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November 2003
Posts: 53
Location: Canada | What is the proper technique for cleaning your O's fret board and body? I really like keeping my guitars clean but I have no experience with acoustic guitars. Can you guys recommend a particular polish or cleaner? |
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March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Someone on here told me about Dunlop 65. That's all I use now. Great stuff.
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | On the fret board, I'd use sparing amounts of lemon oil, and rub it in good. Dunlop for the rest of the guitar. |
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October 2002
Posts: 153
Location: Huntington Beach, CA | What I have discovered through this board and on my own is that the fretboard needs lemon oil. I bought Dr. Stringfello'w fretboard oil from Musician's Friend. Probably the same lemon oil you can get at the supermarket.
For the neck and headstock, I went with Ovations recommendation and used Trewax, which I got at the hardware store. I have a satin finish top on my Balladeer Special and they recommend Trewax for that also. I haven't tried it yet as I'm concerned that it may discolor/darken the top (as it did slightly on the neck and headstock).
For shiney tops, everyone seems to like Dunlop 65. I have some and use it occasionally on my Custom Legend anb other gloss top guitars. It's pretty good.
I suppose you can use chrome or brass cleaner on tuning keys and other hardware if you want to go whole hog. There's probably a product made just for binding also. I have no idea about care for the Lycracord body. Probably 409 and Armourall.
There are products that Ovation recommends in the individual instrument manuals, maybe on the Ovation website also. Hope this helps and good luck. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | then I guess spit and the end of your t shirt would not be a good answer. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Glad I didn't say wire-wool & T-cut. |
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February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | I believe the bowls are dish washer safe ;)
Bradley |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Al, That's the method I always use. Either that or lemon pledge (of the blind variety) or what ever type of spray furniture polish is in the house. Yes, I've heard that these have abrasives in them and will scratch the finish. That might be true but in 30 years I've never found it to be the case. The most important part is having a clean cloth to wipe it with. In Florida the golf courses provide nice terry cloth towls and somehow some of these have wound up in my guitar closet. They're good for washing old Caddys too. |
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August 2002
Posts: 398
Location: So. Cal. | I recently tried a product - "Virtuoso Polish" - $10 for cleaner and $10 for polish. No abrasive material (it claims) but strictly chemical reaction to remove grime and dirt. The polish is so glossy the manual warns of it. I tried it on a few of my guitars and the result is very impressive. I haven't tried the Dunlop so I cannot offer any comparison.
I did speak with the people (Kirstie) at Virtuoso. She told me her husband developed this product for himself - being a guitar collector and appeared regularly in guitar shows etc. |
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January 2003
Posts: 105
Location: San Francisco, CA | Did you try it on your texture top Adamas? |
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March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | I don't think Armorall is a good idea. It will make the bowl slippery.
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May 2003
Posts: 69
Location: UK | CW2K
Are you serious about lemon pledge and furniture polish, or did I miss the wry humour in the post?
I only ask because I've always been sworn off using furniture polishes on guitars by people who "know better" but no one can give me a good reason why. Is it an urban myth that they will damage the finish or is it true?
As a result I've always used either Gibson's own brand of guitar polish or Dunlop.
Cheers
Smokey |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 299
Location: Netherlands | I use teakoil (as it's called overhere), lemon pledge oil and some kind of furniture wax, all of them are based on mineral oils/terpentine for neck and fretboards.
Since lemon pledge oil or fretboard oil is mainly mineral oil with a lemon scent, according to the label, i don't see any point in paying a lot of money for a small bottle if the ingredients are the same as the big bottle from the supermarket. Linseed oil is slightly thinner IMO, so with very fine grain woods it may be a better option.
I shine the top of my guitars without polish, just using a soft cloth and eventually breathing to the top. That said, i'm mostly playing my guitars, not polishing them. :)
Martin |
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Joined:
July 2003
Posts: 8
Location: Finland | I use: for the body - Planet Waves (D'Addario) Guitar Polish Spray
Strings - Dunlop 65 String Cleaner & Conditioner
Fretboard: Gibson Fretboard Conditioner |
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May 2003
Posts: 69
Location: UK | What about the "walnut" fret boards?
As I understand it they are hardened by some kind of epoxy finish. Do these require any specific cleaning agent? I only ask because I assume that if the hardening agent is damaged then the fretboard will degrade.
Just a thought, so I'd welcome any advice on care of this type of fretboard.
BL |
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September 2003
Posts: 23
Location: Perth Amboy, NJ | I've been using a higher-tech approach for the tops of my guitars that have a poly (plastic) finish, as opposed to nitro-cellulose lacquer. I discovered a polish from a company called Novus. It is a two step process ... one removes micro scratches, the other is a polish. (As as aside, I used it to remove scratches from the acyrlic fish tanks I had in my living room - and it worked great). I buff using a tip from Ed Roman's web site - micro-fiber cloths. Actually, the cloth and your breath works great too. Here's just one link to Novus ... (I bought mine at a PetSmart store ;-)
http://miva3.synergydns.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=finish-np |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Novus is good stuff!
We use gallons of it at work for polishing acrylic panels for custom exhibits. Never had to use it on my guitar, though. I really don't have to remove scratches/polish, I usually just have to remove residual sweat and various forms of "gig scum" :-) I've been using Dunlop 65 on everything (top, bowl, neck, etc.) and Wilbert's Lemon Oil periodically on the fingerboard and bridge. I just recently saw an ad that Dunlop now sells a lemon oil (Dunlop 56) that comes in a similar bottle to the 65 (small enough to fit in a guitar bag). After I run out of Wilbert's (which will probably take a while! - big bottle) I might give the 56 a try. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | Regarding the walnut fretboards, I use the same stuff on them that I use on the ebony fingerboards. Trouble is, it's about 30 years old and I'm down to my last little bit of it and the label fell off years ago. But I'm certain that it's a lemon oil type of stuff. Keep in mind, that the oil is used to keep the wood from drying out. If you want to clean the fingerboard, then put on the oil, and before wiping it off, use 0000 steel wool, rubbing with the grain. Then use a soft cloth to wipe it all off. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 69
Location: UK | Paul
Thanks for the tip about the walnut/ebony fingerboards. However, I'm such a wimp that whenever it gets down to the point of having to apply an abrasive like steel wool to any part of the guitar I always leave it to a professional. I've just never had the confidence to "have a go" myself!
Regards
BL |
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Cleaning your Ovation
