Advice on Les Paul with cologne odor

[arnie65]

FWIW, I purchased a Martin D28 years ago and when I got it, the case smelled like an ashtray. I tried everything but had no luck getting the smell out. A friend of mine suggested I spray Febreze all over the inside of the case, then let it dry in the sun. It worked great!
Afterwards, I just vaccum the case. I suggest to take off the hardware, strings etc, and wipe Febreze on it but don't leave it on, then put it out on the sun for a few hours. This is the science behind it: the UV rays of the sun act as a disinfectant, destroying odor causing bacteria, mold etc.. The UV chemically breaks down organic molecules so they no longer smell.


Good luck!
Arnie...

[Alder Statesman]

This will do the job;


I would put the LP in a pillow case (to protect the finish) and place it and the ionizer in a confined space. An hour later and your guitar will be fragrance free.

[icr]

I got a Les Paul Studio with cologne smell in the 1990s. Since it was a nice guitar at $300, I didn't think too much of the smell. I still have the guitar.

I'll go check it now....

...the odor is totally gone. But as I recall it took longer than 6 months. Maybe like 6 years.

[DawgBone]

How about my father's Murphy's oil soap?
Well, you don't want that stuff on your guitar either unless you're going for the latter.

I've been cutting a little murphy's oil soap with water in a spray bottle for years for use on lacquer and poly axes and never had any issues. That's my poor man's guitar polish cause I was going through so much polish in the summers...someone on TDPRI recommended it. I guess someone could give me a stern warning about how it will damage my finish, but gigs will undoubtedly damage it faster than the Murphy's is, lol.

[jim777]

Long shot but I remember after cleaning fish we would wash our hands with a liberal amount of lemon oil to neutralize the smell. Of course it didn't stay on our hands as long as the cologne but maybe worth a shot.

Quality lemon oils eat through nitro finishes, which is what a Les Paul Classic has.

What I would do...is tell the bride the only fix is fresh air, and lots of it. Then, I would rent a convertible for the weekend, throw the guitar (without the case) in the back seat, and drive up to the Catskills or some other equally far away place,and have lunch (with the LP locked in the trunk). Then I would drive home, doing the same thing

[chris32895]

I bought an Ibanez AR420 that I was really hyped for a while back. It came reeking of cigarettes and I sent it back. It's one of those things I never expected and now when I buy online, if the surrounding background of the pics looks "suspect" I'll ask if there's any reason to be worried of cigarette smell on the instrument. I've had to laugh at some response - "Oh I do actually smoke but I promise the guitar smells fine". It's a strange thing and something that caught me totally off guard as I'm always looking for warped necks, bad braces, etc., but never once thought about smells until then.

[wolflen]

Hi Jack..nice LP

You might contact gibson direct for some advice..I have a 2006 LP antique classic

My take..

I dont think the odor is in the finish

you have a rosewood fretboard..its very porous.

Do some research on rosewood fretboard cleaners.

take strings off..

Deep clean--use a toothbrush and -light amount of alcohol on cloth brush it in..dry with cloth

then..clean with fretboard lemon oil .. wipe down with microfiber cloth..repeat in a week. Use light amount.

clean all hardware..yeah use QTips and mild cleaner. Machine heads/Tuneomatic etc accumulated dirt in moving parts.

the case needs deep cleaning and airing out. Sun dry if possible. Keep guitar out of case for a week.

just some ideas .. hope it helps

[DawgBone]

I bought an Ibanez AR420 that I was really hyped for a while back. It came reeking of cigarettes and I sent it back. It's one of those things I never expected and now when I buy online, if the surrounding background of the pics looks "suspect" I'll ask if there's any reason to be worried of cigarette smell on the instrument. I've had to laugh at some response - "Oh I do actually smoke but I promise the guitar smells fine". It's a strange thing and something that caught me totally off guard as I'm always looking for warped necks, bad braces, etc., but never once thought about smells until then.

I wish I could get a good deal on a nice 335 that reeked like cigs. One of my favorite memories was gigging until very late in smoky bars and waking up the next morning with my amp stinking up the whole house. They say smells trigger the most powerful memories and that was a positive memory for me. It smelled liked money.

[Jabberwocky]

Spray Creed Aventus liberally on self. Hug guitar. Fight cologne with "betterer" cologne.

At least it does not smell of musty unshaved armpit.

By the way, Jack, the 2012 PRS JA-15 you sold to me smelled of dried sour prunes...Now it smells of Bleu de Chanel. I have ruined its resale value unless the next person likes Bleu de Chanel. Be glad it is not Eau Sauvage!

The orange Gibson Polish in a Pump should remediate it.

[Stringswinger]

That Mothers product may not work well with Nitro paint. I would do some research before trying that.

[Strat-itis]

Dispute it. That's not off base to return an item that is not as described.

[MiniMerckx.22]

Alcohol can melt nitro. I learned the hard way?

Isopropyl alcohol might help. I might try the 50% bottles, perhaps diluted further with water to start. Cologne is generally carried in some type of alcohol, and ISTM that would be a place to start. I don't think it would affect nitro, but I make no guarantees.

[MiniMerckx.22]

I used that sh@t to wash a car once: it's a magnet for dirt and pollen. It's also terrible on wood products. Don't use it for anything!

How about my father's Murphy's oil soap?
Well, you don't want that stuff on your guitar either unless you're going for the latter.

[Dennis D]

I may have missed it - has anyone suggested fabric softener dryer sheets ? I have used those successfully with old / musty / books.....All you do is put a few in each book...Sometimes I've put the entire book -sheets and all - in plastic sandwich bags, but have had sucess both with and with out the bags....

Hope that helps.....

[DawgBone]

I used that sh@t to wash a car once: it's a magnet for dirt and pollen. It's also terrible on wood products. Don't use it for anything!

Why would you use murphy's oil soap on a car?

I have used it on hardwood floors and my guitars for years, lacquered and poly, without any problems.

[Woody Sound]

Why would you use murphy's oil soap on a car?

Because it's cheaper to clean your oil than to change it?