care/cleaning? AAAGGGHHHHH!!

[burkedajerk88]

Basically i need to get the grim off my guitar. Especially the fingerboard. But there are nearly millions of polishes/fretboard cleaners/cloths/junk out there, and I don't have a clue what works for what. Some polishes seem to work only for gloss finished guitars (my Epi DR-500R has a satin finish), others seem to work only for electrics. How can I figure out what to get? Do I even need to buy these $30 6-part polishing sets? Can somebody give me tips on cleaning my guitar? And if i need to buy some guitar polish/cleaning gear can anyone give me a name/brand or something?

 

 

thanks.

[dhoenisch]

Not sure what will help you for your satin finish, but for the fretboard, if it's really grimey, and assuming it natural wood, not ebonized, I take all the strings off, and wipe it up and down with some 00000 steel wool. Make sure to wipe it up and down, not side to side. The nice thing is, it also polishes your frets. Once I do that, as long as there are no cracks in the fingerboard, I'll usually wipe a little lemon oil on the fretboard to bring out the color of it. Make sure though that if you use lemon oil, wipe the fretboard nice and dry.

I'm sure there are decent cleaners for that, but that's just what I do, but then, I usually inherit older guitars that I fix up and give away, though I have done it with my guitars as well. Results are pretty nice.

Dan

[JasmineTea]

wipe it up and down with some 00000 steel wool. Make sure to wipe it up and down, not side to side.

Side-to-side with super fine steel wool won't hurt anything, won't leave a mark, and works just fine. Besides, you can't get the crud that piles up right next to the frets by going up and down the f/b.

 

A drop or two of lemon oil is a good idea for the f/b, also for the bridge.

[recordingtrack1]

I highly agree with using the steel wool. There is actually a nice article in this quarter's Wood and Steel from Taylor. One thing I thought was interesting was that if your guitar has electronics it is important to cover the soundhole while doing the steel wool thing because small fragments can become permanently magnitized to your electronics. Also, for fretboard conditioning they recommend a very small amount of boiled Linseed oil on a cloth and rubbed evenly into the fretboard.

I'll find the link and edit it into this message.

RT1

EDIT:
Here's the link. Just click on the Summer 2007 issue. It should be there. I didn't actually download it. I got mine from the paper snail mail version.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/news/community/woodandsteel.html

[babablowfish]

I use 0000 steel wool and then a bit of mineral oil on my fret boards. My Parkwood has a satin finish and cleans up just fine with just a damp cloth.

[fingerpicker]

The steel wool works great. Don't scrub, just keep going lightly and you wont make one scratch on your fretboard.

The use of linseed, or any oil has been debated here for on the forum as to weather it could actually do more bad than good. I oil my fretboard and the trick is using very little.

I put some oil on my index finger, then rub it on the fretboard like that. I will keep doing it until the entire fretboard looks glossy (not even wet). Than after that I take a paper towel and wipe it off.

[Freeman Keller]

TR1 beat me to the W&S article. While Martin has always said DON'T use lemon or other oils on their fretboard, Taylor says its OK. They also suggest some auto polishes as long as they don't contain silicon. Personally I've alway just used a damp cloth on the whole guitar and 0000 steel wool on the fretboard.

I just tossed my W&S out - I could also snail mail you the article if you want it.

[JasmineTea]

Hmm. Ok, I won't use lemon oil anymore. I'd tend to think bare wood will need a little something from time to time though, otherwise I'd think it'd dry out. No?

Orange oil?

[knockwood]

I've read that lightly oiling a fingerboard no more than once or twice a year is not a problem, but that excessive oiling can become a fret-seating problem and may muck up the glue in bindings, etc. For normal cleaning I use 0000 steel wool, as recommended in the Taylor link RT1 posted. Works great, and polishes the frets nicely too.

[Freeman Keller]

Hmm. Ok, I won't use lemon oil anymore. I'd tend to think bare wood will need a little something from time to time though, otherwise I'd think it'd dry out. No? Orange oil?

 

 

Martin's reason is that lemon oil can damage the finish (remember that a number of solvents will soften nitrocellulose lacquer). I think the feeling is that if you keep in only on the unfinished fretboard you are probably OK. Taylor's UV cured finish is pretty much impervious to everything, so they probably don't care what gets on the guitar. Just my guess.

 

Personally I think the whole lemon oil on the fretboard thing is a bit like Armorall on the tires of your car. Makes 'em look pretty and black, isn't necessary, and probably doesn't do much harm. Oh, yeah, I did Armorall the tires on the Jeep I just sold.....

[JasmineTea]

I'll use nothing but a damp cloth and fine steel wool from now on.

Edit: What a great forum this is.

[eflat]

Glad I found this thread, I'm just about to clean mine now I'm ready to put new strings on! Not that I don't normally. . .its just it gets a better clean when I can get to the whole f/b.

So to reiterate, lemon oil is ok on Taylors? And where can I get this 000 steel wool everyone loves? I just use a hot damp towel normally.

You're not talking about these things are you?

[babablowfish]

Glad I found this thread, I'm just about to clean mine now I'm ready to put new strings on! Not that I don't normally. . .its just it gets a better clean when I can get to the whole f/b. So to reiterate, lemon oil is ok on Taylors? And where can I get this 000 steel wool everyone loves? I just use a hot damp towel normally. You're not talking about these things are you?

NO! 0000 steel wool not 000, can be purchased at any hardware store or Home Depot. It is the finest grade of steel wool.

That thing you pictured will gouge your guitar.

[eflat]

Whoa! LOL don't worry I didnt use that thing, its just what came to mind when talking of steel wool. I'll get some proper stuff next time, its ok to use on the frets as well then is it?

[Freeman Keller]

First, here is the info straight from the Martin FAQ

"Can I use lemon oil on my fingerboard?
We do not recommend using lemon oil on our fingerboards. The acids in lemon oil break down the finish of our guitars. It may also aid the corrosion of the frets and lessen the life of the strings."

Second, as Baba says - four ought steel wool (just like the name of our favorite little guitars) - buy it at any good hardware store. Do no use less oughts (that will be courser). For just cleaning the board I'm not too particular, but when I'm really working on it I mask the edges (where the board joins the neck, the nut, and along the sides of the board on the top. You can be pretty aggressive with 0000 and don't have to go with the fretboard grain. I work it back and forth between the frets and ontop of them - they will shine pretty nicely when you are done. Vacuum or blow out any little steel particles - you can also use a little magnet to get them out of any cracks and crevices (they can scratch or dull the finish).

You can also find something called "micro mesh" finishing abrasive pads in up to 12000 grit (that is pretty darn fine) and I've heard of techs using these. I haven't so no comment....

People do use other products and methods - I don't have any problems with that. This is what works for me.

[rjoxyz]

Once a year (twice at most, and only if fretboard looks dry) I will use a little Dr. Duck's Axe Wax, rubbed in with my finger and wiped off with a cloth. Not aware of any harm being done.