Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The 481 arrived today and it is quite a neat little guitar...but it absolutely reeks of cigarettes....I've never had this issue before.

Does anyone have any advice?

Is it the case, or just the guitar?

No case actually came with...just the guitar.

For the guitar, it will have to be cleaned. Get lots of lighter fluid (petroleum naptha. It is the best cleaner for a Rick finish, IMHO. Get into a well-ventilated or outdoor area. Fumes are not nice indoors. Dampen clean diaper cloth with naptha and rub guitar, moving to new areas of cloth and redampening. You will see yellowish-brown stuff coming off onto the white 100% cotton diaper cloth. Continue process until no more color comes off from any part of the guitar. Then, do the same thing with more clean white diaper cloth and water. If cloth stays clean, you are done.

Per Paul Wilczynski, the next thing is to polish with Scratch-X (finish cleaner and mild rubbing compound) and then polish with Zymol (water-based premium polish that builds up layers and smells great

The case would have been another issue, if it had come with one. Forget about getting that stench out of a case any time soon You would have had to have opened the empty case and left it open someplace dry and airy for about a year. In the interim, you could have invested in a $150 vintage reissue gray case, they smell good

You should think about doing that anyway, it will really protect the guitar!

I've had good success getting cigarette smells out of cases with Carpet Fresh. Sprinkle, close, let sit a week, vacuum out, wait a day, if it still stinks, repeat.

I had a '59 Fender case...smelled like ciggies and mildew. Took a month of this sort of repetition.

Elys is correct...what you're smelling, Alisha, is the tars that vaporize in the air and in a smoker's lungs. It is sticky stuff, and will stick to anything in sight. It actually forms a film on the guitar's surface. Lighter fluid will cut through the film. If you use a clean white cotton cloth, like a T-shirt or one of my ubiquitous diapers, you'll see the brownish stuff come off with the naphtha.

Good idea: wear a half-face respirator with an organic cartridge to protect your lungs and brain cells.

Thanks fella's Great advice as always.

It's in pretty super condition other than that...finally happy to see one with original pups and a cool color.

Alisha, be sure to wear some latex or nitrile gloves - the tar residue in solution (i.e., dissolved in the lighter fluid) could enter the skin and cause a rash (or worse, as the tar is carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic ...).

Pictures?

You want pictures of me all safety-gear and lighter fluid or the guitar?

Why stop with the guitar? Show us what brand of lighter fluid you use too

It is those shots of any Forumite working over their guitar that are the best. Kinda like when you see photos posted of works-in-progress at Paul's studio - the photos are that much better when they include showing Paul himself at work on his masterpieces. We want to see you doing the same on yours

Somehow, some way, the phrase "all safety-gear and lighter fluid" must become a song lyric! Is that redundant redundant (spoken softly, as an echo)?


What?

I'm just getting ready to use the advice they gave me. Use lighter fluid on the guitar, but safety first!

Good point Alisha, safety first. Unless you want a Fireglo 481 !!!

Hey, maybe you could do Hendrix impersonations !!!!

And don't smoke whilst you are doing it!!!!

"all safety-gear and lighter fluid"

Sounds like your first album title. And yes, I want pictures!