I can't say for sure what this particular guitar and case smelled like, but I think some of you are underestimating the persistence and strength of some odors. I once purchased a guitar that reeked so badly that I couldn't play it or get near it - the case was even worse. This was a $1000+ guitar, and I am by no means a wealthy person, yet still I would not play it. The smell did not go away either, no matter what how much I tried to clean it out.
So, I'm just saying, don't underestimate how affective it might have been.