Gibson Falcon manure to help tame reverb tank

[DrGonz78]

Well pulling apart this Gibson Falcon tonight I discovered what can only be described as manure filled up at the bottom of the amp around the reverb tank. It does look like someone intentionally did this too. Has anyone ever heard of people doing something like that as a way to isolate the reverb tank from the cabinet? I don't think Gibson would have put this in their product, but who knows.

[Chuck H]

Holy cow!

I've used manure for a lot of things. Never filled an amp with it though. I think Randall Smith puts manure in his amps (whoever did this might be threatened with patent infringement).?. Then there's the flatulent sound of modern metal amps. I can't figure how all that manure comes out unless someone is putting some in. A lot of guys smack about classic amps and mojo. Special capacitors, carbon comp resistors and cloth braid wire, etc. I imagine "mojo" must mean manure in some ancient language. When you think about it then, guitar amps are all about manure! Perhaps what you've witnessed is a supernatural manifestation of the true state of amps or the eventuality of a natural evolution!

[Resonator Guy]

Gibson constantly changed specs. It could be one of their crappy efforts.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Couple possibilities. A. Amp was stored in a barn, maybe even right in a horse or other animal stall, for a long long time. Donkey dust and hay particles from cleanup efforts settled back there over the years.

2: Its some sort of foam rubber that's decomposed to dirt.

III: Some small critter found himself a handy outhouse. Maybe the whole critter family. In your area this may be worrisome. Hanta virus carried by mice and possibly other rodents was first found in the USA in the Southwest, near the 4 corners area. But certainly not limited to that zone, now Hanta is spread far and wide, even made its way to Pennsylvania. Gives me the willies when I have to clean up mouse-infested amps.

[olddawg]

Couple possibilities. A. Amp was stored in a barn, maybe even right in a horse or other animal stall, for a long long time. Donkey dust and hay particles from cleanup efforts settled back there over the years.

2: Its some sort of foam rubber that's decomposed to dirt.

III: Some small critter found himself a handy outhouse. Maybe the whole critter family. In your area this may be worrisome. Hanta virus carried by mice and possibly other rodents was first found in the USA in the Southwest, near the 4 corners area. But certainly not limited to that zone, now Hanta is spread far and wide, even made its way to Pennsylvania. Gives me the willies when I have to clean up mouse-infested amps.

About 20 years ago a tech in my shop contracted Valley Fever ostensibly from the dust in a very dirty large stereo. I've found lots of crazy stuff in amps. Dope and money come to mind. We used to have a outside area where we cleaned monsters like this up with a mask, a brush, and compressed air. In your case, if it is organic and not just deteriorated foam from the reverb pan dampening scheme, I would put on a mask. Scrape it out outside as best as you can. Use a brush, vacuum, and/or compressed air. Then I would sponge it down with a bleach solution and let it dry a few days before working on it.

[DrGonz78]

Yeah horrible stuff to find in the amp no matter what it is. I definitely will let it air out and clean the heck out it. I was thinking there must have been some blue grass band jamming in a barn. Band starts complaining to the slide guitarist that their reverb is feeding back. Quickly they find the most plentiful substance in the barn and stuff it in there to help isolate the tank from the cab. They could have stuffed a bunch of hay in there too I guess, lol. Good thing is that while testing the amp I will have it guts out on the bench. Only been doing amp repair for 3 years and I can't even imagine all the stories you guys have that have been doing this for 10-40 years or more!!

[Leo_Gnardo]

I was thinking there must have been some blue grass band jamming in a barn.

Reminds me of early 70's Neil Young (and the Stray Gators) album photos, jammin' amongst hay bales.

Another thing to apply when de-funking an amp like that, nice strong sunlight. Should be plentiful in Phoenix, enjoy!

[tedmich]

as an asthmatic I always mask up when confronted with old funky particulates, too much asbestos (from insulation) and hanta virus (from mouse poo) possible.

[Chuck H]

As a painter it may seem unlikely... I run across piles of excrement on a semi regular basis! Mice, rats, birds, bats and of course domestic animals. And then there's the human stuff... I'll just let that one go. The stuff can easily become airborne dust when disturbed by cleaning efforts. I use and recommend a respirator AND something to keep your hair covered (I use a spray hood, not perfect but better than nothing) followed by washing exposed skin with soap and water. The worlds best and worst bacilli exist in dung. I can climb a forty foot ladder and do a balance/reach to paint a tricky spot but a pile of pigeon poop scares me. Disinfect with bleach as suggested. You can make a 4/1-water/bleach solution and put it in a spray bottle. DON'T BREATH THE DUST! And wear gloves. Even a hangnail can be a nucleation site for infection.

I once got a skin abrasion from a rope and got a staff infection. Having the enormous boil on my finger lanced and going on antibiotics resulted in a hospital caused clostridium difficile infection. Doctors failed to diagnose it for over a month and with my depleted immune system I developed a secondary fungal infection. I was literally on deaths door by the time it was discovered a month after that having lost any ability to digest food and twenty percent of my body weight. To put that in perspective I'm skinny anyway at 5'9" and 150lbs. At 120lbs I looked very much like any terminal patient. all this FROM A ROPE ABRASION!!!

You cant be too careful. Just scooping it and letting it dry out isn't nearly careful enough to be sure. Wear gloves, don't breath dust, disinfect and live to clean up more poop another day.