Guitar Polish

Subject: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 08:06 AM

What do you use, if any?
I used to use polish (mostly Virtuoso) but stopped and now just use a damp cloth followed by a dry one

If I need to remove anything stubborn, I'll use naptha or Virtuoso Cleaner on the body. I've removed a horrible black mess on the lower bout (forearm sweat) using those two products.

What's in YOUR axe-shining/cleaning cupboard?

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 09:56 AM

I have some Martin guitar polish, which doesn't get a lot of use :)

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 10:18 AM

Thanks John :)

Feed

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 10:25 AM

That's what happens if you mix posting with drink guys - you hit the wrong keys!

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 12:12 PM

It really depends upon the instrument finish but, generally, nothing.

For poly finishes - I don’t have any of them so use whatever you like! For nitrocellulose, a damp cloth but if that doesn’t work a minimal amount of lemon oil (if I can stand the smell). For French polished finishes “Super Nicko”. And, before you ask, you can get it from Beare & Sons Ltd., Dunstable, LU6 1NE.

If it’s scratches you’re bothered about, try “Nova” plastic polish. It comes in grades 1, 2 and 3. Which is the most abrasive, I’m not sure - I’ve only ever had a bottle of grade 2.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 12:18 PM

After a playing session - wipe down with a damp microfibre cloth followed by a dry cloth. Wipe strings and FB with a dry microfibre cloth.

At each string change - Same as above, followed by a spritz of the body and back of the neck with either Lizard-Spit or Music Nomad Guitar Detailer, and buff with a soft dry cloth.

Under this regime, I never get build-ups of any kind of sh*te either on the body or FB, so I don’t have to resort to ‘cleaners’ but, if I did, it would be naphtha followed by Virtuose. In 60+ years of plating I’ve never needed to use a scraper, wire-wool, or a flame-thrower on my FBs. ;-)

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 12:19 PM

Plating? Bloody predictive text! PLAYING!

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 12:52 PM

There WAS a time (years ago) when I liked a guitar to look shiny and brand new, but these days I've moved away from that. As long as it's clean, I prefer it to reflect a little of its age.

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 01:06 PM

A luthier friend of mine did once tell me that he had to replace a “rotten” fretboard on one guitar. It’s owner had religiously oiled the fretboard every time he changed the strings. So little, and not so often.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 01:37 PM

With this D-18 I'll use a small amount of Dr Ducks Axe Wax once a year on the ebony board, the rest I'll just damp cloth dry cloth, Humidipak and all should be good.

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 02:20 PM

A word of caution, though: if your guitar has a satin finish, do NOT use Virtuoso. It will shine it and it can't be reversed.

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Mar 25 - 02:27 PM

”A word of caution, though: if your guitar has a satin finish, do NOT use Virtuoso. It will shine it and it can't be reversed.”

Precisely why I use Lizard Spit or Music Nomad Guitar Detailer - both are suitable for both gloss and satin finishes, they will shine up a gloss finish, but leave a satin finish (such as my Lowden) errrrmm…satin!

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 04:06 AM

Satin finishes have a nasty habit of going shiny anyway; in places where they’re regularly touched. The, originally satin, neck on my mandola is now as shiny as it’s gloss top. I could matt it down again with wire wool but, do that too often, and the finish will eventually wear through.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 04:17 AM

There are satin finishes and satin finishes. The cheap satin finishes, such as those used by Martin et al are just lacquer with an added ‘flatting’ agent - I think it’s called catalysed lacquer, but I could be wrong - and those do shine up where arms, hands etc. touch, and it can happen pretty quickly - within a few weeks or months even.

Satin finishes such as those on Lowden guitars are in a different class - they are ‘normal’ gloss lacquer which is ‘knocked back’ by hand-rubbing with finer and finer grades of abrasive (wire wool, IIRC), and they don’t shine up as easily, if at all.

My Lowden O-25 had little or no shine in those spots after seventeen years of regular play, and my F-23 has zero shine after seven years.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 06:14 AM

Personally, I prefer to leave the battle scars in place: they make an instrument look well-used and well-loved ("lived-in", if you prefer). That may or may not reduce their resale value, but my instruments will be inherited, not sold.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 07:41 AM

I’m not talking ‘battle-scars’ though - I just get over those and let them be, often an attempt to disguise a ding or scratch just makes it worse, so I don’t try to disguise those. But personally, I intensely dislike dirty instruments, and I prefer to keep mine clean and hygienic - when I see some of the grunge and shite that some people allow to build up on what would otherwise be nice instruments, I could vomit. Not my style, they’re welcome to theirs.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 07:43 AM

Dr Ducks Axe Wax can be used all over a guitar - but again, be aware.

If you have lighter-coloured bare wood (behind the headstock, say) and you go over it with this product, it will instantly darken it.

Fred

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 09:02 AM

The “cheap” satin finish on my mandola was done by Collings.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 12:32 PM

I put mine in the dishwasher...

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: gillymor
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 12:39 PM

You're wasting precious water and electric, Dave. The environmentally responsible move would be to rub it with a steak and let the dog lick it clean.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: gillymor
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 01:03 PM

Btw, I was talking about your guitar.

Subject: RE: Guitar Polish
From: Fred
Date: 09 Mar 25 - 01:11 PM

LOL