Cleaning recommendations

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gitpikker	Cleaning recommendations	Lead	[-]
(07/01/09 4:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : cleaning I've just recieved my FIRST Martin! I bought a new D-21 special I'm wondering what I should use for cleaning the neck and frets? I sweat alot when playing, also what about the body?, I don't want to use something that would be detrimental to the finish. My other guitar is a 1970 Guild D-55 with Brazillian, it has at a minimum 12 cracks (all healed) The person who GAVE it to me was tone deaf and tuned to F (this was before elctric tuners) and used Gibson heavy gauge strings! So there were alot of cracks and the bridge pulled off, thats when I got it, I had everything fixed as best it could but then...about 8 years later (1 month ago) I stepped on it! I wasn't incapacitated, I'm legally blind (no peripheral) so as I was walking past it taking the garbage out I bumped it (it was in the case) and it fell over and as I was coming back I didn't see it and stumbeled on it and put my foot out to catch myself...."POP". Hence I thought I'd buy a Martin and I want to keep this one in tip top condition. Thanks, Mike I'm a newbie and this is my first post
kcoyner		#1	[-]
(07/01/09 4:55 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	For many years now I have used no more than a damp rag followed by light buffing with a clean rag when changing strings. After playing, I would just use a clean rag to wipe it down. Any chance you're going to have the D-55 repaired? k
gitpikker		#2	[-]
(07/01/09 5:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Yeah I got to figure out a way to get to the repair guy, There's a nice 3-4 inch "hole" on the back treble side, its cracked along the swirling grain, I think it can be glued and cleated and it should be ok, the center brace also snapped in half, so I now have a extremly "scalloped" back brace! Am going away for the weekend with no computer so I will not be able to respond till Monday Thanks all
kcoyner		#3	[-]
(07/01/09 5:18 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Glad you can have the Guild repaired. Have a good trip! k
Tidobear		#4	[-]
(07/02/09 9:35 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sorry to hear 'bout the Guild...gotta watch those feet! As for cleaning strings and fingerboards, I think the normal recommendation is to just keep it all wiped down before you put it away. I use an old hankie (Western-style kerchief, for authenticity ). I have, on occasion. used lemon oil on the fingerboard, but I don't know if that's recommended. Many of the folks here like the Virtuoso polish for the rest of the guitar...you can get it on their website (http://www.virtuosopolish.com) or from Elderly Instruments. It runs $10 for a 4 oz bottle, and they also have a cleaner for the same price. That's kinda pricey for a small bottle, but you don't use it very often.
rockawayrocks		#5	[-]
(07/02/09 1:47 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I dislike using polish...the sweat from my forearm on the upper bout just makes a mess and I end up with little beads of cruddy chunks of polish schmootz. I use the 3 rag method....first step is a damp cloth with a bit of dish detergent and the guitar is cleaned in sections....top/sides/back/neck. Step two is a damp rag to wipe off any excess soap, followed by a thorough wiping with a dry cloth. Once a year at a string change I use Petros fingerboard oil on the fretboard and bridge. Gives the guitars a whole new look. Tom
auggie242		#6	[-]
(07/02/09 3:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I used to use the damp cloth/bit of detergent method. I never could seem to get my guitars "showroom clean" that way, especially my sunburst. Then I discovered that what everyone had been saying about Virtuoso Polish was absolutely true. That stuff of amazing. Frank
hesson11		#7	[-]
(07/02/09 11:10 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Has anyone else tried Virtuoso polish and ended up with a cloudy haze on the finish? I tried it on a small area of the guitar, according to directions, and that's what happened. Maybe I did something wrong, but I tried to follow the instructions as closely as possible. -Bob
HD28HLA		#8	[-]
(07/03/09 7:26 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	"Has anyone else tried Virtuoso polish and ended up with a cloudy haze on the finish? I tried it on a small area of the guitar, according to directions, and that's what happened." Maybe you should go over it with Virtuoso Cleaner, first. A bunch of great Martins (and a pretty nice Guild 12-String)
hesson11		#9	[-]
(07/03/09 8:31 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	HD28HLA wrote: "Has anyone else tried Virtuoso polish and ended up with a cloudy haze on the finish? I tried it on a small area of the guitar, according to directions, and that's what happened." Maybe you should go over it with Virtuoso Cleaner, first. My mistake. It was the cleaner I tried, not the polish. -Bob
jscio		#10	[-]
(07/03/09 12:18 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	For the finger board: - Wipe it (the neck) down after each use. - When you have the strings off use a dampened face cloth to clean the board well. - Martin recommends that you don't use lemon oil on the board. For the body/neck/head of the guitar: - I use Virtuoso products. Virtuoso Cleaner very rarely. - Virtuoso Polish once in a while; just as needed. Never got a cloudy spot. I'd definitely try the Virtuoso Cleaner first. - Neither Virtuoso product cause the gunkiness described above. - Stay away from Martin's spray "polish". This does cause a crud build-up. It's the reason a switched to Virtuoso and have never looked back. I gave the Martin "polish" to my wife to use on the furniture. She used it once and threw it out.
