Author Topic: Cleaning (Read 314 times)

darkstar01 · « **on:** August 16, 2013, 04:17:37 PM »

I'm sure this has come up before, but a quick search didn't really answer my question.
What products do you guys use to clean your instruments? I don't mean just oiling the fingerboard and polishing hardware... I'm trying to get the shine back to some of my basses that have been sitting outside of their cases for a while, and get rid of some residue build up on my more well-used basses.

Any suggestions?

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2013, 05:40:57 PM »

Zippo lighter fluid. Goof-Off for the stubborn stuff.

Peter

bigredbass · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2013, 12:12:44 AM »

Both of my basses are gloss finished, so Meguiar's all the way. The Chuck Berry Theorem: If it works for cars, it'll work on guitars (also subscribed to by the Right Reverend Billy G). I will not, however, check to see if water beads up on the finish . . . .

For the brass parts after polishing, Alberto VO5. Yes, the hair stuff in the gold toothpaste tube. Does a remarkable job of keeping the polished brass bits shiny for a long time, just enough to make them feel ever-so-slightly greasy to the touch, or about the way you'd leave a blued firearm feeling after a wipedown with an oiled rag.

I also found that for chrome or nickel parts that seem to have fingerprints that won't come out (especailly chrome ears on tuning keys), car wax (NOT polish or wax polish, it has compound in it) will usually get those out.

For allen screws, or any other wiggly bits in the hardware, I use BreakFree CLP, one of those firearm wonder-lubes. Totally beinign to finishes or electronics, with it you can forget about sweat or other fluid induced rust or seize-up of those tiny moving parts. Terrific for Floyds. Usually available at Wally World or places where firearm accessories are sold.

J o e y

bigredbass · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2013, 12:26:51 AM »

PS:

NEVER use brass polish on PLATED parts.

And to amplify: Be careful in your shopping in automotive 'waxes'. Real wax is wax ONLY. Be sure you're not getting a wax-polish, polishing wax, etc., as these all have some amount of compounding grit to remove swirls, etc., and may very well INDUCE swirls or leave very fine polishing marks in a previously smooth finish.

I did forget one other product: I use the Eagle One Never Dull Wadding Compound. This is fairly evil stuff (don't even THINK about smoking while using it)that comes as a cotton wadding in a can. This stuff will take nasty, blue-black tarnished brass back to shiny THAT fast, if you run across some that is truly nasty. Or for normal cleaning, it get you to a shine with very minimal effort without steelwool. Keep it away from finished wood. I have no problems with it, but I'm real c a r e f u l around it.

For just once a week stuff, the Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax is hard to beat.

OK, I think that's everything . . . . and this is what works on my poly-finished Alembics: I can not recommend any of the finish products for oil-finished or lacquered guitars, I have no experience with them, so I wouldn't know about those finishes.

J o e y

keith_h · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2013, 05:01:34 AM »

Here's a link to the Alembic Finish Care FAQ. I use the Alembic polish and the Liberon wax. I have needed to touch up the oil finish on my brown bass. For this I use Watco Danish Oil in a natural finish.

For the brass parts I use Flitz polish. A little tube lasts a long time. For my basses with plated parts I just wipe down after use and haven't needed to do anything additional to keep them looking good.

Keith

bigredbass · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2013, 12:02:50 PM »

Oh yeah, another Meguiar's guy, with Barry Meguiar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3v5XH91Q_8

J o e y

that_sustain · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2013, 12:28:49 PM »

I have the non-glossy finish. All you have to do is wipe it clean with a soft towel.

hifiguy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2013, 03:34:12 PM »

Man, Joey, that was a real-world master class in Alembic care. Many thanks and I'd e-mail you a Surly Bender if I could.

tmimichael · « **Reply #8 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:12:51 AM »

My Series II is a gloss finish, and I have been using nothing but Alembic Supreme Polish with a microfiber polishing cloth from Googalies. This cloth is AMAZING. It is optical quality, so it is guaranteed not to scratch, shred, or leave any lint, and in fact they recommend that you clean your strings with them! Since they are optical quality (designed for use on camera lenses), they really do a brilliant job (pun intended) on the polyurethane finish, and won't scratch brass or gold-plated parts.
Interestingly, they recommend that you use them dry (I assume because microfiber doesn't absorb liquids well), so I very gently use a cotton cloth to spread, then wipe some of the Alembic polish off before polishing.
And no, I don't work for them, but I sure won't use anything else!

tmimichael · « **Reply #9 on:** October 20, 2013, 04:48:27 PM »

Here's their website...
http://www.googalies.com/index.htm

bigredbass · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:47:10 PM »

OOps, my bad: WHAT is a Surly Bender? I've been in bands with other musicians who most certainly WENT on surly benders . . . . but I'm ignorant of a Surly Bender as a product?

J o e y

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2013, 12:42:42 AM »

A brown ale beer brewed in Minnesota according to the internets.

Bill, tgo

alembickoa · « **Reply #12 on:** October 27, 2013, 06:24:47 PM »

Dr. Duck's Ax Wax...

hammer · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2013, 08:58:03 PM »

Certainly not the best product that Surly puts outs but not bad either. I appreciate CynicAle, Svlln, and Surlyfest to a much greater extent.

Author Topic: Cleaning (Read 314 times)

darkstar01