Guitar is my seventh instrument, so I'm still learning things about it (probably will learn for the rest of my life - that's a good thing).
I've been playing 3 days per week, in a beach resort, outdoors, but under a big canvas cover.
So the combination of playing with short sleeves, high afternoon temperatures, Italian skin, a little perspiration, and some dust in the air is starting to make the guitar dirty where my arm rests on it while playing.
The guitar is unpainted. I believe it's a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, because when new, it smelled like vanilla.
For the guitarists on the list, what should I use to clean it?
Here is what it looked like new.
I don't have any recent pictures. I've worn some of the lacquer off from picking, and there is a little rust on the pickup poles. Playing in the salt are rusts everything. I have new tuners for it, but as long as I'm on the beach, there is no sense replacing them.
Saliva - yes, saliva - and a clean, soft cotton cloth works wonders too.
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
Over the decades I've had the best results using a soft, damp (not wet, just damp) cotton cloth like an old tee shirt (I use cotton cloth baby diapers... absorbent, soft, thick... perfect) to wipe off skin oil, smudges and grim. Then, use a dry cotton cloth to wipe off any excess moisture and buff. Include the strings, neck and body in a wipe down. Be sure to wipe down the strings; they are the biggest collector of skin oil.
Some other items to consider:
You write there is a little rust on the pickup poles. Depending on how much rust, its likely to alter the performance of the pickup. You might want to address this at some point, but since its not a primary instrument, probably not a major item... as long as there is no rust on the pickup windings or any other wiring and electrical parts.
Also, given the environment I'd suggest changing the strings more often that one would otherwise.
Keep an eye on those tuners because if they rust out too much you won't be able to get in tune or stay in tune. But you say you've replaced those (most likely with covered tuners.. the kind where the gears are not exposed) so you have that taken care of.
Playing at a beach resort outdoors I would put the guitar in its case or gig bag when not using it. If not in use, protect it from the elements, which you probably are already doing.
Its a tough environment near the beach and last thing you need to happen is for the guitar or amp fail while you are playing. Its not a pleasant experience I can tell you.
It also occurs to me that depending on what amp you are using you might experience some salt air problems there.
Basically, I would not use an open back tube amp often and regularly in that environment, particularly an expensive one. There's just too much wiring involved and the risk of failure. To me, its just too high to risk it. And since you are not primarily a guitarist, you have many acceptable options.
What I would do is use a decent solid state, preferably closed back cabinet amp. They are many options. They are less expensive and they can give a great sound. It would isolate as much as possible from the salt air and remove the tube wiring circuitry risk. Its not like a top of the line tube amp in all regards, but not bad at all.
I have to say that in some of the places I've played using the solid state JC-120 was way way better than risking a Fender Twin Reverb.
I do wipe down the guitar when done, and the strings don't last long at all. The unwound strings get rusty soon.
The tuners are Sperzel and they have closed backs. The guitar stays in tune well, but if it should start giving me problems, I'll replace them.
The original tuners were black, and I bought nickel plated ones to replace. The tech and Sperzel said they should be the most rust resistant.
I don't use an amp, I have a Digitech RP355 amp simulator/fx unit direct into the PA. Since half our material is classic rock, I mostly use the Twin Reverb or AC30 sims.
Playing sax, flute, wind synth and guitar plus Mrs. Notes playing synth and guitar, add the PA set and the fact that we set up and tear down 15-20 times per month, an amp sim is good enough. One less thing to carry.
Even though I wipe it down when the gig is done, it's getting some graying where my forearm rests on the guitar. That's what I'm trying to get rid of.
I don't want to use anything that will harm the finish.
I'd be putting a drop of sewing machine oil.... any light oil tends to work well.... on the tuners to keep them functional. That salt air will get in there if you aren't proactive.
The wood.... I'd simply use any kind of guitar wood polish and conditioner. The point is that you do use something vs nothing. The wood will be less susceptible to the effects of the salt air than the metal parts and connections. I have used Alvarez Carnuba Lemon Wax Polish and Alvarez Fingerboard Conditioner on my guitars. It's supposed to be specially formulated for guitars. It never hurt my guitars or the finish.
I used a soft cloth that traveled with the guitar in it's case. It had the residue of the oils and polishes that I used. After any gig, I would take a minute or so and wipe the sweat off the parts and the strings before putting it in it's case. Back at home on a Sunday morning I would clean the guitar more fully and every 2 weeks or so... this varied depending on the number of gigs we were playing.... I would remove the strings and fully clean the guitar and restring it. I found that if I wiped the strings after each gig to remove the sweat and crud under them, I could get a solid 2 weeks on a set of EBSS strings without fear of them breaking in the middle of a song.
As I posted in the other thread...even with wiping the guitar down at the end of the show...and sometimes after a set..... the salt from my sweat worked it's way under the chrome plating on the bridge pickup causing it to come off totally over time. I have replaced the bridge itself several times for the same reason. The saddles would become corroded and eroded, throwing the string height off.
Then of course.... there's this, but I'd recommend not using this method.... although I'm sure it's pretty effective in removing salt and dirt. Just use a brush with soft bristles so it doesn't put micro-scratches into the finish. Remove the strings so they don't rust. and...Be sure to rinse well.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Even though I wipe it down when the gig is done, it's getting some graying where my forearm rests on the guitar. That's what I'm trying to get rid of.
I don't want to use anything that will harm the finish.
Bob
Tough to say for sure here because as in all things guitar... it depends.
