Jump to content

Effects of 'Goo Gone' on guitar finishes?


ManWithThePlan

Recommended Posts

  • Members

picked up a rather beat up Lotus P-bass clone the other day. kind of an aged off whitish finish, got a bunch of sticker remnants on the back. what's the best way to get this stuff off? will 'Goo Gone' {censored} up/start stripping away the finish? do you guys know of any other good/non harmful solutions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I have used it on a few poly finished guitars: no adverse effects at all.


Not sure what it would do to a nitro finish; not gonna test it.

 

robot.jpg

 

I can imagine that stuff eating nitro in seconds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Goo Gone will be fine on a Lotus. Never liked the stuff though, the fumes linger forever.

 

The main active ingredient in Goo Gone is Naphtha, otherwise known as good ol' Ronsonol lighter fluid (for most of my life Zippo fluid was just naphtha as well, but the modern Zippo fluid is not). Straight naphtha will work just as well (is nitro safe as well) and evaporates super fast, so there is none of the lingering odors/fumes of goo Gone.

 

41nDsELpb7L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

WD 40 test in a small area first.......also try a little heat from a hair dryer.

 

+1 WD40 is my go-to as well for sticker gunk removal but I've never tried it on wood (It's great for metal and plastic). I agree with the "test first" advice. I'd take the pickguard off and test a spot underneath it. If it doesn't take off the paint or make stain, you should be good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

+1 WD40 is my go-to as well for sticker gunk removal but I've never tried it on wood (It's great for metal and plastic). I agree with the "test first" advice. I'd take the pickguard off and test a spot underneath it. If it doesn't take off the paint or make stain, you should be good.

 

 

Well, rarely are you dealing with wood. It's the finish on top.

 

WD40 seems like wasted effort. Why deal with buffing off something that is designed to cling when you can use naphtha (recommend by Gibson, BTW), which evaporates without even a residue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Goo Gone will be fine on a Lotus. Never liked the stuff though, the fumes linger forever.


The main active ingredient in Goo Gone is Naphtha, otherwise known as good ol' Ronsonol lighter fluid (for most of my life Zippo fluid was just naphtha as well, but the modern Zippo fluid is not). Straight naphtha will work just as well (is nitro safe as well) and evaporates super fast, so there is none of the lingering odors/fumes of goo Gone.


41nDsELpb7L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

 

This.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I've had good results using plain old cooking oil on sticker residue. Rub a little on, leave it for about ten minures, rubit off. Depending on age and composition, some glues may take more rubbing, but I don't worry about the fnish coming off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 years later...

It's ALWAYS best to test any cleaner in an inconspicuous area, such as under the pickguard or inside the control cavity before applying it to the face of your instrument. 

The best stuff for removing sticky residue from nitrocellulose finishes IME is naphtha. In fact, I've used it liberally to wipe down guitars I was refinishing in between coats after they have dried for a couple of days to make sure the surface was clean and ready for the next coat, with no issues whatsoever. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • Members

I used naphtha, as somebody suggested here, instead of Googone. It worked great in a water based lacquer (KTM-9 gloss) no issues at all removing masking tape goo. I still need to spry some layers and did not wanted the oils of Googone. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...