So, the Squier Contemporary Active Jazz Bass I traded last night has a STRONG… I guess… incense odor. It assaulted me when I walked into my garage/office/studio this morning.
I’ve been wiping it down with MusicNomad Guitar Detailer - which has a much more pleasant carnauba-esque smell - but that doesn’t seem to be helping much.
Any ideas on how to rid the bass of its odor?
I think Jimi Hendrix used lighter fluid. 
Did it come with a strap or case/bag that might be the source of the smell? Hard to imagine wood hanging into an incense smell for very long. I’ve seen this forum help lots of people with lots of problems, but a smelly bass is a new one.
Same here, @BassFaceDisgrace . . . 
Cheers
Joe
Nope, strangely enough. I think it might be some kind of cologne or oil that the previous owner wore. =/
Besides adding Wild Cherry to my playlist today, clean the thing. If it is the owners cologne it will wear off eventually, cleaning should help.
Maybe the bass was kept in a room where incense was burnt on a regular basis? If that’s the case, the smoke may have penetrated the wood, and it may take a long time to wear off… Keeping it in a well-ventilated area might be your best option.
Do you have a shower? Obviously take out the 9v battery.
You can also apply some odor neutraliser under your nose, like they did in the autopsy scene in Silence of the Lambs
Sorry to hear about your problems with the Squier @JustTim
To ease your pain simply send it to me 
Pull it apart as much as you’re game and mist everything with soapy water. Wipe off and repeat.
Look at the reflections before and after doing this so that you can see if you’re making changes to the surface.
Light moisture won’t make any difference to a treated wood.
I had to do this with my Fender Prodigy as it had a weird smell that I eventually worked out was coming from the case. Each time I put it back in, it reapplied the smell. 
The case got 2 kilos of baking soda distributed amongst the shaggy pile surface and it stayed there for about six months before I bothered to do anything about it.
When shaken and vacuumed out, smell was gone and has never returned.
The previous owner of my guitar was, apparently, an indoor chain smoker. I mostly got the smell off the guitar with copious alcohol wiping (and subsequent fretboard oiling) but I think I am going to have to launder the gig bag.
On modern gloss urethane finish guitars I have had good luck with ethanol, but you have to be really careful with any exposed wood, and you absoutely don’t want to do it on matte surfaces or anything older. Try a very small amount on a small spot on the back or something. I wipe it on on a rag and immediately wipe it off.
I used Shellitte on my Warwick Corvette body which removed all the dirt and grime . Then used a good wax/feed to recondition it.
The Shellitte is pretty brutal but does a great job
If you’re meaning Shellite, which is basically naptha or lighter fuel, be really cautious about using it.
Make sure it’s being used outside with gloves and respirators and by someone else.
Mac smokes Shellite for pleasure. Nothing can hurt him. 
It’s a nice aperitif
Wait, isn’t the idea to FIND the funk?
Nope, you’re supposed to give up the funk (and tear the roof off the sucker):
https://youtu.be/gBWH3OWfT2Y