Long answer... One has to know for sure if its a nitrocellulose or polyurethane or polyester finish. If I had to guess given how you describe the graying area, I'd say nitrocellulose because that's more porous than poly and contact stains simply tend to happen more often. But its just a guess.
The builder's website with the specs for that guitar can provide an answer... at least as to how they built them today.
There is a way to find out for sure certain but it requires getting to a hidden area, like the control cavity, where some finish exists to make the test. Worth it? Not really, unless you are checking a supposedly "vintage" guitar (there are fakes out there).
But before you do anything, you need to have 100% confidence you know the finish.
If its nitrocellulose, sometimes naptha works. Sometimes even Windex works.
If you do anything remember the Basic Woodworking Rule #1.. apply to the rag... never the wood. Test first in small spot in an hidden place (the proverbial "undisclosed location") to make sure it doesn't corrupt or harm or cloud the finish. You don't know who built this and the quality of workmanship or the exact materials. Could be great, could be not so great. TEST FIRST.. don't risk making it worse and having to have the thing sanded down and refinished.
If it sounds like I don't have much of an answer or waffle a lot, its because there is so much "it depends" involved.
Short answer... If it were me, I wouldn't worry about the graying area and would leave it alone. Its typical guitar wear and doesn't harm the sound or playability.
Best answer... If the graying really bothers you, best to take it to a qualified luthier. I think its one of those things someone ought to see live and in person to have any real answer for and deal with. Why? Because, as in all things guitar, it depends.
Aren't there 254 different brands of guitar polish that are, you know, made to do this?
That's actually a great observation. Never thought of it since I don't use that stuff.
If it were me looking to remove a similar stain I think I'd check with the local guitar store or a local luthier for a recommendation on which one to use. They probably get that question a lot. Might be the best solution of them all.
What prompted that reply was that if the guitar is covered in lacquer the wood isn't stained. The sweat and salt would be on top of the lacquer.
Also note that I am VERY lazy when it comes to this kind of stuff and if I had a guitar that is mega funked up I would take it to m guy to clean it and put new strings on it. Also open the cavity and inspect the wiring just to make sure nothing is corroded in there. Also though consider that my guitars hang on a wall and never get played. I only own them because they are my version of Linus and his security blanket.
<...snip...> Also note that I am VERY lazy when it comes to this kind of stuff <...>
So am I. My Casino definitely has a poly finish, and I've never done more than wipe it down when I'm done playing it. My Parker is definitely NOT poly.
I thought about wood polish, but being that I've never cleaned a guitar before, I wanted to take advantage of others experiences. And I thank you all for your input.
I put a little light oil on the metal poles, but haven't buffed the rust off. I don't know if that's OK or not.
My sax has gotten corroded, the silver is flaking off my flute, but they are replaceable. The Parker guitar is not. They went out of business long ago.
I also have an indoor sax and flute that actually look quite nice. I know how to maintain the saxes and have the key oil, cork grease, swabs, and tool set to do so. But I've been playing the sax since I was a teenager.
The Parker the perfect guitar for me: 5-lbs, stays in tune, hardened stainless steel frets that refuse to wear, P-Rail pickups (P90, Rail, Series Humbucker and Parallel Humbucker), a Piezo under the bridge that can be blended with the mag pickups, slim neck, contoured body, and well-balanced.
It's very easy to play, and that's a good thing. It sounds great, and that's a better thing. I can play decent leads for pop, country and rock tunes, as long as I stay within my limitations on the instrument. And as time progresses, and my playing improves, those limitations get pushed. But I started lead guitar in my late 60s, so I don't think I'll ever be a Jeff Beck.
I considered letting it get dirty, but come next season, I might be back in a tux playing high-paying gigs at yacht and country clubs again. I did this a lot before COVID. If all the guests look nice, I think the band should look nice, too.
Naphtha sounds like something I don't want to use, but a commercial polish might be OK. The object is to get it clean before it gets too grungy to clean.
Any recommendations?
I know what to use on saxes and flutes, brass and gold, silver or nickel plate. The guitar is my newest toy, so I'm still learning how to play and how to care for them.
I don't trust YouTube, which is why I asked here. And no, I'm not going to get out the bucket of water, soap, and brush. My experience tells me that electric/electronic parts and water are not good friends.
Scroll down to customer service and explain your situation and they can recommend what to use. I have dealt with them in the past and they are knowledgeable people.
Good luck
I got banned from Weight Watchers for dropping a bag of M&Ms on the floor. It was the best game of Hungry Hippos I've ever seen!
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Scroll down to customer service and explain your situation and they can recommend what to use. I have dealt with them in the past and they are knowledgeable people.
Hey! I've got a few tips for you. For a nitrocellulose lacquer finish like yours, using a soft, lint-free cloth slightly dampened with water is best. Gently wipe the areas where your arm rests to remove dirt, perspiration, or dust buildup. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that could damage the finish. That must help!
Just an FYI, Bob. It is very normal to wear the finish off the body of the guitar if you play for hours every day. Stainless steel frets will last a really long time, but the wood on the fingerboard will wear out eventually.
All of this can be repaired by a competent person.
Locating a backup guitar to keep in reserve is a very good idea. You may be able to find a Parker on Reverb.com.
I started playing Tom Anderson guitars because of their high quality and playability. I have never picked one up that was not perfectly playable. So, if my guitar gets damaged or lost, all I need to do is find an Anderson guitar for sale and I know I will be able to play it without issue.
All this is even more important if you fly to gigs.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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