cleaning instruments.

[mickeyj4j]

Ok I have been looking for info about how to clean a guitar. I did not find much on this, which seems strange.
So after the instrument is built how do you clean it. For old guitars any things to note. Also if anyone could provide a link to any content already here it would help me and others thanks.

Really a decent tutorial that is easy to find with common searches Eg, "how to clean a guitar", "guitar cleaning process", etc would help. Thanks in advance.

[Nick]

All I've ever done was give them a wipe down with a lint free cloth after playing them, I used to wipe down each individual string to as I have quite corrosive perspiration but when I was gigging I was changing them that often anyway that I stopped doing that part of the process . Treat the fingerboard to some fresh oil every fourth or fifth string change and give the frets a bit of a going over with 0000 steel wool at the same time just to keep them shiny (With my 'corrosive' problem I could turn a set of silver/nickel frets green in no time, another reason I like the gold EVO wire nowadays). Mind you these have all been laquer finished guitars so I was only ever wiping off finger marks and oils from the recent playing, any more stubborn marks and I'd dampen the cloth slightly. Not sure about oiled finishes, somebody who has an oiled finished axe may wish to 'wax lyrical' on that .

On an older instrument that perhaps you are trying to 'revive', a good way to clean them (Do a youtube search of some of Dan Erlewine's stuff, he has some great tips) is a bit of naptha (white spirit) on cotton buds and an old toothbrush to get that built up crud out of those hard to get places then give the whole instrument a good going over with a polish such as Meguiars (the fine compound (#2?) followed by #7 glaze compound mixed with a little Kerosine or similar mineral oil). Just be aware that if the finish is that old that there is surface checks or cracks that most cream cleaners or polishing compounds will dry down in those cracks and stick out like big hairy dog's whatsits and you'll spend ages getting it out of there. So maybe put up with the fact that the finish is a little Jaded and is just going to look well worn from now on?

[old_picker]

best i found is shellite [naptha] which is cheap and available anywhere. it will clean off pretty much any crap and and i see a lot of very cruddy old electrics through here. It does not damage old or new finishes or plating. it evaporates quickly and sometimes will leave a residue which is a whiff of the crap that was there to start with.

great cleaning up fingerboards applied with a toothbrush and I have even used it with coarse steel wool if the board is particularly putrid.

to revive finishes I like auto compounds but you need to be careful if you use it as the coarser cutting compounds will take plating off in double quick time.On poly finishes you can get stuck in and really shine em up.

Cracked and crazed old style lacquer finishes can be carefully "flash coated" to melt the lacquer back into itself. It's is tricky and not to be tried on expensive vintage pieces obviously unless you've had plenty of practice.