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Topic: Vintage Smell? |
Steve Collins
From:
Alaska, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 3:15 pm |
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| Just curious, what is the source of the vintage amp smell, the good one (not a burning, something-is-wrong smell)? You know the one, old Fenders really have it, but I smell it in many old tube electronics, especially when they warm up. A couple of friends were speculating it is solder flux, or the wire coating. No newer amp that I have experienced has this smell. Anybody? |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 3:26 pm
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No idea what it is but I love the smell.....
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 4:06 pm
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I believe the smell is phenolic from the carbon composition resistors
my Milkman amps use vintage Allen Bradley carbon comp resistors and they smell like old Fender amps (the resistors not the amps, but the amps eventually will be overtaken by phenolic once the smell of Pine goes away)
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Milkmansound.com |
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Craig Baker
From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 4:12 pm The Fragrance of a Fender
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Just a guess, but I've always thought it was mostly the wax used in capacitors and transformers to keep moisture out, along with the rosin core solder throughout the chassis. Each time the circuit is turned on, things are heated ever so slightly, just enough to keep that wonderful fragrance "alive". Two of the best aromas have to be a new car. . . and an old amp.
Sincerely,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024 |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 8:59 pm
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I can definitely recognize the smell of hot electrolytic caps... but it's not one you'd want around. You're probably thinking of the smell of rosin flux, that has a nice 'classic' aroma to it.
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Too much junk to list... always getting more. |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 11:11 pm
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Probably just the dust that has settled over the years on those old amps.  |
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Steve Collins
From:
Alaska, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2014 11:26 pm
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| Flux was my guess as well, I just never could figure out a way to prove it. Whatever it is, it sure smells great about an hour into a gig. |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 3:24 am
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It's the smell of all the money you burnt BUYING the thing in the first place..... 
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If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 4:36 am
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I vote for the burnt money too!
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You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Jerry Van Hoose
From:
Wears Valley, Tennessee
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 6:45 am
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I've never mentioned it before now, always been sort of curious about the smell of my vintage tube amps. I had my 2 vintage Twin Reverbs stored in the closet for years & you could smell them whenever the closet door was opened. Then, I recently purchased a Vibrosonic, same odor. I really like the smell/aroma! During college, 1970-74, I remember often frequenting a small electronics parts & repair store (Ferguson's Electronics, Morehead, Ky.) that also sold "high-end" stereo systems. As you walked into the store (browse only, mind you), that familiar aroma was there.
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GFI w/Steeltronics 507, Profex II, Nashville 112’s, Hilton, George L .155’s, BJS, Steelers Choice |
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 7:47 am
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Thanks for this post.
I was about to seek help but it seems I`m not alone.
Do you sniff sound holes, too ?
I do. My -53 Gibson A-50 is a favorite.
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Olli Haavisto
Finland |
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 8:26 am
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my 1937 Gibson HG-00 smells incredible
also, old cars smell good too
old people? not so much
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Milkmansound.com |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 10:13 am
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| That's easy...It's just trace amounts of the 'magic smoke" leaking out of all the components. |
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Kevin Mincke
From:
Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 10:19 am
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| I used my Twin last week, which I put a JBL D-130 in years ago and it still had that smell (and sound) after running for about (3) hours. Cabinet nice and warm |
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Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 6:39 pm Smell
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I wondered if anyone else liked the smell of the vintage amps and guitars - I was afraid to ask ! Nice job getting it "out of the closet" Steve!
I have an old SG Standard - and there's no smell like the smell that comes out of that case after it's been sittin' for awhile . .
Maybe someone should make a cologne for musicians ? ? ? hmmmm . . .
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The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Steve Collins
From:
Alaska, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2014 7:31 pm
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| Yeah, old guitars too for sure, they all tend to have a good smell of their own, unique to certain instruments, whereas the amp smell is pretty common to most of the old amps I have played. I hope that smell never leaves my old Princeton. |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 8 Jan 2014 2:17 am
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I figure if I can just get that smell to work in an aerosol can, I can stop buying lottery tickets and sit back waiting for the orders to roll in....
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If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 8 Jan 2014 5:33 am
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An under arm deodorant stick or cologne called "Old Amp" would be nice. Or, "hot tubes"?
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8. |
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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Posted 8 Jan 2014 5:57 am
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A couple weeks ago I bought a late 60's/early 70's Hagstrom H33 12 string acoustic (wow!) and it has that great old guitar smell... As soon as I opened the case it hit me... nice!!
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https://www.reverbnation.com/bigredandtheresonators |
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