Getting the STINK out of a fretboard...

[toman]

Gross! I agreed to setup, clean and re-string a friends instrument. Problem is, no matter how much I've cleaned the fretboard, after playing it my hands STINK! The thing lives in a house where people chain smoke and cook constantly; roast beef, onion soup, pizza, etc and it's always out, not even in a case. The amout of gunk I cleaned off this thing is disgusting, not to mention the smell! How can I possibly get this fretboard clean?!? I know he doesn't care, but for future reference, if I were to buy a smelly instrument or something... Help!

[teej]

I use Formby's Build-Up remover to remove the grease. Apply a generous amount to a cloth and give each section of the fingerboard (between each fret) a good scrub. After that, do it again. Then let the fingerboard air out for about an hour. Next, I use Formby's Lemon Oil, which brings the luster back to the wood, and also acts as a cleaner. With the lemon oil, I just squirt it down the length of the fingerboard, let it soak for about 20 minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a cloth. My fingerboards smell nice and fresh after that. You know, it might be the strings. I've got an bass with a set of roundwounds that tends to leave my hands smelling a little... FUNKY!

...but in a bad way.

The grooves in roundwound strings can trap dirt and grime that a quick wipe-down won't get, so you may try soaking them in alcohol or boiling them.

[droskobass]

Your friend's bass may be a lost cause. Sometimes fresh air and sunlight help get rid of crazy funky smells.

but to all other TB ers out there:

-Wash you hands before you play.
-wipe the strings and neck when you're done,
-leave you bass in the case when you're not playing it!

Your bass will sound, look and smell better for years to come!

Chicks will dig you, you will rule.

[Eyesee7]

Now that I've had an opportunity to get into more playing of the 1980 Ibanez Musician "bean" bass I bought a few months ago, I started to catch a faint funky smell in the room - smelled like some food that fell behind the couch and suddenly you smell it rotting. Caught a whiff again and smelled my fretting hand - it's coming from either the fretboard or strings!! Wiped it down with some Ax Wax; I know I've got some lemon oil around too but I can't find it right now. The rag had only a faint bit of dirt on it.

I've always been a fanatic about cleaning and wiping down my basses and have never encountered this before. But then again, this is the first time I've owned a bass that had 30 years of a previous owner's funk baked into it. I hope the lemon oil works. I should probably change the strings too, although they did feel somewhat new when I bought it...

[wshines1892]

I played an old bass once that made your hand smell like crazy bread from Little Ceasers...can't say that I minded.

[rojo412]

My favorite materials, in order of stench cleansing process (easy to extreme):

1) Lemon oil. It usually works and it protects and shines
2) Goo Gone. It's citrus based and cleans most everything
3) Rubbing alcohol. Kills bacteria and cleans parts
4) Mineral spirits. Almost like paint thinner (or is it paint thinner?!?), works in extreme cases (be careful with finished boards, though)
5) Automotive brake parts cleaner. This will strip paint.

Never had to go much farther than mineral spirits. One of the worst basses I've ever cleaned, an MIM Jazz with 14 years of metal-head, smokey basement, french fry nastiness, and neglect only got up to rubbing alcohol, so that may give you some idea.

(NOTE: The cleaning process should always be followed with a lemon oil wipedown, because the harder that stuff is, the more it dries out the wood).

[testing1two]

I use Murphy's Oil Soap and a nylon brush. If a solvent is needed, I prefer Naptha since it won't damage clearcoats. Do this a few times as needed being careful not to saturate the fingerboard. Then follow up with your favorite fingerboard conditioner.

[lowendfriend]

Lemon oil after you've cleaned it good.

[FuzzBoxVoodoo]

I bought a Brand New Schecter Stilleto studio 5 string with a satin finish and after about half hour of playing the back of the neck would get sticky and smell just like cow poop.I tried cleaning it after I played it thinking that would help but it didnt.
They thought I was crazy when I took it back for a refund.

[ggeff]

Great thread - I'll definitely try these suggestions too. I bought a CL find yesterday that looks and smells like a flood victim: black strings and fingerboard, the pickup poles have rust freckles ... but it plays well and will be Frankensteined later. I'm a sucker for CL finds.