Help for a smelly bass

Sonnet · #1 04-06-2008, 10:50 PM

We just brought home a 'new' bass tonight, but it has lived with cigarette smoke for years and smells like an ashtray! How can I clean it without damaging the finish/wood/etc? It's very old and has seen better days, but it sounds so nice (deep, rich, mellow tone...mmmm). I want to hear it, but not smell it!!

Thank y'all!

Jake deVilliers · #2 04-07-2008, 12:56 AM

Try putting it in an empty closet ( or whatever) with an open bowl/pan of sudsy ammonia. You're looking for surface area on the ammonia.

Leave it for 24 hours then refresh the ammonia and leave it again.

Sniff.

BassXgirl · #3 04-07-2008, 01:26 AM

lol I don't know why exactly, but I found this post pretty funny.
Poor stinky bass.

How do you know that its not the stank that's giving it is nice tone?

Sonnet · #4 04-07-2008, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassXgirl

How do you know that its not the stank that's giving it is nice tone?

LOL! I certainly hope not! Actually I know it isn't since this is the same bass my husband played as a teenager in the 80s and it didn't smell back then.

I'd also like to surface clean it. Are there any household items I could use to give her a good rubdown, or do I need to buy a cleaning/polishing kit. She's been in storage for several years and needs some TLC, but I don't want to refinish or do any major work since ... well ... the sound is good and I'm clueless about such things.

(Thanks again for the advice for this total newblett who wants to play with the big kids.)

mothmonsterman · #5 04-07-2008, 06:55 AM

Hang a pine tree car air freshener off the headstock. The black ones are totally metal to boot.
what kind of finish ison the bass?

Sonnet · #6 04-07-2008, 11:02 AM

I'm not sure of the finish. It is an old instrument that has seen quite a bit of abuse. I was thinking of using some 'home remedies' that work on old furniture but I figured I'd better ask more experienced bassists before wiping my bass down with diluted tea or dishwashing liquid (3-4 drops per quart of warm water works wonders on wood furniture).

Edit: Here are some photos to give y'all an idea of the condition.

Sonnet · #7 04-07-2008, 08:50 PM

Any further advice is appreciated. The bass is about 80 years old, so I'm a bit nervous about cleaning it and desperate for knowledgeable input.

Thanks!

WarriorJoe7 · #8 04-07-2008, 09:03 PM

I had a warwick that smelled EXTREMELY BAD. It is now one of my faorite basses. I used an ozone generator on it. It took awhile and smelled funny (like lightning) for about a month afterwards but here is the link. see post #9 (it's the correct answer. and yes it ttok longer than just one day in the bag... more like a week)

getting the smoky smell off my bass? smokey! ugh!

Sonnet · #9 04-07-2008, 11:14 PM

Awesome, Joe! Thank you so much. I tried searching the forums before posting, but didn't see your thread (probably didn't use the right keywords). I'll definitely look for one of those Ozone generators. Maybe then my daughter won't complain about the stench everytime she walks into the living room.

MT Spaces · #10 04-07-2008, 11:50 PM

Did you see this thread:
Getting smoke smell out of a bass

BassXgirl · #11 04-08-2008, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonnet

Edit: Here are some photos to give y'all an idea of the condition.

I tried scratching my computer screen, but I still couldn't smell the bass

My boss used to use something similar to this http://www.cleartheair.com/
We used it to remove photo chemical odors from the air and it did work good. It might be worth a try.

Btw, I'm glad your bass will still retain its nice tone after it loses its "B.O."

Good luck!