How do I remove Black mold from amp tolex

Use Microban. It is the microbaccterial spray that most manufacturers put on products that are exposed to bacterial environments like bathrooms, kitchens etc. It is also used by disaster relief companies to kill mold and mildew in flood homes as well as it prevents it from coming back. You can pretty much spray it on anything. I used it when my home went through a flood in 2008. I had six feet of water and sprayed it on absolutely everything, including electronics, with a weed sprayer. Make sure you get the odorless version.
 
Thanks John, I appreiciate the response. ...I'm not trying to piss you off...

Heh, heh. I'm not that easy to piss off...

Still, something looks awfully hinky when you look at the bottom of that amp - the panel on the bottom part of the amp is very dark and stained and is even loosening from the wood, but the covering wrapped around the bottom of the side panels adjacent is very light and clean (it also looks like the texture on these panels is finer, but that could just be a trick of the lighting and camera).

Still, hard to imagine how the bottom edge of those end panels stayed so pristine when the bottom panel immediately adjacent is so damaged...

Also, BTW, you haven't mentioned how the amp performs. If you've just aquired it you might want to pick up a can of Deoxit as I wouldn't be surprised if the electronics don't have a few corrosion issues unless a good tech has already been through it. I've been in electronics for years, including designing and building tube amps, and it's hard to imagine there not being some corrosion issues in the sockets and such with that much water damage on the covering. I know, the chassis is a foot above the bottom of the amp - but you don't generally get that much damage from moisture on the bottom and not have some pretty significant humidity around the chassis.

Of course, if it's been serviced by a tech then probably the first thing he did was break out the Deoxit... My brother rebuilds "boat-anchor" ham radios and buys the stuff by the case. :)

John


John
 
The amp was pretty yellowed when I received it and I gave it a good cleaning on the top back and sides which may be the reason the rest of it looks better. I did take it to my amp tech right after I got it and he gave it a good going thru and cleaned the insides up really nice. He checked all the capacitors ect. Everything checked out and was in good working order. It still has all the original tubes made by RCA for Gibson. I think I was pretty lucky there was no damage to the chassis or inner parts. I took the cool old 59 Jensen speaker out and replaced it with a nice Weber Alnico. The amp sounds unbelievable. It cranks and has really nice breakup after about 5 or 6 and has a nice clean sound too. I'm truly really happy with it. I have been doing some cleanup to the bottom and have gotten some of the nastiness off of it. Apparently the cleaning I did also shrunk the tolex some because it's almost tight against the amp itself now. The big waves in the tolex are almost gone now. I'm pretty happy with it so far with the way it's coming along.
The amp next to it in the pics the 59 Gibsonette GA-8 is pretty cool also. I'm kind of up in the air right now which one I like better. The GA-18T is about double the price in value as the GA-8 but the GA-8 is one sweet amp. I replaced the original GA-8 Jensen speaker with a new Jensen P10R. I was always big on the vintage Fender amps and had no idea these old Gibsons were this nice. I still love my Fender amps but these Old Gibsons sure made me take a step back and say damn those are nice. I'll post some pics soon of how the bottom has turned out. Still a little ugly but a 50% improvement over what it was. I bought both locally the GA18T for $500 which I think was a very fair price even with the bottom in that condition considering it was all original. I happened upon the GA-8 by accident when I took my Gibson J-200 to have the bridge pins replaced. The guy had it in his shop just for checking the sound on guitars after working on them. I asked him if he was interested in selling it he said maybe. I said how much and he said $500. I said to much that I would feel more comfortable paying $350. He said okay and I said great ill take it. I got a great deal so no complaining from me. I don't need these cool old amps but with great deals on them like that I can't say no. My main reason for collecting these old Fender and Gibson amps is that I want to have some cool things to pass on to my son which I think he will appreiciate since he's a big guitar person also which I turned him onto when he was 13 years old. 12 years later at age 25 he's still going on strong.
Well thats about all I've got to say on the subject.
Thanks for all the help everyone and you included John.
Heh, heh. I'm not that easy to piss off...

Still, something looks awfully hinky when you look at the bottom of that amp - the panel on the bottom part of the amp is very dark and stained and is even loosening from the wood, but the covering wrapped around the bottom of the side panels adjacent is very light and clean (it also looks like the texture on these panels is finer, but that could just be a trick of the lighting and camera).

Still, hard to imagine how the bottom edge of those end panels stayed so pristine when the bottom panel immediately adjacent is so damaged...

Also, BTW, you haven't mentioned how the amp performs. If you've just aquired it you might want to pick up a can of Deoxit as I wouldn't be surprised if the electronics don't have a few corrosion issues unless a good tech has already been through it. I've been in electronics for years, including designing and building tube amps, and it's hard to imagine there not being some corrosion issues in the sockets and such with that much water damage on the covering. I know, the chassis is a foot above the bottom of the amp - but you don't generally get that much damage from moisture on the bottom and not have some pretty significant humidity around the chassis.

Of course, if it's been serviced by a tech then probably the first thing he did was break out the Deoxit... My brother rebuilds "boat-anchor" ham radios and buys the stuff by the case. :)

John


John
 
Ry Cooder is a major fan of old Gibson amps, and I'd love to find one of those stereo combo amps at an affordable price someday. Must have been made to go with ES-345 stereo guitars.
 
If no one's suggested it,don't overlook trying some white vinegar~
 
Those old stereo wedge shaped Gibson amps are very cool. Now your talking high dollar if you can find one. I would love to have one of those and also the ES 345 or 355 to go with it.
Ry Cooder is a major fan of old Gibson amps, and I'd love to find one of those stereo combo amps at an affordable price someday. Must have been made to go with ES-345 stereo guitars.
 
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