I feel sick 😑

[Crosswind]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

Ok so you have some swirl marks, no biggie they're not going to make the guitar self-destruct. When the Virtuoso stuff comes in go ahead and give it a clean and polish, but don't stress too much about getting the swirl marks out. Just play the guitar and enjoy it until you can get it into a good tech with a buffing wheel. They can make it good as new in just a few minutes. Patience is your friend and it will keep you from messing things up worse.

It's not just swirls. There's finish hazing, probably from the alcohol or other solvents on the wet alcohol wipe. The correct thing to do is what I had suggested earlier - let the guitar air dry so the finish hardens up more again and maybe let some of the moisture escape, then take it to a professional if one is not well versed with this repair. I would not put anything that I'm not 100% confident is silicone-free on the guitar, as that is just inviting more trouble in the future.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Crosswind

It's not just swirls. There's finish hazing, probably from the alcohol or other solvents on the wet alcohol wipe. The correct thing to do is what I had suggested earlier - let the guitar air dry so the finish hardens up more again and maybe let some of the moisture escape, then take it to a professional if one is not well versed with this repair. I would not put anything that I'm not 100% confident is silicone-free on the guitar, as that is just inviting more trouble in the future.

I’ve used Virtuoso on all of my guitars since the 80’s with no issues whatsoever. If you’re not comfortable with it then don’t use it but it is a viable product that a lot of us have been using for decades.

[rllink]

You aren't the first one. Last fall as thing were lightening up a little a bunch of us were playing and someone picked up a friends guitar just to look at it. My friend got paranoid and found some sanitizing wipes to clean the cooties off of it. He got similar results. As far as I know though he is just living with it. A constant reminder I guess.

[Rockysdad]

Compounds and polishes are still a form of *abrasive*, we’re talking very minute differences, but, still a form of abrasive.
Instrument finishes vary, how lucky do you feel?
A slight pause with a trip to someone who knows your guitars finish, is probably well advised.
Just sayin

[McCawber]

I would start with Colortone Scratch Remover from Stewart-MacDonald. Use it lightly on a small area with a soft cloth to check first; I've had really good luck with it for similar finish issues.

[runamuck]

Polishing compound will eliminate your problem. But either take it to someone who knows what they're doing or know exactly what you're doing before doing it.

And there's absolutely no reason you should be considering refinishing it - which is a very bad idea.

[Quickstep192]

I agree with taking it to a pro.

If you’re going to have a go at it yourself, I think you can skip the compound and go straight to polish. I don’t think the scratches are deep enough to warrant compound.

I like Meguiar’s Show Car Glaze. It’s very mild and unlikely to cut through the finish. Also, because it’s so mild, it may take several applications which I think it good. You don’t want something that’s going to make your situation worse quickly.

[Bruce Sexauer]

You have received the correct advice several times: the haze will almost certainly buff away with a pedestal buffer (in the right hands) in a few seconds. Some of the other suggestion will help, a couple may hinder, and if you try everything suggested your guitar will be degraded through simple wear. The ONLY solvent I recommend is water, very little of it, and dried immediately.

[phavriluk]

Originally Posted by ewalling

One thing I've never understood on this forum is the impulse to keep cleaning and polishing guitars.

Folks who don't know more about maintaining their cars than their cat will polish that tin horse for hours on end so as to feel righteous about lavishing all that care they're giving it. Some of them own guitars.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by phavriluk

Folks who don't know more about maintaining their cars than their cat will polish that tin horse for hours on end so as to feel righteous about lavishing all that care they're giving it. Some of them own guitars.

I clean and polish all my guitars. I also do my own setups.

My car gets washed by the rain, but it will probably last another 200k miles.