Mando Smell? [Archive] - Mandolin Cafe Forum

Phil Jolly

Dec-19-2005, 5:47pm

Howdy,

I have been gigging pretty regularly with a local band here in town, mostly bar shows. All of these bars are quite smoky and leave my clothes smelling pretty strongly of smoke after the gigs. I am never a big fan of this but it is easily remedied by a quick load of laundry. However, we played Saturday night and when I took my mando out of its case today, I noticed a distince tobacco smoke smell. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if there is any way to rid my mando of this smell. Thought about Febreeze, but ruled against it. # #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif # #

Thanks a lot

mandodebbie

Dec-19-2005, 5:56pm

Move to Manitoba. It is now illegal to smoke in any restaurants, bars, or public places. Your mando will smell as sweet as our prairie wildflowers. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

chris

Dec-19-2005, 6:07pm

baking soda

Roydw3

Dec-19-2005, 6:14pm

I used to play drums and occasionally bass in a country band where we were in smoke quite often. The Amplifier I have is a monstor. But the thing now has all this little chalky looking circles and marks on the case. It looks like it is dirty. I have washed it and repainted it...but it still looks bad after a few months. Not too long ago, one of my friends saw it and said, "YOu've had that in a lot of smokey bars haven't you?" I asked how he knew and he responded that the appearance I described above is a result of the smoke. Now, it makes me wonder if it would do the same to a mandolin. My drums had some discoloration, but part of that is from wear and tear. Does anyone know if the atmosphere will affect the mandolin? I have heard that the campfires help some mandolins. Why would smoke from a cigarette be worse? It is usually hot and dry here in Odessa, and there aren't too many campfires...unless we go onver to the mountains of New Mexico. What say ye?

Evets

Dec-19-2005, 9:37pm

Pour a beer inside and slosh it around a bit. That oughta take care of the tobacco smell!

Pedal Steel Mike

Dec-20-2005, 12:43am

Forget about what that poison is doing to your mandolin, think about what it's doing to your lungs.

Tobacco is the only procuct in the world that, when used as directed, leads to disease and death. If people want to destroy themselves, that's their perogative, but they don't have the right to inflict their poison on you.

As far as I'm concerned, people who sell tobacco products are nothing more than drug dealers.

Dagger Gordon

Dec-20-2005, 3:05am

Your lungs are indeed more of a worry.

I have the same problem, but the smell on the mandolin has never bothered me much. Along with the various scratches etc, I think it gives it a sort of well-worn character.

I wonder if some of what you are smelling actually is the case, as the smell usually seems strongest when you first open the case.

I think it might help if you always close the case at the gigs, and if possible put it in another room. Then when you're home, you should leave it open to air off a bit.

steve in tampa

Dec-20-2005, 3:23am

Played a place like that several years ago, and make the mistake of leaving my case open. Had to air it out in the sun for a few days.
Anymore, the only smoky place I'll play is around a campfire.

Dave Cowles

Dec-20-2005, 5:11am

Put a sheet of "Bounce" fabric softener in the case along with the instrument, close and latch it for a day or two. I think you'll be pleased. You can even put the Bounce in your accessory compartment if you're worried about contact with the finish.
Dave

Tim

Dec-20-2005, 5:58am

Tobacco is the only procuct in the world that, when used as directed, leads to disease and death.
Alcohol?

straight-a

Dec-20-2005, 6:16am

leave the case open over night with the mandolin out of it. This allows both of them to air out and usually takes care of the smell.

Tom C

Dec-20-2005, 7:50am

Once we were picking in a friends living room. Fireplace was cranking. After a while we realized it was so smokey, we can barely see each other. My mando smelled like a fireplace for a month. Especially when I would take it out of the case when I'd go out. I left it out of the case on a stand most of the time and the smell eventually went away.

grant_eversoll

Dec-20-2005, 8:03am

I was playing in a house band for 4 years in a very smoky very rowdy bar called the Bob Inn,

We left our equipment set up at the bar (taking our guitars home) but I left my keys set up and the case I made for my keys also turned into the keyboard stand. This was the mid 80's. I still have that keyboard but do not use it much or open the case much but after all this time I can open the case now and it still smells like the Bob Inn

We called the place the Bob Inn and Wobble out http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Blueglass

Dec-20-2005, 8:28am

Rather than chemical smell which only adds another smell on top like "Bounce" or frebreeze use a more natural method. The resean for this is because your dealing with wood. Leave your mandolin out to air. Also if you can make it a point to play it outside. Also when I get this problem I have found rose petals or flower petals work well. Keeping your mandolin humidified is important! All of that smoke is drying your mandolin out.
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Keith Erickson

Dec-20-2005, 8:43am

As far as I'm concerned, people who sell tobacco products are nothing more than drug dealers.
Well Phil,

Don't worry just wait a few years and you won't have to worry about tobacco anytime nor anywhere. #It will eventually be made illegal across the USA.

