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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 24
Location: indianapolis | Okay, I'll be the first to admit my guitars and basses have always been rode hard and put away wet. Of course, they've also been very well used.
I've resolved to keep the new guitar as nice as I can. It's a black 1778t elite. Maple neck with satin finish, ebony fingerboard and bridge which don't seem to be finished with anything really. Of course, the wierd finish on the bowl is about the same as the top. The headstock is a matte black/satiny type thing. And I think the truss rod cover is ebony.
So I was wondering if anyone had some recomendations for cleaning and preserving. Getting gunk off the fingerboard/fret sides, oil or polish for the board and bridge, any of that type stuff.
I figured you guys with all the really nice guitars would know what's best for all the different woods and finishes.
Thanks, Matt |
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November 2005
Posts: 4809
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Until I came here I thought sweat and stage dirt were the proper preservatives for all instruments... |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | lick against the grain. |
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September 2006
Posts: 713
Location: Alberta, Canada | Is that whole grain? |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | And the sweat stains on a natural neck look cooool! :cool: |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Really Dirty/Grungy: Fire Hose @ 250 PSI works great!
Seriously: Damp (NOT WET) Washcloth (w/a drop or two of Dishwashing Liquid...JUST A DROP) followed immediatly with a dry towel (cotton) and then a small spray of Orange Polish on a dry cloth (very light spray on cloth only): wipe and then buff with the other dry side! Switch to another dry cloth and continue to buff and wipe. This is for Ovation guitars primarily: Adamas texture tops usually don't requite any polish! Again, DO NOT POLISH TEXTURE TOP ADAMAS GUITARS...
Your milage may vary and as always, kids, do not try this at home without parental supervision!
Carry On! |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Remove fretboard grunge and polish up frets with 000 steel wool (get it at hardware stores or woodworking specialty stores). Dampen the steel wool with mineral spirits first. Condition the fretboard every time you change strings with lemon oil, just wipe on and buff dry with a clean cloth. |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 37
Location: Detroit Mi | Matt - For cleaning rosewood and Ebony fret boards, I use Howard Feed n Wax - see Howard Website - generously applied with a paper towel, and rubbed in with 000 steel wool, with especial attention to the frets, polishing their crowns and removing grime along their bases. When complete remove residual with clean towling. This method was recommended to me by my old repairman at Elderly, and has always done wonders.
Regards, Auchen. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Scotch Brite pads (just a small square 2" x 2" piece will work great) can be used in place of the steel wool and will not leave the steel residue behind...I use a few drops of fretboard oil (very light oil like sewing machine oil will work just fine) and polish and clean frets and fret board...use a clean cotton towel to remove residue after polishing! I highly recomend this although, as always, your milage may vary! The name of the game is to keep the oil away from the tops and esp. Adamas Textured tops! Use a towel to protect and a little goes a long way! |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 24
Location: indianapolis | Thanks for the tips everyone. Maybe one of these days I'll put up a pic of the Takamine that's born the brunt of my acoustic gigs for a long time. I'd estimate over 2,000 gigs over fifteen years or so. Friends call it "Little Trigger."
Oddly the quilted maple five string bass has had more work but still looks great.
Thanks again. |
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Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | I'm surprised that Elderly uses the Howards on fretboards. Martin, Collings, Ovation and Taylor all recommend against using anything containing solvents or acids. Light grade mineral or boiled linseed oil in small quantities is usually what they recommend. Dave |
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July 2007
Posts: 423
Location: UK | Dont F###k ing bother , it all feeds and builds up the sad sweaty loner guitar immune system |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Get the DUNLOP FORMULA 65 cleaning kit.
5 products everything you need |
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cleaning tips
