Paul,
I am posting this for a friend. This poor bass was not played for a while and seems to have a mildew rash. Any clean-up/removal suggestions that I can pass along?
Thanks!
Bob
Mildew Mess
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Re: Mildew Mess
...ScratchX and Zymol! 
Re: Mildew Mess
Looks like it was kept in a dark and moist place for decades. Mold/mildew growing where the body oils and sweat were.
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jingle_jangle
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Re: Mildew Mess
I had answered this earlier this morning, but I was not logged in and when I logged in, my answer was erased...aaarrrggghhh.
So, here we are again:
First, mix up a quart or liter of nice hottish water (104-105 F) and squirt in a bit of mild soap to cut the surface tension. Add a teaspoon of ordinary household bleach, NO MORE! DAMPEN a clean sponge with this, wring it out, and wipe off the mildew, drying immediately with a soft cotton cloth (diaper preferred, as usual!). Look for etching in the varnish that is sometimes left my mold or mildew.
Polish with Scratch-X or equivalent (My current fave is 3M _Plastic Polish, made to polish plastic headlamps). If the etch marks go away, then fine. Finish the polishing then wax with Zymol. If the etch marks are still present, move up to fine white polishing compound, which is as coarse as you should go on these. Then follow with Scratch-X, then Zymol, etc.
This would be a good time to disassemble and detail the whole bass, separating parts into piles depending on what they need (i.e., chrome hardware, body carcass, pickguard, knobs, tuners, pickguard, etc... Spend an afternoon on it and carefully reassemble. Yes, the bridge pickup and ground wire from the tailpiece will have to be unsoldered and resoldered.
The strings might need changing. I'd suspect the tone is shot as the silk or synthetic wrap is probably deteriorated.
So, here we are again:
First, mix up a quart or liter of nice hottish water (104-105 F) and squirt in a bit of mild soap to cut the surface tension. Add a teaspoon of ordinary household bleach, NO MORE! DAMPEN a clean sponge with this, wring it out, and wipe off the mildew, drying immediately with a soft cotton cloth (diaper preferred, as usual!). Look for etching in the varnish that is sometimes left my mold or mildew.
Polish with Scratch-X or equivalent (My current fave is 3M _Plastic Polish, made to polish plastic headlamps). If the etch marks go away, then fine. Finish the polishing then wax with Zymol. If the etch marks are still present, move up to fine white polishing compound, which is as coarse as you should go on these. Then follow with Scratch-X, then Zymol, etc.
This would be a good time to disassemble and detail the whole bass, separating parts into piles depending on what they need (i.e., chrome hardware, body carcass, pickguard, knobs, tuners, pickguard, etc... Spend an afternoon on it and carefully reassemble. Yes, the bridge pickup and ground wire from the tailpiece will have to be unsoldered and resoldered.
The strings might need changing. I'd suspect the tone is shot as the silk or synthetic wrap is probably deteriorated.
Re: Mildew Mess
Thanks everyone for the responses!
Re: Mildew Mess
Cool name for a band! 
Re: Mildew Mess
Playing those moldy oldies!jps wrote:Cool name for a band!