I have an old bass clarinet I haven't played for years. I opened it up and it smells really musty. The reeds were icky so I threw them out. How do I get the smell out without damaging it? It's not mouldy, just smells of cellar.
2 Answers
It depends on how bad it is. I would first try setting it out in a safe place, not in the sun. Give it a few days. If it is really bad take it to a trusted repair shop. I never take mine apart and I never put anything but a cleaning swab inside.
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I will try this first. I will put it somewhere with a good flow of air and report back in a week.– RedSonjaJun 22, 2015 at 10:55
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If it has been years since played then you may want to have the pads replaced as well as the cords.– user21079Jun 23, 2015 at 5:12
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This worked very well. I put the case out on the balcony and the clarinet on its stand by an open window and left it for a week. Almost good as new!– RedSonjaJul 6, 2015 at 10:43
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I just had the one problem with this; the corks dried out completely and I had to re-grease them. next time I'll grease them first ...– RedSonjaOct 30, 2015 at 13:24
I find that the mustiness smell mostly comes from the case. I'd suggest vacuuming the case then leaving it out in the sun for a few hours.
For the instrument, wipe it down with a dry rag or paper towel. You can get any of the dust out from between the keys using a small soft paint brush or q-tip.
If the smell still does not go away and it seems that it is the instrument itself that is the problem, the clarinet is in need of a repadding and should be taken to a repair shop.