 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nathan
Date: 2007-01-06 03:06
I'm wondering what can be done about older clarinets that have that musty "old case" smell? The clarinet is in a new case, but the clarinet still has that smell. Is there anything that can be done, or is it to remain forever funky (smelling that is)? Thanks.
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-01-06 03:47
bore oil will absorb the odors if it is wood.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: pewd
Date: 2007-01-06 04:23
The Doctor's Case Odor Eliminator
http://www.doctorsprod.com/technician.html
that and maybe cleaning the horn - remove the keys, clean the wood, polish the keys, and reassemble it i use murphy's oil soap when cleaning older horns
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
Post Edited (2007-01-06 04:26)
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Author: Nathan
Date: 2007-01-06 04:56
Is the case odor eliminator supposed to help the smell of the horn or just the case? Would orange peel work?
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2007-01-06 12:37
(Disclaimer - I make a "case odor eliminator" product for cases and wood cleaner)
Cleaning and oiling the wood with products that are intended for woodwind instruments is a good step and may help. Sometimes "odors" will infiltrate the pads and although cleaning the pads sometimes helps it may come down to replacing the pads to get rid of the odor.
L. Omar Henderson
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Author: Nathan
Date: 2007-01-06 20:54
Actually the pads are brand new and it wasn't put in the old case after the pads were replaced.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-01-06 22:13
I was highly successful with peppermint tea bags. After two weeks the case just as a clean scent.
Maybe you just roll one up and push it into the bore of each joint. Else you might have to disassemble and (carefully) wash, dry and oil the clarinet. Won't take longer than a weekend to do this.
I've done this with every old clarinet (including wooden ones).
--
Ben
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Author: robbieg
Date: 2007-01-09 16:26
Here's a couple of stuff I've done in the past with some success on old sax and clarinet cases.
1) Coffee grounds in something that won't spill all over the place like some cheese cloth or pantyhose. Coffee grounds will absorb odors pretty well.
2) Dryer sheets, works pretty well. I prefer coffee grounds because they are more natural, this has less chance of mess though.
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Author: johnnymo0829
Date: 2007-01-09 19:34
take the horn out and leave the case out open in direct sunlight for a few hours. Most of the time when you get a musty smell it is spores on the inside of the case. after a few hours in the sun hit it with a vaccume then smell it. If needed spray with fabreeze and leave in the sun again to dry out. I worked for years in a rental shop. Kids smell great to begin with, the horns they rented smelled worse. We did this and it worked great for about 90% of the cases. The ones that didn't smell better were either thrown out or sold for a few bucks as used replacement cases. hope it works for you.
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Author: Mark P
Date: 2007-01-09 20:24
I've got the same problem with a wood clarinet I had overhauled with all new pads and corks, polished keys and oiled the bore. Placed into a brand new case immediately. But when I start to play it, the musty smell starts to come out again. It's like the wood was penetrated by the mold.
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Author: Nathan
Date: 2007-01-09 22:11
I appreciate the suggestions. I have to reiterate though that it's not the case I have a problem with, but the clarinet itself. I currently have some peppermint teabags in the bore. I'll give it a couple of days and see what happens. I was told by a local repair person that I can have the clarinet completely cleaned and that this should remove the smell, but it will run me $75. For now I'm hoping that a $3 box of teabags will do the trick.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2007-01-09 23:20
(Disclaimer - I make a "case odor eliminator" and wood cleaner)
Adding another "smell" to the clarinet will not remove the cause of the problem and it will return - IMO and experience. The musty smell comes from the growth of mold on some part of the clarinet or wood itself that will support this growth. Mold spores are tough little devils that survive very extreme conditions to grow into the vegetative mold growth under the right conditions which gives off the byproducts of metabolism which are the musty smell. You must kill or physically remove the vegetative growth and spores to solve the problem. Physical deep cleaning will often be enough to rid the problem. Every part must be thoroughly cleaned. If you decide to go with killing then you must be very careful with the solution used because many disinfectants, germicides, moldacides will harm the wood, plating or pads. If the tea bags work for you - fine, otherwise a professional cleaning or killing solution with the proper agents is the next course of action if the smell bothers you a lot.
L. Omar Henderson
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Author: b.roke
Date: 2007-01-09 23:50
i got a Selmer 55 which had been in its case for 20 - 30yrs! musty doesn't quite describe it.. i pulled te case apart and put the frame in the sun for a week and relined it with new velvet. the clarinet i pulled apart, oiled inside and out with the Doc's bore oil for a week, and repadded and recorked it.
i played it every day and kept it in an open case covered by a loose cloth. the musty smell remained for approximately another 4wks but gradually faded away and has stayed away.
good luck - with tlc and use it will improve.
steadfastness stands higher than any success
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