I have a combo amp from the early sixties that was stored for a long time in sketchy conditions. Is there a simple, safe way to clean the grime off the Tolex on the cabinet?
Thx.
Thx.
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Cleaning old Tolex
- Thread starter BeeMo60
- Start date
avoid anything with silicone in it.theres a thread somewhere,with a bunch of recomendations.
good luck.
good luck.
Any vinyl cleaner will work, as well as Simple Green, dish soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, etc. Real Tolex is vinyl top material, so it's more durable than regular vinyl, but even regular vinyl is pretty durable but the surface isn't quite as hard as Tolex. Vinyl is often called 'Tolex', but it isn't. The backing on regular vinyl stretches more, too. Tolex stretches less because the original contact adhesive didn't hold as well and when it released, the front edge would allow air to get under and inflate the top, like a big balloon. It was fairly common in the early/mid '60s to see this on the highway.
You can use some solvents- naptha is OK, as long as you don't let it pool or remain in contact for too long. I wouldn't recommend anything stronger because the vinyl will dissolve.
If it's the really durable Tolex, like the stuff Peavey used in the 70's and 80's, it would handle quite a bit of abuse.
For one amp which had some paint and junk on it, I stripped it completely down to the Tolex--all the hardware off, corners, handles, everything. Then used a cleaner like the Simple Green and a soft brass wire brush. Took all the bad stuff off without chewing through the Tolex. Then hosed it off thoroughly and let it dry in the sun--it was a hot summer day so the water didn't have a chance to get into the wood.
For one amp which had some paint and junk on it, I stripped it completely down to the Tolex--all the hardware off, corners, handles, everything. Then used a cleaner like the Simple Green and a soft brass wire brush. Took all the bad stuff off without chewing through the Tolex. Then hosed it off thoroughly and let it dry in the sun--it was a hot summer day so the water didn't have a chance to get into the wood.
