New Martin 000-16GT doesn't smell that great

[WebertRLZ]

Hello guys,

I just got my first Martin, it's a second hand 000-16GT.

Besides dusty, everything looks like new, but the previous owner was probably a smoker and the guitar smells like cigarettes.

How can I safely take this smoke away from it? Should I ventilate it, clean it with something special? I got Daddario's lemon oil and spray cleaner at home. Not sure if I can use this spray cleaner on back sides though, since only the top is glossy.

[Jim Owen]

How does the case smell? In my experience, cases accumulate smoke odor more than guitars do.

My duo partner from the 70s chain smoked. Then, he quit. Then, he couldn’t stand the smell of smoke. He left his Martin case opened out in the sun. That helped.

[pagedr]

Get a small box of baking soda that will fit inside the soundhole. Leave the opened box in the guitar for a few days with something over the soundhole to seal everything in. That strategy has worked well for me in the past.

[WebertRLZ]

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

How does the case smell? In my experience, cases accumulate smoke odor more than guitars do.

My duo partner from the 70s chain smoked. Then, he quit. Then, he couldn’t stand the smell of smoke. He left his Martin case opened out in the sun. That helped.

Good tip with the case, thanks. The case itself doesn't smell that bad, I can feel it lightly if I stick my head into it, more towards where the bottom of the guitar sits.

It comes more from the guitar itself, I can feel it when I'm holding it.

[WebertRLZ]

Originally Posted by pagedr

Get a small box of baking soda that will fit inside the soundhole. Leave the opened box in the guitar for a few days with something over the soundhole to seal everything in. That strategy has worked well for me in the past.

Sounds like an interesting science experiment! I can give that a try, thanks for the tip!

[Godfather]

Check with Martin, but I believe you can clean the entire body exterior, fret board and neck with naphtha to remove the stuck on smoke residue. It will most likely take several cleanings to remove it and the stench.

The baking soda is a great idea for the inside as is granulated charcoal.

Best of luck.

[SecondCity]

If it were me, I’d first dump baking soda in the case, all over the plush areas, and let it sit overnight. Then carefully vacuum it out, and gently wipe up any residue. Let it dry for 24 hours, and it should be OK. This is gross, but I’ve gotten vomit smells out of so many surfaces with that basic approach (I have three kids). For the guitar, I agree that baking soda in the box is the better approach, rather than on the raw wood.

I buy like 3 boxes of baking soda a month. The number of things it can fix is unbelievable.

[Rad]

My Martin came from a smoker. I wiped down the entire guitar with Naphtha several times and left the case open in the sun. The guitar was odor free but the case required living open in my garage for a couple months to dissipate the smell.

[wguitar]

Several thoughts from personal experience and guidance from AGF members:

1) SUNLIGHT and FRESH AIR are very helpful, but avoid keeping guitar
in direct sunlight for too long

2) Toss the case and buy a new (or even a clean used one).

3) Go to the pet section at Walmart (or any department store) and
buy a bag of wood chip pet bedding (very inexpensive). The
pine or cedar or whatever wood scent will absorb into the
guitar's wood and help your guitar to smell good again. I put
these into the guitar sound hole and placed the guitar outside so
the breeze can move the wood chip scent around.

4) After a few days I remove the wood chips from the guitar body
and just put some in a large potpourri bag that dangles into the
guitar thru the sound hole. Change the chips daily until you're
liking how the guitar smells. You'll likely find these bags in the store's arts and crafts section.

5) In addition to wood chips, you can also put coffee grounds or
activated carbon bits into the potpourri bag(s) as they will
absorb odors. Again, change daily. Activated carbon is used in
fish tanks, so you'll also find it in the pet section at your local
department store.

BE PATIENT, as you may have to do this for a couple of weeks to get a good result.

Good luck!

Cheers!

[UncleJesse]

Sure fire way to remove (most) of the smoke smell:

1. Rent an ozone generator from a tool rental store and close it up in a closet or bathroom with the guitar and case for a day

And then:

2. Wash off guitar with a damp rag and then polish

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by WebertRLZ

...I just got my first Martin...the previous owner was probably a smoker and the guitar smells like cigarettes...

How can I safely take this smoke away from it?...

FYI some people call that "mojo" - I call it gross mishandling, if not outright damage; strictly a matter of attitude BTW, and in nearly 60 years I've yet to encounter a first-tier archtop, orchestral-string instrument, or quality classical guitar with the same problem...

My thoughts: find one of those guys whose 2016 Martin/Gibson looks like it's been left out in a Cat-5 hurricane, sell it to him, and use the proceeds to buy something that was properly cared for...

[WebertRLZ]

Originally Posted by Godfather

Check with Martin, but I believe you can clean the entire body exterior, fret board and neck with naphtha to remove the stuck on smoke residue. It will most likely take several cleanings to remove it and the stench.

The baking soda is a great idea for the inside as is granulated charcoal.

Best of luck.

Perfect, I will message martin about the naphtha. I didn't know this. Thank you.

[WebertRLZ]

Originally Posted by SecondCity

If dump baking soda in the case, all over the plush areas, and let it sit overnight.

it can fix is unbelievable.

For the case I could just dump the baking soda directly in contact with the plush?

And yes, baking soda and vinegar are like the holy grail of house cleaning, impressive.

[WebertRLZ]

I'll answer all at once, thanks to everyone for such a great help.

I will start with the easiest ways:
Fresh air and some sunlight for the case
Some fresh air for the guitar
Cleaning with naphtha
Sitting some baking soda inside it
Dump baking soda in the case
Coffee and/or wood chips.

I think these are the easily achievable options to try first.

I appreciate all the answers.

[Raj the Smiler]

Potpourri was mentioned. Be very careful with it. Some types have some sort of (unknown to me) oils in the wood that will WRECK your finish. Personal experience