Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Fun Stories => Topic started by: mpisanek on October 12, 2005, 06:50:34 AM

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: mpisanek on October 12, 2005, 06:50:34 AM

Since I have been playing both bass and guitar, I have been cleaning them with old T shirts and towels and the like.  When they get really dirty, I even use a bit of water on the cloth just to dampen it a little.
 
Recently, I have been reading about these new microfibre cloths for cleaning.  They are supposed to be the mutts nuts!  Has anyone used these type of cloth to clean their axe?
 
It is said that with these cloths that the eventual scratching that occurs with cotton will stop.  Can anyone verify this?
 
Thanks,
 
Michael.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: kmh364 on October 12, 2005, 07:18:58 AM

They work...Alembic also sells a real Chamois which also does the trick. Their spray cleaner is decent as well...non-oily, no residue. It, like their chamois, is pricey though.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: 811952 on October 12, 2005, 07:25:43 AM

You typed mutts nuts and scratching in the same post.  Two subjects that go together nicely.  Well done!
 
John

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: rogertvr on October 12, 2005, 11:05:58 AM

I use the Planet Waves Mirror Finish Paste and Mirror Finish Spray, along with the Planet Waves polishing cloth and microfibre cloth.  I was wary at first, but they really do give an outstanding finish to my basses.  I can recommend them if my experience is anything to go by.  I started using them about 12 months ago.
 
Rog

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: laytonco on October 12, 2005, 03:10:46 PM

I definitely recommend microfiber as it has the most effect(fibers)and will do the least amount of damage (small fibers). I know that sounds harsh, but even wind and water, over time, will cause damage to a finish. As far as the polishing goes, I found that Fender has teamed up with Turtle Wax and has a kit which includes a wax, and other cleaning fluids. The wax really looks, smells, acts, feels, like car wax and I bet that's all it is. And it works! You rub it on with the included sponge, let it dry, and wipe it off and buff it with the microfiber cloth. It does a really good job. I use it on my Tribute and SG. Now, I am going to order the Alembic products because they probably are a lot better and purely designed for our instruments!

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: lbpesq on October 12, 2005, 03:10:52 PM

I bought a half dozen microfiber clothes from Ed Roman's about 6 months ago. (excuse me for a moment while I duck out of the way of the flying tomatoes).  I like 'em.  I really haven't noticed that they are much different from my old yellow guitar clothes - I never noticed the old ones scratching - but the microfiber seems to work very well.  One downside (& a VERY slight one) is that, at least to my hands, the microfiber doesn't feel as nice as the yellow clothes.
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: bigredbass on October 12, 2005, 06:33:57 PM

My real preference is old TShirts that have been washed a zillion times and Meguiar's Gold Class wax after the Planet Waves guitar polish.  Of course, when you can find 'em, I love old cloth baby diapers the best.
 
J o e y

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: tom_z on October 12, 2005, 06:54:54 PM

I'm with Joey. I use the microfiber, which I picked up at Ed Roman's also - of course his store is just down the street from where I work (haven't seen any tomatoes on his doorstep). The microfiber is nice for a quick wipe after playing. When I polish my guitars I use Alembic guitar polish and a very old, very soft baby-diaper. It is cotton, like a t-shirt, but much more dense and quite a bit thicker and softer. Nothing like it.
 
Tom

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: keith_h on October 13, 2005, 05:15:09 AM

Another vote for cotton baby diapers. I use those with the Alembic polish and have good results.  
 
Keith

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: kmh364 on October 13, 2005, 06:14:38 AM

I used to go with the OLD Martin Gutar Polish (non-greasy watery white liquid that smelled like rose water), and an old worn-out cotton tee (washed 8 million times). Unfortunately, that polish is NLA...it is now some crappy oily furniture polish re-bottled with the Martin name. Alembic's stuff is similar to the OLD Martin polish, but without the flowery smell and at about three-to four-times the price.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: s_wood on October 13, 2005, 06:46:01 AM

You can find mcirofiber cleaning clothes here:
 
http://www.googalies.com/guitars/index.htm (http://www.googalies.com/guitars/index.htm)
 
Shouldn't Alembic sell these with their logog embossed?

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: kmh364 on October 14, 2005, 05:45:32 AM

Nope, Alembic offers their $20 chamois for that purpose...thank you very much, LOL!
 