Just don't be surprised a few years from now when you come back here to this board and complain about all of that "Medical Marajuana" smoke that will stinkin' up your mando from all of those same late-night giggs http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

You just can't win.......

TeleMark

Dec-20-2005, 10:56am

Tobacco is the only procuct in the world that, when used as directed, leads to disease and death.
Alcohol?
I think he means that nicotine is regularly used as an insecticide. Very small doses of it can kill nearly any animal. Alcohol is not likely to be a DIRECT cause of death (short of drowning in a vat of vodka).

Dfyngravity

Dec-20-2005, 11:23am

I have an air purifier, like the ionic breeze, my friend bought a new TKL guitar case and its smelled aweful so I took it and left it open in my room with the air purifier and that did the trick. I have seen an ionic breeze clear a whole room of smoke before and the smell was almost all gone. You might give it a try. Just open your case and put your mando on a stand right in front of the air purifier and see what happens. It will also make the air you breath everyday better.

Jim Yates

Dec-20-2005, 12:04pm

TeleMark

Dec-20-2005, 12:36pm

Most of Ontario has also prohibited smoking in public places, but I can remember the worse places I ever played was in Legions. My wife made me get undressed on the back deck and leave my cases out there for a couple of days. She said it took longer to get the smell of a Legion gig out of my case than when the cat p*ssed in it. I never really noticed the smell on my instruments though.
TeleMark said," Alcohol is not likely to be a DIRECT cause of death (short of drowning in a vat of vodka)."
What about Kieth Whitely?

By the way TeleMark, did your name come from your electric guitar, or is it short for your occupation?
Guitar (since sold...). I had a Mexican 50s Tele that I liked a lot, but don't play guitar much anymore (dang mando).

I don't know much about Keith. In fact when you wrote the name, I thought you were talking about Chris Whitley, who died of smoking-related lung cancer.

Prescott, AZ just went smokeless too. No arguments here.

craigtoo

Dec-20-2005, 2:01pm

I played in house bands in Europe for a few years... Talk about smokey... ! One of our weekly gigs was in an old wine cellar of a castle. No windows... EVERYONE smokes in Germany...

I just got in the habit of leaving my case open at all times when not in use... and I never left it open in the pub. It seems to work ok...

Now that I haven't been playing there in about a year.. everything seems to be back to normal.

craig

Pedal Steel Mike

Dec-20-2005, 2:14pm

[quote=Tim,Dec. 20 2005, 07:58]
I think he means that nicotine is regularly used as an insecticide.
Make no mistake, I mean cigarettes.

It is a cliché that most men don’t like their mother in laws, but mine was a gem. Ruth was a really nice lady and I wound up loving her as much as my wife did.

She did not smoke, but worked in an office where others did. She contracted lung cancer from the second hand smoke and died at the age of 57.

I’ll say it again. People who sell tobacco products are drug dealers, and people who make them are murderers.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

glauber

Dec-20-2005, 2:18pm

Tobacco is the only procuct in the world that, when used as directed, leads to disease and death.
Alcohol?
Bullets?

wah

Dec-20-2005, 2:52pm

I guess I'l have to agree with you about bullets glauber, though I've only ever used them for hunting and I always ate what I hunted so I can't say they've done me any harm. Alchohol, if misused, causes disease and can cause death but in moderation as been shown to be beneficial to health. Not so with tobacco. We don't have to breath tobacco smoke to play music in California either - what a blessing. Imagine back in the bad old days when my jug band played in bars - my lungs took a real beating.

Wayne

Keith Erickson

Dec-20-2005, 3:38pm

She did not smoke, but worked in an office where others did. She contracted lung cancer from the second hand smoke and died at the age of 57.

