Smoking and gear.

[silikon]

I have been rather intrigued by this for some time, and interested to hear what others have to say.

So everyone lists qualities when they sell gear "non smoking studio" and whatnot. Beyond the asthetic YUCK that goes along with getting gear that smells like smoke, are there really any reasons one should at all coats stay away from gear that has had one or more friends who smoke, all things other being equal?

Perhaps a silly question, but any searching I've done on the subject only results in lots of remarks about the smell, not any residual negative effect it could have on gear.

Input?

[Roby31]

Have you ever seen a smoker's computer? (Somebody who everyday smokes some cigarettes while using his own computer, that is). Tar everywhere, sticky nicotine catching humidity and dust in the insides...picture that in a valuable synthesizer that might have already its own sliders/pots issues and an habit of going out of tune with humidity

[Automatic Gainsay]

The weird thing is that most vintage equipment has been through extensive exposure to smoking.

[silikon]

The weird thing is that most vintage equipment has been through extensive exposure to smoking.

...precisely why I ask the question. I've encoutered (and acquired a few pieces) that, when opened, had a distinct, albeit slight odor of tobacco smoke. I could find no discernible amount of deterioration due to build up, but the odor was there.

I just am trying to find out if it's simply OCD that drives people not to want gear that's been smoked around (and as you stated, making "non-smoking" vintage gear a rarity), or if there's a real solid functional reason to it all. I've seen the horror stories online where pictures have been taken of computers; but that's also quite extreme, IMHO. I can't imagine me gigging with my minimoog, 5-6 nights a month in a smoky venue, (especially since I'm prone to cleaning my gear afterwards) would cause significant damage, or cause component failure.

[Automatic Gainsay]

...precisely why I ask the question. I've encoutered (and acquired a few pieces) that, when opened, had a distinct, albeit slight odor of tobacco smoke. I could find no discernible amount of deterioration due to build up, but the odor was there.

In the height of my collecting phase, I had a number of synths which, when I originally acquired them, were basically cigarette potpourri. Eventually, the smell disappeared, though. Of course, that doesn't mean the particulate matter, tar, etc. is necessarily gone. I'm not sure! I can't imagine that it's great for electronics, but at the same time, the fact that vintage synths still work despite the almost guaranteed fact that they spent time being used in smoky bars must say something!
I think the same thing about humidity. How could humidity be particularly good for electronics? Maybe I'm just paranoid.

[tallowwaters]

Nothing is particularly 'good' for electronics. Heat, moisture, tar, excessive dryness, general oxidization, particulate matter, etc., but damned if yellow keys and that horrendous smell don't turn me off.

[silikon]

the fact that vintage synths still work despite the almost guaranteed fact that they spent time being used in smoky bars must say something!
I think the same thing about humidity. How could humidity be particularly good for electronics? Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Thanks for sort of mirroring my feelings on the subject. I'm sure that if there was an abundance of the stuff all over the inside of a piece of gear, eventually you could have a short, or chemical deterioration. But I would almost expect that sort of event to happen on stuff that has extreme cases. Personally, as long as there is no discoloration or obvious signs of that sort of affair (I'm so anal that I'll crack open any synth I end up getting, and poke around as soon as I get it) I don't think it would be a problem so much that it would devalue a synth as some (many) seem to lead on.

Nothing is particularly 'good' for electronics. Heat, moisture, tar, excessive dryness, general oxidization, particulate matter, etc., but damned if yellow keys and that horrendous smell don't turn me off.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the smell, and certainly hate the idea of my circuits being polluted, but I'm trying to set the bar for my OCD so I'm not so adverse to bringing some kit to this or that gig. Currently, I'm such a freak about it, that i'll sample whatever lines I've created with whatever gear, and basically trigger the line at a live show. Granted, that's not the ONLY reason I don't drag all the expensive stuff out at gigs, but that is one of the larger contributing factors in my paranoia. Right now the paranoia/OCD is so bad that as soon as a show's over, and I'm back home at 2am I'll open the cases, set the gear back in the studio, wipe the exterior down completely, and sometimes open the case and blow the interior out with canned air.

I remember watching a few youtube or vimeo videos with Deadmau5, watching him playing with his modular gear, and literally smoking right there with it... and I about had a f**k panic attack in my studio, over a stupid, low-res video of some random dude blowing smoke onto his rather large modular setup. I thought to myself simultaneously, what my f**k problem was, and a large dose of "yuck".

...Hence the reason for the thread. Trying to either validate or dismiss my OCD behavior.

[tekkentool]

I lent my bass to a friend and it came back smelling like cigarette smoke. Didn't affect the operation of it but I don't like the smell of cigarette's. That's pretty much it for me.

I will admit that when I see people I respect smoking it does slightly lower their status mentally, to me smoking doesn't really make sense. I'm not going to say it's inherently immoral or something like that, and legally you have the right to do whatever you want. However I don't see the point, to me it just seems like a useless addiction.

[Alex E]

My biggest complaint is the discoloration and the smell. I can never get rid of either.

[GuyaGuy]

My biggest complaint is the discoloration and the smell. I can never get rid of either.

TWSS

[GuyaGuy]

Maybe it's an allergy thing. I'm going to start listing my gear as "from a smoke and peanut-free studio!"

[pricklyrobot]

to me it just seems like a useless addiction.

Yep, kind of like collecting synths. Or a good 80-90% of human behavior in general.

Maybe it's an allergy thing. I'm going to start listing my gear as "from a smoke and peanut-free studio!"

You should probably also let people know if you have a fireplace or not. No-one wants gear that smells like a camping trip.

[Automatic Gainsay]

You should probably also let people know if you have a fireplace or not. No-one wants gear that smells like a camping trip.

Well, except me, but that's a different issue.

WTB: KORG LAMBDA REDOLENT OF A CRACKLING MARSHMALLOW INCINERATION

[GuyaGuy]

My MG-1 smelled delicious and, strangely, brand new.

[silikon]

No-one wants gear that smells like a camping trip

See, this wouldn't be so bad IMHO. I used to live on the Puget sound for a long time, and that is one of the smells that brings me back home; the scent of rain and fireplaces.

WTB: KORG LAMBDA REDOLENT OF A CRACKLING MARSHMALLOW INCINERATION

Cigarettes remind me of a proctological exam complete with irritable bowel / incontinence / mud butt. Rather shitty.