ozonics for hunting and it really works. You definitely want to have the blind windows open to create a draft while using it. But they all work well. Glad you got the cigarette smoke out of your home.

 

[BogeyBass]

there is good advice here though if anybody actually wanted to go through the process. as repeated by internet links and old wise tales. the stench needs to degass. and with cleaner remove as much tar residue as possible. uv or heat increases the bake away. and newspaper or charcoal work well to absorb it. vinegar or perfumes help, but just hide the smell than remove. dollar store windex and free sunlight work pretty easily. takes multiple cleaning. with acoustic guitars or what not nobody wants fill their guitar with charcoal even though it works well. newspaper the next best thing for absorption

for just glass in your car without alot of residue. good old ammonia or windex works.
acetone works faster for heavy build up.

old science class anti smoking demo was hooking a cigarette to glass tube and a pumping smoke through. just to show how much yellow tar built up with one cigarette on the glass tube. to reuse the demo the kit came with acetone cleaner to scrub away the yellow stain in the glass tube.

some of the magic cat pee removers are alcohol with citrus orange perfume. the alcohol is what breaks down the pee. different from cigarette tar

 

[BassmanPaul]

My wife suggested putting it into the washing machine with some Downy but I don’t think that’s practical!!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

repeated by internet links and old wise tales

Is it "old wise tales" or "old wives' tales"?

 

[BogeyBass]

im not sure, wives tales makes more sense. then again this is the internet so somebody could be offended by wives tales. wise is universally correct and non sexual lol

 

[Badwater]

If it has that tuff liner type plastic coating, you could use that "As seen on TV" Flex seal black rubber spray paint to coat the outside. And, to get the funk out of the inside wood. Remove the components, and spray the bare wood with some hair spray. A lot of thick coats of hair spray will soak into the wood and seal in the funk. In the end you'll have a cabinet with a new toxic smell other than nicotine smoke. But over time that toxic stench will go away.

 

[agedhorse]

That rubberized spray has no abrasion resistance, would gouge and scuff like there's no tomorrow.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Oh, that would be cool!
It would have a road-worn look in no time at all & you could sell it for profit!

 

[DavidEdenAria]

That rubberized spray has no abrasion resistance, would gouge and scuff like there's no tomorrow.

This......spray or brush on bedliner coating is what i use....tough and super easy to apply if you use the spray...i am done tolexing or tweed on any project other than something collectible...bedliner coating is outstanding...better than any tolex, carpet or tweed, though i have thought about spraying bedliner coating on carpet, im not going to do it.

Tweed gets thick poly coating, way better than shellac or varnish...but i digress!

 

[Dp1363]

Instead of sending the amp back, just take up smoking. Problem solved.

 

[BadExample]

Instead of sending the amp back, just take up smoking. Problem solved.

So many choices what to smoke these days too.

 

[Shannon]

Of course your cab smells badly.

It has no nose!

(crickets)

I'll just go stand over there now...