"Smokin" CS Bass on Ebay

[jai_the_bass]

I really dont buy that smoking did that. The color is completely even across the entire body and headstock. You'd think if it sat around in a smoke enviroment there would be marks in the finish from where it was less-exposed.

I tend to feel that Jeff (rickaddict) could be right when he posted an opinion that it could have been on display in a smokey bar - no one touching it, it would just be like kippers in a smokehouse. Looking at the tarnish on the keywinds, bridge & even the strings supports the theory that she's been "left on the shelf"

[teeder]

I agree with that opinion also. I it was played there would be areas on the neck that are varying in shades.

[Grey]

Is it physically possible for smoke alone to cause it to turn such a bright color? I'm not attempting to cast doubt on people who obviously know more about finishes than I do, it's just hard for me to grasp that smoke could turn it a uniform neon orange. I'd like to see some pictures of what it looks like underneath the truss rod cover.

On an unrelated note that case makes me a bit jealous, mine dosen't have a Rickenbacker badge.

[aceonbass]

It sure wasn't neon orange on my monitor. There were pics in the auction of the finish under the pickguard which showed the original color, which would be the equivalent of pics with the truss rod cover removed. My grandma was a smoker, and the color of the flexible plastic rear window in her '63 Skylark convertible was just about the same color as this bass was.

[rickaddict]

I agree. A few years ago I bought an upright electronic dart board (from a bar) on ebay for my basement. I didn't realize how filthy the thing would be. It was completely caked with the same brownish-orange nicotine goo. Formula 409 took it off IIRC, but it was quite a job.

My best guess is that this bass was hung from it's tuners since I don't see any marks on the body from any other type of stand/hanger.

[ram]

During one my past lives as a janitor, I saw the effects of smoking on different cleaning projects which mirrored this type of color conversion all the time. I believe it was for real....

[rickenbrother]

My brother-in-law's white Gibson guitar got just like that CS did from his heavy cigarette smoking. After he passed away, I wanted to see if some Scratch-X would remove any of that. Unfortunately, the guitar went to someone who stuck it in a closet, will never play it or even look at it.