Found a great guitar polish

[laocmo]

Recently bought a friend's highly recommended "auto" scratch/swirl remover called Nu Finish Scratch Doctor. Supposedly it's been proven to be the most effective scratch remover available for cars. Contains "micro technology polishing agents", whatever that is. It ain't cheap, about $10 for a tube. But it turns out to be about the best guitar polish I have ever used. I used it to remove five years worth of swirls and normal handling scuffs from my Guild and its pick guard. It did such a good job that now no one would believe the guitar is five years old. The neck especially is now as slick as glass and much easier to get around. You might want to check it out. Consumer's Reports actually rated something called Quixx as the best. But it costs $20 for a very small tube. Nu Finish was in the top three.

 

[Guildmark]

That's a good tip, laocmo. There has been a bit of discussion about polishes here lately and it's nice to know of another good one. There have been many opinions about which ones are good/better/best but I think the important point is that we each should find one that works for us and use it! The benefits seem to be several: not only do you keep a splendid instrument looking nice (which does impress most audiences, and does maintain the resale value), but your point is very important - "The neck especially is now as slick as glass and much easier to get around." It makes the guitar easier to play! And who doesn't want that? I know there are some who are disinterested in the appearance of the guitar. Okay - NOMB. But maintaining the guitar by polishing the neck and body, oiling the fingerboard once in a while (which is NOT lacquer-finshed last time I looked), snugging up the hardware - all that sort of stuff - keeps it playing good and keeps up your confidence that the instrument will do what you want it to whenever you want it to.
Just makes sense to me.

 

[ajgorman]

Larry,

Thanks for the info. I have used several polishes and they all do a good job, but they are easy to feel "gummy", especially on the neck. Some of these new technology polishes may really do the trick. I'm going to get some and try it.

Thanks,

AJ

 

[Scratch]

Nice post Larry; I'll try it too. I put a dab of orange oil on mine on occasion just to keep the wood smelling nice., but if I get too liberal with it... oops the swirls! (I like Willie's music, but never liked the way he took care of his guitar!)

 

[68tele]

Here's a couple more that do a great job:

Petros instrument polish:
http://www.petrosguitars.com/polish.htm

Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #9: Professional Swirl Remover 2.0
Available at Ace Hardware, etc.

Wax on, Wax off :lol:

Ed

 

[sitka_spruce]

I know it sounds a bit in lack of taste, but saliva will remove any organic dirt and where the acid of your skin has reacted with the nitro. Then just wipe it off with a cloth. One couldn't argue the origin of that polish isn't organic as it is very much so, and the prospect buyers of my Martin and Gibson (not knowing the type of polish used, obviously) has been mightily impressed by the very shiny and clean look of my instruments. They'd wish they knew why that is...

 

[JerryR]

Contains "micro technology polishing agents", whatever that is.

Probably diatoms (a type of hard shelled microorganism) - used in metal polish for years :!: Great for getting rid of scratches on your watch face - but scrapes on the cars (put there by wife and sons of course) I generally clear up a lot with bath cleaner - which probably has a similar abrasive in it, After all, diatom skeletons are made of silica and microscopic, so 'micro technology polishing agents' would be a fair description :mrgreen:

 

[laocmo]

Some people fear using anything that might contain silicone as it is hard to lacquer over if a repair is needed. For what it's worth a friend who refinishes fine wood furniture says the best thing he has found for removing every trace of old wax and silicone from lacquered surfaces is to wash the surface with a warm Dawn dish washing detergent/distilled H2O mixture. This removes all wax and silicone from the lacquer. It will leave a squeaky clean surface like a clean dinner plate. Then he follows up with the normal scuffing of the surface with 400-600 grade paper to give the new lacquer a surface to adhere to. Says there's something about Dawn that really cuts through the grease, scum, wax, silicon, etc. My uncle who was a paint and body man said nothing beat a dose of something he called PrepSol to remove every trace of wax, silicon, etc. But it stunk and gave him a headache every time he used it. Sounds like something that might be baned by the EPA nowadays.

 

[Jahn]

i never use polish anymore after i used gibson polish on my gibson les paul neck and hey, it took a landing stripe of black paint away with it. yay exposed wood streak on the neck. so 10 years later there's a crapload of crap on the neck and it plays slow and gunky but i'm too scared to even wipe it with a t-shirt.

 

[Guildmark]

I know it sounds a bit in lack of taste, but saliva will remove any organic dirt ...

On boots and dress shoes that's called a "spit shine"!

 

[sitka_spruce]

I know it sounds a bit in lack of taste, but saliva will remove any organic dirt ...

On boots and dress shoes that's called a "spit shine"!

Not intending to hi-jack this thread, but that reminds me of a scene from Mel Brook's Blazing Saddles in which the bartender Anal Johnson liked to keep things "nice and clean", as it were; spit in the glass, wiped it clean (blurped) and, voila, ready for the next customer! :?D

 

[john_kidder]

dab of orange oil on mine on occasion just to keep the wood smelling nice., but if I get too liberal with it... oops the swirls!

I put a little lemon oil sometimes on the fretboard - are you speaking of the body?