NGD McCarty SC - Smells like fish

[Brian Rowland]

Okay, so I have this awesome new McCarty SC 594 10-Top and started noticing a fishy smell every time I pick it up ... I narrowed it down to the fretboard. WTF, are they oiling the fretboard with Omega 3 fish pill oil?

I suppose the up-side is, I apparently do not have Covid since I can smell this!

 

[bodia]

Brazilian?

 

[dogrocketp]

Lemon oil should kill that smell quickly.

 

[László]

We get a lot of interesting posts on this forum, but that's a new one.

Rosewood is an oily wood, which is why it doesn't need to be finished. I think your rosewood tree simply had odiferous arborus, also called tree b.o., an incurable condition.

Since you're not going to be able to change the scent of the wood, and lemon oil (which is merely scented dry cleaning fluid) will only bring the oils to the surface, where they will continue to reek for the rest of your days, the best solution is to get rid of the guitar and send it to me.

Since going on the Mediterranean diet, I don't mind the smell of fish any more.

 

[Tosca]

I love the smell of fresh rosewood in the morning.
Smells like.....victory.

 

[Faded]

There is an inappropriate joke in here somewhere...

 

[ViperDoc]

Brazilian has a fruity, ambrosia-esque smell to it. I opened the box on a new guitar from another maker and detected somewhat of an ill whiff, not quite fishy, but I think it could be the polish used to polish the guitar? Not sure.

 

[DISTORT6]

Your wife/girlfriend/significant other might get suspicious...

 

[Bill SAS 513]

And yet another guess...I remember the new cases sitting open at the factory, "airing out", as the glue has a pretty strong odor...
Fishy???, not sure. But a possibility.

 

[Ovibos]

Is it Whale Blue?

I would baleen towards that being the problem.

 

[ChrisBlaze]

This is similar to what I experienced with my Suhr Classic S when it was brand new. Suhr forum members posited that it was due to the stainless steel frets. I think it was how the fretboard oil reacted with the fretboard wood. I’ve since been just playing my guitar and wiping down the fretboard with that Music Nomad F-ONE Oil and the fishy smell is no longer there.

Basically, just keep playing your guitar and wiping down the fretboard every time you change strings.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Is it Whale Blue?

I would baleen towards that being the problem.

And maybe it’s the locking tuna keys!

 

[Tony M.]

Problem solved.

 

[Tosca]

Is it Whale Blue?

I would baleen towards that being the problem.

Moby....Moby not.

 

[AP515]

Blue crab blue?

 

[CandidPicker]

 

[dmatthews]

Inspected by Gill and Finn

 

[AaeCee]

Could the smell also be described as 'cut grass', OP? Just the suggestion of this may allow your mind to sense it, for as others said, Brazilian RW is often described as having a distinct smell, that being among them (if it is indeed Brazilian).

Either that, or Jim at PRS final check may have been the last to play it and sign off. He's reputed to be quite the lady's man after all.

 

[Rider1260]

I had the same issue with one of my Silver Skys.
Heard various stories from the factory is close to the ocean , to the oil PRS uses sometimes has a smell.
That said mine went away in a few days after I left it out of the case , bag and cleaned and oiled the board.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Could the smell also be described as 'cut grass', OP? Just the suggestion of this may allow your mind to sense it, for as others said, Brazilian RW is often described as having a distinct smell, that being among them (if it is indeed Brazilian).

Either that, or Jim at PRS final check may have been the last to play it and sign off. He's reputed to be quite the lady's man after all.

“Lucky Jim”