Mike,

I am sorry to hear this. I know what it feels like to lose a loved one to something that seems so simple to prevent. My grandmother died of a massive heart attack when she was 53. She was dead before she even hit the ground and she was an extremely heavy smoker. There is no doubt in my mind that her smoking was a major contributer to her death.

I too am also a former smoker that now prefers not to be in the company of other smokers. However with that being said, people (in the free world) have the choice to do as they please and live, play and work wher ever they choose.

To be honest with you and in all sincerity, my answer to Phil's question is simple: "if you don't like the smoking and you don't want to deal with it, then don't go to those places where smokers tend to congregate".

I'm sorry to have such a laise faire attitude but Phil asked for opinions and I'm giving it to him.

I'm sure that there are establishments that cater completely to the "no smoking" crowd.

The choice is yours, don't wait for someone else to make your decisions for you.

Just my two cents.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Pedal Steel Mike

Dec-20-2005, 4:30pm

Keith, people should have the right to do what they want to themselves, but not to harm others.

If you want to smoke or drink, or do drugs, or engage in some other self-destructive behavior, that's your business, but when that behavior affects the health and safety of other people, that's where we as a society have to draw the line.

Here in California it's illegal to smoke in public places, including restaurants and bars, but prior to that law being enacted, guys like me who played music for a living had no choice but to put up with the smoke. For me it was either put up with the smoke or find a new occupation.

One of the big reasons I stopped gigging was concerns about the effect the second hand smoke was having on my health.

Phil Jolly

Dec-20-2005, 4:32pm

I never intended to get into a debate over the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, bullets, grizzly bears, sunburns etc... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif I am in college, playing music is my main source of income and it is pretty much impossible to find gigs that pay anything in non-smoking establishments in Montana, thats just the way it is around here, especially in the winter. I know some people choose to not play in smoky settings and that's their perogative, I don't particularly enjoy it, but I do it because it gives me a chance to play which is what I love to do and actually get paid for it. Anyway, thanks to those who have answered my question, I'll try out some of your suggestions, I think now that it's been mentioned that it is probably mostly the case, so I'll try to deal with that. The smell of my mando is not a real big deal, I was just wondering if there might be an easy way to get rid of it. Thanks for the input.

fiddle5

Dec-20-2005, 4:45pm

You have to watch those playing in smokey bars and places. If you play an A style, you might wake up with a headache and a smelly A hole http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

mike

Phil Jolly

Dec-20-2005, 5:07pm

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Greenmando

Dec-20-2005, 5:30pm

It is a cliché that most men don’t like their mother in laws, but mine was a gem. Ruth was a really nice lady and I wound up loving her as much as my wife did.
I hear you. My mother in law was such a sweet heart. We lost her to breast cancer, she died at only 48. Ironically it's my mother who really vexs us.

As Mike mentions it's illegal to smoke inside buisnesses here. But the smokers now stand in mass at the doors and you can get as much on entering a pub as you used to inside.

Keith Erickson

Dec-20-2005, 9:43pm

One of the big reasons I stopped gigging was concerns about the effect the second hand smoke was having on my health.

Hey Mike,

I'm totally with you on that one. I gave up giggin' along time ago for the same exact reason.

I figured that if I didn't like the smoke anymore it was better for me to leave gracefully than to start telling other people what they should or should not do with their lives and businesses.

I play mandolin at my church and love it (it's a smoke free steady gig by the way) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I still gig every once in a bluish-green-orange moon and have been fortunate enough not to have to deal with the smoke.

Dan Adams

Dec-20-2005, 10:09pm

I bought a 16' Gibson from the family of a smokers. Can't get over how it smells of smoke when I begin to play it after it sits for awhile, even though it sits in the case. I usually play it outside, and the 'smoke' smell clears. It has such a great early teens sound, I can play through the smell until it clears. Every gig should be outdoors! Dan

banjo1

Dec-20-2005, 11:14pm

For all these reasons mentioned above and the fact that I am now a banjo, guitar and mandolin prayin preacher.
Trash in , trash out. If you can find anything more smellie than that type of smoke, you should use that and it will do the trick.
Merry Christmas

Pedal Steel Mike

Dec-21-2005, 2:14am

Keith Erickson

Dec-21-2005, 6:04am

I apologize for hijacking this thread. I obviously have very strong feelings about this, ane my emotions the better of me.

Back to mandolin playing. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Mike,

We all have experiences in life that shape us. Who among us can fault you?

Regardless, my mandolin will still remain smoke free http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif