Cleaning Paraphernalia

Marshall_stax

Dr Ducks Axe Wax, A couple of old T shirts cut into rags. That is all. 

rico

I use Dunlop polish, fingerboard cleaner, lemon oil and Fast Fret.  Also some fret rubbers (medium, fine and super fine) from Crimson guitars. I have a load of microfibre cloths that are just brilliant for any cleaning job.

Clarky

Handsome_Chris said:

@Iamnobody if you've got naphtha (lighter fluid) you do not need lemon oil as it'll do the same thing for your fretboard.  If I'm doing a six monthly on my guitars I'll condition them with MusicNomad F-One Oil which works on all woods.  

I use a detailer for a regular clean up with a micro fibre cloth.

If I'm doing a six monthly, or pre-guitar clean.  I'll use Meguiars' clay bar with detailer to lift bits of crap off the finish, then wipe it clean with the detailing micro fibre cloth.  I'll then wax the body and leave that to mist up while I set about the scratch plate area.  I'll then shine up the wax and give it another going over with the detailer.  After this process the guitar will look showroom fresh.   I learnt this process from Metal Mike Chlasciak, which he used before a tour.  

I believe that @Clarky will be able to vouch for how well the system works.   If you wish I am more than happy to recommend products that will suit this process.

yup... my V's looked absolutely gorgeous after you shined em up...
they really looked great under the lights on stage too..

TINMAN82

Handsome_Chris said:

@Iamnobody if you've got naphtha (lighter fluid) you do not need lemon oil as it'll do the same thing for your fretboard.  If I'm doing a six monthly on my guitars I'll condition them with MusicNomad F-One Oil which works on all woods.  

Naphtha is a highly flammable/ volatile  substance in the same family as gasoline. It’ll clean you’re rosewood and may leave it looking fresher as a result but it’s not lemon oil nor is it doing the same job (restoring oil/ moisture to the wood). Unless you oil the fretboard too it’ll dry out more.

Lemon oil or music nomad oil / similar are better general use cleaner/ conditioners IMO as they restore oil to the wood and help stop it cracking.

FWIW I like Gibson pump polish for nitro guitars. Rarely clean them these days  though, an occasional wipe with micro fibre cloth (fender do nice ones). Lemon/ nomad oil during string changes once or twice a year. 

Handsome_Chris

TINMAN82 said:

Naphtha is a highly flammable/ volatile  substance in the same family as gasoline. It’ll clean you’re rosewood and may leave it looking fresher as a result but it’s not lemon oil nor is it doing the same job (restoring oil/ moisture to the wood). Unless you oil the fretboard too it’ll dry out more.

Lemon oil or music nomad oil / similar are better general use cleaner/ conditioners IMO as they restore oil to the wood and help stop it cracking.

 Beware , like naphtha (lighter fluid) , lemon oil should not be used on a maple fretboard - they do not condition the wood.  A good fretboard conditioner, like MusicNomad F-One Oil, is perfectly safe to use on maple as @mudslide73 has attested in a previous thread on this matter. 

mudslide73 said:

Thanks for this @Handsome_Chris . I've just done my unfinished maple Musikraft Franky neck with F-One and it's turned out a treat. It was too manky even for me and is now very beautiful again. 

Unlike lighter fluid, lemon oil, does not have the benefit of being useable on hardware such as bridges when a bit of heavy cleaning is required, or degreasing stuff.  It's not as versatile a product.

Handsome_Chris

Here a few of my favourite things?

Handsome_Chris

If you really want to window in to my cleaning obsession have a look at this amp. Although I could only be bothered to do half of it :P 

telehack

My top tip for guitar polish, nitro or otherwise, Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover 2.0. Cheap, considering there’s enough in to last a lifetime, or at least a very long time, depending 
on the size of your “guitarsenal”.

TINMAN82

Handsome_Chris said:

TINMAN82 said:

Naphtha is a highly flammable/ volatile  substance in the same family as gasoline. It’ll clean you’re rosewood and may leave it looking fresher as a result but it’s not lemon oil nor is it doing the same job (restoring oil/ moisture to the wood). Unless you oil the fretboard too it’ll dry out more.

Lemon oil or music nomad oil / similar are better general use cleaner/ conditioners IMO as they restore oil to the wood and help stop it cracking.

 Beware , like naphtha (lighter fluid) , lemon oil should not be used on a maple fretboard - they do not condition the wood.  A good fretboard conditioner, like MusicNomad F-One Oil, is perfectly safe to use on maple as @mudslide73 has attested in a previous thread on this matter. 

mudslide73 said:

Thanks for this @Handsome_Chris . I've just done my unfinished maple Musikraft Franky neck with F-One and it's turned out a treat. It was too manky even for me and is now very beautiful again. 

Unlike lighter fluid, lemon oil, does not have the benefit of being useable on hardware such as bridges when a bit of heavy cleaning is required, or degreasing stuff.  It's not as versatile a product.

Absolutely, I was referring to raw wood like rosewood and ebony, not laquered maple fretboards. No reason why lemon oil can’t be used on a rosewood bridge btw.

kossofffan

All these different chemicals and polish are no good for delicate guitar finish's, you need good old soap & water

TINMAN82

kossofffan said:

All these different chemicals and polish are no good for delicate guitar finish's, you need good old soap & water

“Following extensive improvements and  restructuring, Gibson have moved production offshore. Here we have an example of our new and enhanced hand finishing process enabling a 200 Sheen lustre not previously possible at the Nashville plant”

grappagreen

 Virtuoso guitar polish and cleaner for me...

Available in the uk now as well..

Si