FWIW, I also have used Dunlop's stuff, and I use Gibson's polish as well. It smells nice, claims to have bits of lacquer in it (?), but it leaves a little greasy residue behind...ok on my blonde Heritage jazz box, but not so good on my LP Elegant.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: bassman10096 on October 14, 2005, 08:37:11 PM

I've had good experiences with Dunlop's - no residue to speak of, particularly on nitro finishes that tend to get sticky.  Alembic's polish is pretty good.  I used the last of mine a while back.  I winced at the price, but per volume, a big bottle like that is not exhorbitant.
 
Microfiber is nice, though I'm working through a pack of flannel detailing cloths I got a the auto parts store when I was refinishing something.  Same texture as the yellow guitar cloths, but thicker and much larger.  There are lots of sources for microfiber polishing cloths that are marketed for different uses.  My personal favorite, and one I'm sure I'll try is the optical quality microfiber they hawk on scientific equipment sites.  How could it be bad?

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: smokin_dave on November 03, 2005, 09:20:57 PM

Although I check in nearly everyday to read new post's on the club,I nearly never chime in but I will now.I use the Alembic polish and the chamois as well as a cloth that was included in my rogue case when I received her in 2003.The only thing I don't like about the chamois is the residue it leaves behind.I don't know if all of the chamois behaves in this matter and it blows right off but the stuff gets all over everything.Anybody else using the Alembic chamois experience this?

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: terryc on June 01, 2007, 08:09:09 AM

Don't want to teach my granny to suck eggs but don't ever use aerosol furniture polish..I knew one guy who used it on his guitar fingerboard and wondered why when he was gigging his fingers seemed to stick to the boards and the strings went dead..can you believe that??

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: longhorncat on July 06, 2007, 08:12:56 PM

Hey guys - you can get a package of 25 microfiber towels at  Sams for $12.50 (http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=206705)  
I keep one in each bass case.
I also keep one in the glove box of all my cars.
Don't wash them, just toss when they get dirty.
 
 

(http://alembic.com/club/messages/394/41829.jpg)

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: lbpesq on July 06, 2007, 10:15:10 PM

Or you can get 5 for $10 from Ed Roman!  lol
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: Bradley Young on July 06, 2007, 11:26:48 PM

I heard that Ed Roman's are ghostbuilt by Bruce Becvar.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: flaxattack on July 07, 2007, 07:11:59 AM

did ed roman do that shooting i read about?

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: lbpesq on July 07, 2007, 10:03:18 PM

No, but he invented gun powder!
 
Bill, tgo

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: Bradley Young on July 08, 2007, 11:27:28 AM

Samuel Colt's original six-gun was ghostbuilt.
 
And I can sell you a better version.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: rockbassist on September 05, 2007, 08:29:13 PM

I recently did a major cleaning on my Alembic. I removed the strings, the tail piece, nut, tuning pegs and took the bridge apart. I used pure lemon oil on the fretboard, a guitar polish on the body, neck and headstock and used a multi use metal cleaner on the brass parts. I used a dremel tool to clean and polish the hardware including the Alembic logos. The logos showed signs of polishing so I used a soft electric toothbrush to get the polish out of the small crevices in the logos. I put everything back together, put new strings on it, adjusted the height, set the intonation and put a new battery in it. The bass sounds better than ever. It's amazing how much tone and sustain you lose due to a little dirt. This will now become part of my annual routine. I have owned this bass longer than any other's and I can't ever imagine getting rid of it.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: bkbass on October 05, 2007, 05:21:10 AM

Many,many moons ago(30yrs) I had used an Ernie Ball product that sort of smelled like bananas,came out white and dryed to a flat finish. One simply wiped it away with minimum effort and it left a very shiney finish. It was in a pump spray bottle.Being older and hopefully wiser is/was this product any good? I'm sure some company is still making it.Selling it as the next holy grail, Hey look at this new thing, Anybody have any experiences,leads,comments? I'd be interested to try it again on my non Alembics.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: Bradley Young on October 06, 2007, 01:10:19 PM

Barry,
 
The banana smell almost certainly means that it had carnauba wax in it.  You can probably repeat your earlier experience by using a different carnauba based wax.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: paulman on November 02, 2007, 11:18:58 AM

Ajax and a Brillo Pad, that's all I ever used on the Further.

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: georgie_boy on November 06, 2007, 11:37:48 AM

Ajax and a Brillo pad!!
Do you still have a fretboard?
Shit-if it works-it works!
 
Goodonya
 
George

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: jacko on November 07, 2007, 05:03:02 AM

You get ajax and brillo pads in the states? We're obviously not that different after all ;-)
 
Graeme

Title: Cleaning your axe
Post by: David Houck on November 07, 2007, 07:14:29 PM

I'm guessing that he's being a bit facetious.