Thoughts on cleaning your TA

[Casper]

I have posted a similar message on the other forum, but would like to get some other opinions.
I used to swear by "Trick" percussion polish for my TAs, then I was sooo glad when Tom started recommending the Meguiars Quick Detailer. Now I can buy it by the gallon. It puts such a shine on my car as well! I just mist the rag and wipe the axe off after every gig...
BUT! I LOVE the GHS guitar polish during string changes! Has anybody else tried this stuff? It goes on like wax, but doesn't look or feel the same. I can do multiple coats if I like! I picked up a Dunlop guitar cleaning package a few years ago that has all kinds of fret dressing, wax and string cleaner, I pick from that stuff occasionally. I've even Armorall-ed my pickups..(which doesn't work that well..
Would like to find a way to get some rust off my pole pieces sometime.
I use the fret cleaner (some type of alcohol I guess)and fret dressing (lemon oil, I guess) on my rosewood neck (classic) every two months.
Anybody else do things differently or the same...?

Casper

[Stan Malinowski]

Casper,

Just a couple of my thoughts:

1) I use the new polish from Stewart-MacDonald (www.stew-mac.com). To me its allure is that it contains no silicone. Most polishes do contain silicone to enhance the luster/shine of the guitar but it presents a nightmare if you ever need to have any repairs done to the finish.

2) You may want to ease off on the application of the lemon oil to the fretboard. Most commercial available lemon oils are actually a mixture of lemon oil and a solvent called napatha. Dan Erlwine (a noted luthier) warns that over application of lemon oils with solvents may start to brea down the glue holding the frets into the fretboard. I typically "re-oil" my rosewood boards once, maybe at most twice a year, and only when they appear to be drying out. In addition, I have moved away from using lemon oil to using raw (not boiled) linseed oil. The raw linseed oil does not contain any of the solvents found in most lemon oil mixtures.

And of course.....these are just my opinons.

[Casper]

Hey Stan,

Thanks for the thoughts. My classic has Indian Rosewood, very dark in color. To me, under scrutiny, it seems like my fretboard gets dirty and dried out looking often. All this could be the PH level in my hands, weather changes, and my probably excessive use of Finger Ease. I restring every two weeks. (or 4 gigs)
As i said earlier, I use the Dunlop Fretboard cleaner and then follow it with the Dunlop dressing. BUT, they don't tell you what exactly is in these things. I guess I've been taking Dunlop at face value? Good points all. I will have to try your suggestions.
One more thing, one luthier told me that once a year, you can apply some 3.0 steel wool to the rosewood to deep clean and open the pores up a bit...I did it on an old strat once, but haven't done it on my ta yet...
Thanx again
Dirty Hands Casper:p

[Stan Malinowski]

I have also seen people who do periodically use a very fine grade of steel wool to clean up rosewood boards required. My boards don't get dirty enough to warrant it but maybe Tom can comment on the value of doing this to "open up the pores". I personally don't think the steel wool would be a problem so long as 1) it is a very fine grade and 2) you rub with the grain of the wood.

[tom]

if you use steel wool, be very careful not to scratch the frets or get strands stuck to the pickups. we use 0000 steel wool as one of the steps in our fret job, i wouldn't use anything coarser.

[SteveK]

As far as the "boards go" I've found some real rosewood oil that works GREAT!

[Stan Malinowski]

In this (or last months) Guitar Player Jim Dunlop announced a Lemon Oil product for fretboards. Since Dunlop is exclusively into guitar products I wonder if their new product is solvent free?

[Casper]

As I said earlier, I bought a Dunlop kit that has all of the hip guitar products, but it doesn't tell you what the ingredients are. I am assuming the fretboard oil is quality. The products themselves yield decent result, but I haven't found anything to beat the shine and finish look that I get with the Meguiars QD and the GHS guitar polish.
I have learned that I don't need to treat my rosewood as often. Along with the ideas you kind folks have given me, I should have the best looking axes on the planet!:D
Thanks all,
Casper