My old P stinks...literally!

[IJE]

So...
I've recently bought a 73' P-bass from the original owner.

Bass came in the original case and both case and the bass smell pretty bad!
I suppose the case could be Febreezed and aired, but what about the bass?

Thanks!

[markstuk]

What does the bass smell of ? Mojo ? :-)

[IJE]

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1483475170' post='3207524']
What does the bass smell of ? Mojo ? :-)
[/quote]

General, somewhat sour oldness haha

I'd like it to smell as good as it looks really

[Harryburke14]

Id start by changing strings and, while theyre off, scrubbing the fretboard with some sort of treatment. All old dead cells and old sweat are in there.

Failing that, dop it in a wheelie bin full of Dettol. Should do the trick.

[IJE]

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1483475966' post='3207538']
Id start by changing strings and, while theyre off, scrubbing the fretboard with some sort of treatment. All old dead cells and old sweat are in there.

Failing that, dop it in a wheelie bin full of Dettol. Should do the trick.
[/quote]

Strings have been changed and fretboard scrubbed. It's more the body that's the problem!

[skidder652003]

doctor ducks axe wax oil?

http://www.bandland.co.uk/guitar-accessories-c-31_60/dr-ducks-axe-wax-p-6331.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAtK3DBRCBxt-Yxduq5p4BEiQAbFiaPbziB3mjRKvkY3y19-XnvcXxohxJvuizKRAFNSZnc-MaAh_r8P8HAQ

[Mykesbass]

Pickguard? Sometimes old plastics can hold on to smells. Also, may need a bit of a clean underneath it.

[Grangur]

Bi-carbonate of soda was what my old Ma used to recon on for washing stuff down with to get rid of smells. Mix it in water and wipe it over everything with the damp cloth.

I know theres a limit to how much water you can use to wash it down. It might be worth a try though.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Grangur

[markstuk]

http://idiy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/how-to-clean-grungy-electric-guitar.html

[ras52]

Most people's old pee stinks...

[therealting]

73s have poly finish so less delicate than nitro if you want to try cleaning it properly.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='therealting' timestamp='1483479096' post='3207592']
73s have poly finish so less delicate than nitro if you want to try cleaning it properly.
[/quote]

That's what I was gona ask - finish type & condition.

As long as you don't get cleaner & water on bare wood (or into screw holes etc) ... you can get it soaking wet and scrubbed up. I'd advise a mirofibre cloth and a lot of careful rubbing. If the pickups smell - you may be able to clean the covers, but the pickup itself won't respond well to solvents - unless of course it's epoxy potted! I'd leave a lot of cat litter stuff (or that odour charcoal active stuff) in the case - try not to stain it with charcoal if it's a nice colour.

[wateroftyne]

Bass? What bass?

There ain't no bass until we've seen pictures

[Skybone]

Minor longshot, but try putting a couple of those sachets of silicon that you get with electronics in the case. They absorb moisture, so if there's any moisture in there causing iffy whiffs, then it should help. Maybe after a liberal dosing of Febreze and airing it out...

[Bass_Guardian]

Could hang a couple of magic trees off it?

Edited January 4, 2017 by Bass_Guardian

[IJE]

Thanks for the replies!

There is some bare wood on the body due to age and wear so cleaning is tricky. I'll try some of these ideas over the next few days and update!

Pictures to follow

[Fettsman]

I bought a bass recently of a heavy smoker. Several rub downs with lemon oil shifted the pong from the bodywork.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='IJE' timestamp='1483530540' post='3207907']
Thanks for the replies!

There is some bare wood on the body due to age and wear so cleaning is tricky. I'll try some of these ideas over the next few days and update!

Pictures to follow
[/quote]
May sound crazy, but you could try Grangur's bicarb suggestion but dust it on dry, and leave for a few hours. It does an amazing job absorbing smells in fridges and shoes!

[stroker2575]

Personally I'd go with the lemon oil. I did mine recently for the first time. It's good stuff.

[pmjos]

Errr,..... Don't use bicarb it is mildly abrasive. Unless of course you want to T cut your bass. Smells come from bacteria or chemical agents. Just give it a damp wipe with mild soapy water, dry it. Get a neuradol type air freshener or febreeze a cloth pit it in a plastic bag which you have made lots of pinholes in. Place that in the case[u] not in contact with the bass[/u]. leave it in the case for a week or two. I had a bass that smelled of old socks and damp clothes just from being in some old guy's wardrobe for 20 years. The smell will go away on its own eventually. Please don't put anything on the finish of the bass. Any oil will go in through cracks in the lacquer and could lift it, anything abrasive will cut the surface.

[Grangur]

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1483538574' post='3208026']
Errr,..... Don't use bicarb it is mildly abrasive. Unless of course you want to T cut your bass. Smells come from bacteria or chemical agents. Just give it a damp wipe with mild soapy water, dry it. Get a neuradol type air freshener or febreeze a cloth pit it in a plastic bag which you have made lots of pinholes in. Place that in the case[u] not in contact with the bass[/u]. leave it in the case for a week or two. I had a bass that smelled of old socks and damp clothes just from being in some old guy's wardrobe for 20 years. The smell will go away on its own eventually. Please don't put anything on the finish of the bass. Any oil will go in through cracks in the lacquer and could lift it, anything abrasive will cut the surface.
[/quote]
Good point that about bi-carb. I wasn't proposing the OP scours the surface, simply to gently wipe it over.

And pmjos is also right that Lemon Oil will either float across the top, like and oil-slick on water, or do damage to a lacquered finish. The look of the bear wood becoming oiled-finish will also look odd.

Funny that nobody here has suggested lighter fluid. I know some folk swear by that for cleaning basses. I've not tried that, but it might lift of a load of old dirt and help a bit.

[BigRedX]

Sand it down and get it resprayed.

No-one wants to see a tatty old bass anyway ;-)

[Low End Bee]

I bought a '68 Precision in '78 that was previously owned by Daevid Allen. I never manager to get rid of the patchouli/joss stick/herbal smell from the case or the bass. It still reeked after 6 years of owning it. I even tried shake 'n' vac on the case interior but it was no use. The smell came back. Bloody hippies.

[spongebob]

My '74 Ricky had been unloved for about 30 years when I bought it. Pretty much left as the day the owner played the last note.

As a result, it had a certain 'character' when I bought it.

Some restoration work later, and TBH, up close, I can still get a whiff of the original odour....it's been fully cleaned, and re-sprayed in places too!

At least I now know what 1980's indie music actually smelt like......

Edited January 4, 2017 by spongebob

[Bridgehouse]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1483550241' post='3208162']

At least I now know what 1980's indie music actually smelt like......
[/quote]

Teen Spirit? Oh, no, that was 1991....