Guitar-attacking solvents in cigarette smoke

Many of us who've played music in bars can attest that the longer a
guitar finished in nitro is used in a smoky environment, the softer and
gummier the lacquer finish becomes. Not only did the finish on my old
Mossman dreadnought get yellowed by the cigarette smoke, but it
eventually became quite tacky to the touch.

My repairman told me that there are solvents in cigarette smoke that
attack nitro finishes, and that the effect is essentially irreversable.

Here in the Municipality of Anchorage, there's a ban of smoking in bars
on the table, much like the ones already enacted in California and New
York City. Because I wrote a letter to the newspaper in support of the
ban, explaining that cigarette smoke can soften guitar finishes, I've
been asked to speak briefly during the public commentary portion of the
Assembly meeting a couple of weeks from now.

I'm happy to do it. Three out of four of my grandparents died horrible
tobacco-related deaths, and three out of three uncles went the same
way. I'm no fan of the habit.

In any event, I was hoping some of you might be able to help me
pinpoint the precise solvents that are present in cigarette smoke, so
that if any of the Assembly Members question me as to which solvents
are involved I can say something a bit more complete than:
"Uh...benzene and a whole bunch of others!"

If not, any suggestions where I might find this information? I'm
asking this here because I regard RMMGA as the source of all knowledge
worth knowing! :)

Thanks in advance.


Wade Hampton Miller
Chugiak, Alaska

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Guitar-attacking solvents in cigarette smoke
    ... Mossman dreadnought get yellowed by the cigarette smoke, ... attack nitro finishes, and that the effect is essentially irreversable. ... ban, explaining that cigarette smoke can soften guitar finishes, I've ... pinpoint the precise solvents that are present in cigarette smoke, ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic)
  • Re: Guitar-attacking solvents in cigarette smoke
    ... Mossman dreadnought get yellowed by the cigarette smoke, ... attack nitro finishes, and that the effect is essentially irreversable. ... ban, explaining that cigarette smoke can soften guitar finishes, I've ... pinpoint the precise solvents that are present in cigarette smoke, ...
    (rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic)
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