Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I can't say I'm sure if this is OT or not for this forum, so please speak up if so.

My 4001FL came with a vintage case--that's cool. On the other hand it kind of smells, basically a mildewy smell, and I just can't get rid of it no matter what I do. Febreze, baking soda, "airing out" for a day at a time... my next thought is to leave it in full sun for a while so the photons can maybe do something for it. I don't know. What can I do to get this thing to smell fresh?

sunshine is very good idea, it kills the mold... than there are many antimycoticums - medical sprays ... and i have used another spray for the smell before - i can't remeber the name of the product exactly but it is sold by shoestores for stinky shoes and it did the trick ...it think it was called Dr.Scholl's odor destroyer or something like that...

This should work!

Thanks guys. I think I will try full sun the next time it's bright and warm here in Denver. Winter has been off-and-on lately. Plan B will be the Oust or antifungal stuff probably... I would have thought Febreze could have helped here as it is considered antimicrobial, but I haven't actually looked at the list of ingredients.

I could use the spray reagent my lab uses to keep mold out of the tissue culture incubator. But I have a feeling it may not play friendly with the case or the bass!

Not sure if it'll work for mildew smells but it's harmless and free - newspaper! I read about this and have used it myself to remove a very strong cigarette smell from a case, just fill it with newspapers and close it up for about a week - smell gone! I'd suggest if, once you've killed off the cause of the mildew the smell still doesn't go away then give this a go.

Intriguing Steve. I'll keep that in mind...

Yesterday, even though sunlight was only slight and it was a bit chilly, I stuck the case outside for several hours, open, no shade (and Febrezed it). That seemed to work. Or else I got used to the smell and can't smell it anymore! We'll see tonight when I get it back out.

Seems like sunlight did it. It doesn't have a noticeable smell now.

Also, the 4001FL sounded AMAZING at practice! Might have a new Numero Uno in the works here.

I had a Hofner violin bass case that had such a distinct smell. Nobody could decide if it was bad or just odd.
Sometimes I catch a similar whiff and it brings back good memories of playing.

I had to saturate a case on two separate occasions, leave it in the sun 2x on a hot day, and use a whole container of carpet fresh for an extended duration, but the smell went away.

I think you guy's should think about what you are spraying these cases with. You have no idea what it could do to the guitars finish.