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Smoking and the bass

jay43

jay43

Jan 4, 2006
90
1
#1
Just wondering I'm contemplating above in with my girlfriend. She smokes. Will the smoke affect my basses? Should I protect them from the smoke like will it dry out the wood warp the neck etc?
 
#3
electracoyote said:
In a typical smoker's environment, I think the most you have to worry about is it will probably only make them stink.
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It can discolor the finish pretty seriously too. I had a 83 strat for a while that at one point was Olympic white...and was owned by an extremely heavy smoker. The guitar STANK and also was a grungy yellow color that was three times worse than the usual UV discoloration. It was still pristine white under the pickguard though.
 
#4
Yeah, keep the cases out of smoking range and you'll be better off. I just got a bass that lived in a case that STUNK of cigs... and the bass did too. If you clean the bass, it will stop stinking, but the cases are going to revive that smell every time.

As for function, though, no. Temperature changes and humidity have more to do with that than anything else.
 
#8
If your girlfriend has pictures on the wall and has lived there for a while, go move some of the pictures and see the discoloration on the wall vs. where the pics were. That's what will be on and in your basses. Cigarette smell does NOT come out of gig bags easily if at all...
 
#10
BurningSkies said:
It can discolor the finish pretty seriously too. I had a 83 strat for a while that at one point was Olympic white...and was owned by an extremely heavy smoker. The guitar STANK and also was a grungy yellow color that was three times worse than the usual UV discoloration. It was still pristine white under the pickguard though.
Click to expand...

This often happens to wall coverings and fabrics in a smokers house as well. It happens slowly, over time, and it often goes unnoticed. Ever gone into a smokers house an looked at what used to be white walls, now with a slightly yellow discoloration? Its from the nicotine. Gross!
 
#11
as stated, keep them away from the smoking enviroment, and if they aren't, just febreeze the inside of the case and clean it. but sitting out for years will discolor, my dad has a cream color telecaster that has come to be a little more yellow than cream.
 
#14
erock138 said:
as stated, keep them away from the smoking enviroment, and if they aren't, just febreeze the inside of the case and clean it. but sitting out for years will discolor, my dad has a cream color telecaster that has come to be a little more yellow than cream.
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I would be REALLY careful about using Febreeze in an instrument case......I sprayed out a hard shell case that held a really nice Strat back in the late 90s, presumed that it was dried out after a couple of days, put the guitar in and put it away for 6 months....when I took it out, the finish was ruined.....I was later told that it might have been a reaction between the Febreeze and the adhesives holding the plush lining into the case.....
ANyway, didn't mean to hijack the thread.....back to our original program
 
#18
BurningSkies said:
It can discolor the finish pretty seriously too. I had a 83 strat for a while that at one point was Olympic white...and was owned by an extremely heavy smoker. The guitar STANK and also was a grungy yellow color that was three times worse than the usual UV discoloration. It was still pristine white under the pickguard though.
Click to expand...

:cool:
+1
Discolor, and will stink.
A good reason to get rid of you girl friend too. :D
 

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