kcoyner		#11	[-]
(07/03/09 12:34 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Has anyone else tried Virtuoso polish and ended up with a cloudy haze on the finish I had a similar experience. What I found is that the cleaner is definately not just an apply and wipe product. If the guitar has a lot of grunge on it, it's going to take a lot of work to clean it up. Virtuoso products are great but they are not an easy solution to tuff cleaning job. In between applications I used a damp rag that removed filth that reminded me of the debris from a pencil eraser. With some persistance and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to get the guitar clean. I followed with the polish which did a very nice job also. k
TheGreatLibrarian		#12	[-]
(07/03/09 4:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	You can also use UnDu or GooGone or some other naptha-based cleaner to safely remove sweat haze and other gunk from the finish without harming it.
TChristianHD28		#13	[-]
(07/04/09 10:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Clean damp rag, followed by a clean dry rag. Chris "Fear The Dreads!" HD-28, D-18, LX-175, LXM, Tele, Dano, Alvarez
Dadsbones		#14	[-]
(07/05/09 12:01 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	TChristianHD28 wrote: Clean damp rag, followed by a clean dry rag. +1 Polish is rarely necessary. every time you use it it takes away more finish. Which I suppose could be a desirable thing. max
mudpuppy55		#15	[-]
(07/05/09 4:17 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	"....every time you use it it takes away more finish." Even if it contains no abrasives? Necturus maculosus (A.K.A. mudpuppy) Chuck, Mi.
waterpoet57		#16	[-]
(07/05/09 4:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Use a microfiber cloth, breathe on the surface and polish to a shine. If you use FastFret to condition your fretboard (far better than lemon oil) use a different microfiber cloth for that. That's all you will ever need if you do it regularly, like after every time you use the guitar. Once in a while (like before selling a guitar, or every year or so) if surface scratches bother you, then the Virtuoso products regularly name-checked here are the best remedy. Do bear in mind that however kind a scratch remover is, even Virtuoso, it still erodes the finish, so use sparingly and seldom. . CONOR 2005 D-18GE (Lady Gwendolen) \| 2006 000-15S (Lady Grania) \| Backpacker (Miranda G) \| Forum Intro P70 For the Great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad For all their wars are happy and all their songs are sad from The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton
No457 Snowy		#17	[-]
(07/06/09 3:54 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Do bear in mind that however kind a scratch remover is, even Virtuoso, it still erodes the finish, so use sparingly and seldom. Yep, the thing to remember about scratches is that they are a "below the surface" defect and a "scratch remover" doesn't actually remove the scratch, it removes the material around the scratch and brings it down to the level of the bottom of the scratch. So the surrounding finish gets thinner and thinner with repeated application and buffing. Snowy.
jay mom n dad		#18	[-]
(07/06/09 7:51 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	jscio wrote: For the body/neck/head of the guitar: - I use Virtuoso products. Virtuoso Cleaner very rarely. ... - Stay away from Martin's spray "polish". This does cause a crud build-up. It's the reason a switched to Virtuoso and have never looked back. I gave the Martin "polish" to my wife to use on the furniture. She used it once and threw it out. OK Jscio: That eloquence has finally persuaded me to end using the Martin spray "polish". (Why in the world does Martin still sell the stuff then???) I have only sparingly used the Martin spray "polish" over my years, but the results were consistently "unremarkable" and, at best, delivered a psychological-comfort that I was caring for the greatest guitars on Earth (in my possession and in my opinion, of course). For me the truth is occasional distilled water and gentle micro-fiber cloth have been doing the job for years ... but as for "protecting" the finish, well, it's just distilled water ... Thanks for the advice. And for the laugh. Jay
Peter Cree		#19	[-]
(07/06/09 8:04 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Don't use Googone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it has both naptha and XYLENE and will melt your finish. Cree Studios Amazing Stuff creestudios.com my music Neda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gitpikker		#20	[-]
(07/06/09 2:11 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thanks for the recomendations, I currently use an old cloth diaper and lemon oil (which I will give to my Wife!) and will purchase Virtouso products which seem to be the consenses. As mentioned earlier, this is my first Martin so I don't want to make any mistakes... Thanks All!!!

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