Cleaning your guitar

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Haydn

Posts: 59
Joined: Jan. 29 2011

Cleaning your guitar

Hello all,

Lately my guitar has started to look in need of a clean, and I wanted some advice from a reliable source

Whilst it might only be a Yamaha CG172SF, it is my only flamenco guitar and after reading some horror stories online about certain products/methods of cleaning, I thought I'd be better safe than sorry. So here goes:

What are some good, and "safe", cleaning products to use on a guitar's body and fretboard? (I assume they differ..?)
What's the best way to remove the residue of sweat and dead skin on the fretboard? (I've read all sorts; from wire wool to scraping with an old credit card)

Apologies if this seems like a no-brainer, but I've only had experience with electric guitars prior to starting to learn flamenco.

Thanks for your help guys!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 8 2011 15:57:38

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

windex and a soft cotton cloth for the finish. A very light coating of lemon oil (walnut oil, olive oil, whatever) can be applied to the fingerboard and scrubbed with a cotton cloth. Back and forth not lengthwise.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 8 2011 18:04:08

El Kiko

Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to jshelton5040)

wood furniture polish stuff and an old tooth brush on the neck and frets....

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Don't trust Atoms.....they make up everything.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 8 2011 22:31:21

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

For the body I use a soft cloth and just buff it up a bit. I've used windex too and it works well. For the fretboard I use 0000 steel wool. This will really polish the frets and remove the junk that collects on the fingerboard. I then apply a small amount of boiled linseed oil. This helps seal the fingerboard and gives it a nice clean finish.

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Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 0:34:24

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

Some might cringe, but I've had really good luck using automotive detailing
sprays ... Yes that's right - Automotive. I use Meguiar's Ultimate Detailer on
my plane to clean it after flight, so I always have it on hand. One day I
tried it on the guitar, and have been using it ever since ... So far four
different guitar's and nothing but good results. It's a very thin film
synthetic, and it really shines nicely.

For Lacquer it's perfectly fine - Not sure how it would work on French
Polish though, so if you tried it on that ... You might have a bad
experience.

Regards,
Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 4:26:07

JuanDaBomb

Posts: 189
Joined: May 18 2011

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

I've actually ended up using this stuff here:

http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/formula-no-65-guitar-polish--cleaner

I was liking the Martin polish except it leaves an oily film that doesn't polish off. The dunlop 65 doesn't, and rubs off nicely. on lacquer, that is. dunno about french polish.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 5:55:44

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

With furniture polish I had the feeling as if it could be penetrating the finish. At least I fancied how the guitar would be dulling a tad.

My sister uses windex ( that would be the glass cleaning spray right?) for all laquered surfaces, but in a way I suspect that it could brittle finishes over time by polymerisation, thus don´t use it for such.

I find a damp sponge with dish soap solution and rubbing dry right afterwards to work well for cleaning the finish.

- While doing this with an aquired 40 year old guitar you could tell by a nasty smell that was coming up with the damp how needed a cleaning can be at times.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 10:08:53

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

Windex normally contains ammonia for cutting grease and film on windows,
probably not the best best thing to be spraying on a finished wood surface.

Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 14:19:41

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to n85ae)

quote:

ORIGINAL: n85ae

Windex normally contains ammonia for cutting grease and film on windows,
probably not the best best thing to be spraying on a finished wood surface.

Jeff

I've been using it for many years and never seen any damage to lacquer or any of the synthetic finishes commonly used on factory guitars. He was asking how to clean his Yamaha.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 18:05:49

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

I stand corrected. Thanks for the info!

Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 9 2011 18:14:39

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to n85ae)

quote:

Cleaning your guitar

not

I play it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 10 2011 1:27:03

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to jshelton5040)

quote:

I've been using it for many years and never seen any damage to lacquer or any of the synthetic finishes commonly used on factory guitars. He was asking how to clean his Yamaha.

Yeah Jeff.

I've actually used some Mcguire's and 3M products as well on lacquered finished and it's worked fine.

_____________________________

Tom Núñez
www.instagram.com/tanunezguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 10 2011 2:01:30

Haydn

Posts: 59
Joined: Jan. 29 2011

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

Thanks for all the info guys.

Next time I change strings, I'll clean my guitar up until it dazzles anyone who looks directly at it

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 10 2011 21:27:36

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

I use bees wax on my french polished anders. Any thoughts?

I remember asking Anders how to clean it shortly after collecting it from him. He replied "don't clean it, play it". If ever I lack inspiration I think of those words

Guess doitsujin you feel the same

ps I posted elsewhere on the foro to find a former teacher in Madrid called Ricardo. I note the thread got over 170 hits. Thinking about it on this foro I now realise why. Sorry

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 11 2011 11:19:45

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

i have heard one should oil the fretboard about once a year. following this recommendation i would be a little careful about oiling the fretboard in the winter time in a northern climate. in the winter time the big worry is the lack of humidity and, as we know, oil will repel water and therefore the fretboard may not get adequate moisture. if i were to oil the fretboard i would do it just before summer when too much humidity will become an issue in the upcoming months.

for cleaning the fretboard, as it was mentioned, 0000 steelwool works great--just cover the sound hole as micro shredding of the steelwood occurs. micromesh 1500 then 4000 then 6000 works great--cleans and really polishes up the wood for a smooth, fast surface.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 14 2011 12:40:04

Rmn

Posts: 308
Joined: May 14 2011

RE: Cleaning your guitar (in reply to Haydn)

quote:

I remember asking Anders how to clean it shortly after collecting it from him. He replied "don't clean it, play it". If ever I lack inspiration I think of those words

haha, that is a funny quote indeed