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Getting rid of that STANK

GManfromOz

GManfromOz

Jul 27, 2016
467
933
#1
I bought a used P bass that had been in storage for years. A decent price paid. But it's got some stank.

It's musty if you want a description but the question is how do I freshen it up? It's a lacquer finish, I've already cleaned it with water and a bit of spray cleaner (spray n wipe), lemon oil on the fretboard but it's still there. I've got the case airing out in the sunshine and I'll do that with the bass once I'm home a bit.

Suggestions??????
 
#2
GManfromOz said:
I bought a used P bass that had been in storage for years. A decent price paid. But it's got some stank.

It's musty if you want a description but the question is how do I freshen it up? It's a lacquer finish, I've already cleaned it with water and a bit of spray cleaner (spray n wipe), lemon oil on the fretboard but it's still there. I've got the case airing out in the sunshine and I'll do that with the bass once I'm home a bit.

Suggestions??????
Click to expand...
Try lemon oil on the wood and a cotton ball with a few drops in the closed case should help
Duke
 
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#4
GManfromOz said:
I bought a used P bass that had been in storage for years. A decent price paid. But it's got some stank.

It's musty if you want a description but the question is how do I freshen it up? It's a lacquer finish, I've already cleaned it with water and a bit of spray cleaner (spray n wipe), lemon oil on the fretboard but it's still there. I've got the case airing out in the sunshine and I'll do that with the bass once I'm home a bit.

Suggestions??????
Click to expand...
Let it air out for a few days. Then try Gibson Pump Polish that comes in the 4oz orange bottle. I like it for lacquer finishes. It has a bit of a lacquer smell to it as well.
 
#5
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Hang one of these from the headstock.
 
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#9
Woofer said:
Throw the case away. You'll never get the smell out of those fibers and you won't make the bass smell any better by putting it in a perpetually smelly case.
Click to expand...
I actually thought of dumping the case. I never use hard cases anyway, I'm a gig bag type of guy. I keep my basses out so I can look at them, and they can look at me if they feel neglected.
 
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#12
Yeah, get rid of that case. Or, leave it outside and open for a month. Then get rid of it.

I had a bass that smelled like somebody poured a bottle of Aqua-Velva After Shave on it. The previous owner must have bathed in it. Never fully came out of the bass, as the finish was stripped off in a few places, and that's where (i suppose)( the smell got into the wood.

But the case just got the boot.
 
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#13
Woofer said:
Throw the case away. You'll never get the smell out of those fibers and you won't make the bass smell any better by putting it in a perpetually smelly case.
Click to expand...

I would agree. It's usually the case that reaks badly. Smoke from Bars (the old days). Storage - the rat fur in the case mildews. It is just usually a safe bet, if you can, to spring for a new case.
 
#15
The case is dead to me now. I'll persist in airing it out but hard cases are a pain and I've got a heap of them anyway.

The bass, however, is the main game here. I hit it with eucalyptus oil twice today and left it in the sun (obviously not on the fretboard). That's killed a bit of the smell but the consensus on the violin, acoustic guitar, and other such sites is it'll air itself out ... eventually.

All that said, it's a custom shop 64 P and it plays beautifully thanks for asking.
 
#16
I've had friends that experienced this and the best way to get rid of the smell is laziness.

1) Put instrument on stand.
2) Put case in an area of room that it doesn't get in the way but make sure it is open.
3) Play instrument when the urge hits.
4) Check for smell in 6 months.
5) Repeat as necessary.
 
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#18
Woofer said:
Throw the case away. You'll never get the smell out of those fibers and you won't make the bass smell any better by putting it in a perpetually smelly case.
Click to expand...

^^^This is good advice, and, especially because OP admits he's more of a gig bag guy anyway, there's no reason to hang on to a bog-stock Fender case when better ones are available for not too much money.
But if for whatever reason OP wanted to keep the case, I can confirm that it is possible to get rid of some truly heinous odors if you are patient & determined:
A number of years ago I had a couple of bass cases (mercifully empty at the time) stored in my basement when the septic system exploded. An 8-inch deep flood of human excrement filled the room, saturating the cases.
Enzymatic cleaning solutions from the local pet supply store, plus lots of fresh air & sunshine, were the answer. I would basically drench the plush interior of the cases with the enzymatic spray, scrub vigorously with a stiff brush, then leave them outside in the sun to dry. As soon as they were dry, I would repeat that whole process again.

...and again.



...and again.

I think it took me two months of repeated cleaning/airdrying for the poo smell to be completely eradicated. But now, almost 15 years later, I still own both of those cases and use them everyday, and there's no indication of the horrific fate they suffered.

So it is possible...but it's a lot of work. Frankly, if it happened again today I'd probably throw the case away!
 
#19
Bill Whitehurst is right about the baking soda. I played smoke filled joints for ten years in the 80's and put that bass in the attic till three years ago. Opened the case and it smelled like an ashtray. I sprayed Febreez. That worked for a short period and the odor returned. My wife suggested the baking soda and it did the trick. For the body of the bass.... Murphy's oils soap. Clean with the oil soap, dry and use a standard polish.
 

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