Is it damp at all? If so, it could be mold, or rotting glue. I would guess it's more likely to be the box (especially if it has fabric lining) than the lute itself. Foam rubber, if used, can decay over time.
Try leaving the box open for a few days (with the lute out of it) and see if it freshens up. Bill PS - Just one (unlikely) thought - If egg white has been used to seal the soundboard, which some makers have been known to do, could it be a bad egg smell? From: Hilbert Joerg <[email protected]> To: lute List <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, 3 February 2012, 17:49 Subject: [LUTE] Unpleasant smells Dear list, one of my lutes and its box are smelling a little bit unpleasant. Are there any suggestions how I get rid of such ordors? Thanks, Joerg To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
