Glossy guitar cleaning/maint

[Rudals]

How do I maintain the gloss and shine on my guitar?
Use turtle wax express like Taylor recommends?
Or use lighter fluid like some people have been suggesting?
And how often should I wax it?
I want to upkeep it well

[JohnZ]

Most gloss finishes require little maintenance other than frequent wiping with a soft damp cloth where most skin contact occurs, and occasional waxing or polishing. Automotive products like Turtle Wax or (my preference) Maguiars are fine, and in my opinion better than guitar polishes.

There are cleaners, polishes, and waxes, and all but pure waxes have abrasives in them. That is not necessarily a bad thing and a product like Maquiars Cleaner-Wax is a good all around product for guitar care in liquid or paste form.

[J Patrick]

...this stuff..get the cleaner and the polish

http://www.virtuosopolish.com/

[Michael T]

I assume you have a Taylor from your ref to it in your post, they like many have a UV cured polyester resin based finish. It's great protection for you precious wood. They use it on the granite slabs I distribute and it is very durable. A little mild soap and water followed with a good rinse should be all that you really need to clean your guitar. I usually suggest a PH neutral soap like simple green diluted, but if you wouldn't fear washing your dishes in it it's probably fine. Meguiar's makes a clear plastic detailer in their mirror glaze line (#18) that is designed to remove residues from emollients and waxes off of clear plastics like convertible widows that works great to keep any cloudiness away. Safe for daily use, but I just use it on full clean ups. Stay away from acidic compounds like Windex, or abrasives unless you are looking to remove small scratches for which , again meguiar's makes a swirl and scratch remover in the same series (#17) but it does have some abrasives to it, but you shouldn't have to use it often. Polishes and waxes are ok but again ph neutral and sparing use would be advisable. Your finish is tough & shiny, just clean her up with a little soap and water with a good rinse and if you get a residue cloudiness the detailer will get rid of it.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+M1808

[Rudals]

Originally Posted by JohnZ

Most gloss finishes require little maintenance other than frequent wiping with a soft damp cloth where most skin contact occurs, and occasional waxing or polishing. Automotive products like Turtle Wax or (my preference) Maguiars are fine, and in my opinion better than guitar polishes.

There are cleaners, polishes, and waxes, and all but pure waxes have abrasives in them. That is not necessarily a bad thing and a product like Maquiars Cleaner-Wax is a good all around product for guitar care in liquid or paste form.

Thanks! I've heard a lot of people using Maguiars. Speaking of skin contacts, am I paranoid for wearing a long-sleeve shirt everytime I play because I don't want to get sweat on my guitar?

[Rudals]

Originally Posted by lofapco

Best thing is don't kill it with kindness...

A quick dry wipe down when your done playing is enough for normal circumstances. A damp cotton cloth (I use baby diapers) also will get off fingerprints and such. If I am playing out somewhere for a special occasion, I may buff my Taylor up a bit with a nice Carnuba Wax. I use Zymol, which is a high quality automotive wax and it works well. I wouldn't recommend using wax more than a couple times a year though. I feel it could build up. Naptha, (lighter fluid) is great for cleaning off sticky gunk when needed, but again, I use it sparingly. It does seem to help get stickyness off the back of a neck nicely. I use the wax even more sparingly on my Gibsons as they are Nitro finished. Gibson pump polish works best it seems on them. I have heard it has traces of Nitro in the forumla to help maintain the shine on your Gibbys and other Nitro finished guitars.

Rosewood fretboards should be treated about once a year with a "boiled linseed oil" but again, use only a tiny bit. Ebony boards don't seem to need that kind of treatments I have found with my 16 year old Taylor.

Wow. Thanks for the expert feedback. I am having a very minor problem with my neck getting sticky...from my sweat. I thought people were kidding at first when they mentioned lighter fluids but I guess it really works.

[Rudals]

Originally Posted by Michael T

I assume you have a Taylor from your ref to it in your post, they like many have a UV cured polyester resin based finish. It's great protection for you precious wood. They use it on the granite slabs I distribute and it is very durable. A little mild soap and water followed with a good rinse should be all that you really need to clean your guitar. I usually suggest a PH neutral soap like simple green diluted, but if you wouldn't fear washing your dishes in it it's probably fine. Meguiar's makes a clear plastic detailer in their mirror glaze line (#18) that is designed to remove residues from emollients and waxes off of clear plastics like convertible widows that works great to keep any cloudiness away. Safe for daily use, but I just use it on full clean ups. Stay away from acidic compounds like Windex, or abrasives unless you are looking to remove small scratches for which , again meguiar's makes a swirl and scratch remover in the same series (#17) but it does have some abrasives to it, but you shouldn't have to use it often. Polishes and waxes are ok but again ph neutral and sparing use would be advisable. Your finish is tough & shiny, just clean her up with a little soap and water with a good rinse and if you get a residue cloudiness the detailer will get rid of it.

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+M1808

Very nice, sir. Thank you. the key word in soap and water is ph neutral, i guess. and another vote for meguiars.

[Michael T]

Originally Posted by rudals1281

Very nice, sir. Thank you. the key word in soap and water is ph neutral, i guess. and another vote for meguiars.

Actually most dishwahing liquids are pretty close to neutral, just don't want a lot of skin moistuizers and stuff in it to leave behind.

[arie]

The most important thing IMO is that you have to find out what kind of finish your guitar has. I think the OP has a Taylor which would have a Polyurethane finish and is pretty durable. Not all guitars have the same finish though, and using "mild soapy water" on a nitro or shellac finish is a disaster.

Me, I stay away from any and all water and soap on my guitars as most of them have Nitro finish and it's too easy to screw up. Questions arise like, is your water too hard or too soft? will it leave mineral stains? should you carry around a bottle of DI water just to be sure? will it corrode any hardware? what type of soap? what's the ph balance of the soap? am I sure? -too risky for me. I just want to clean my guitar not become a chemist.

I stay away from any and all household products like Simple Green, 409, Superclean, Windex, Pledge, and their ilk, and I leave the car products in the garage for the cars. Once again unless you're sure or have tested it on a "unnoticable spot" why risk it. And do our guitars have any "unnoticable spots" anyway? I also don't like the idea of lighter fluid unless I'm gonna do a Jimi Hendrix on my guitars.

Right now I use the Martin spray cleaner and a clean soft gym sock turned inside out. Dunlop and Gibson also make good cleaners. One side to apply the cleaner and one side to buff. Quick, easy and safe. Apply the spray to the sock not the guitar. For fret boards I'll use the ever controversial lemon oil. Luckily my guitars are of a quality that I can be sure the frets are not just hanging on with glue. I put the smallest dot of oil on a finger and rub it into the wood moving fret to fret. When I reach the end of the fingerboard I'll wipe off the leftover oil one fret at a time moving back to where I started with a clean paper towel. I'll do this maybe twice a year depending on how the humidity has been. For polishing up frets I use a pencil eraser or a small green Cratex wheel or cone held in my hand -simple, safe, and quick.

[cke]

Originally Posted by arie

The most important thing IMO is that you have to find out what kind of finish your guitar has. I think the OP has a Taylor which would have a Polyurethane finish and is pretty durable. Not all guitars have the same finish though, and using "mild soapy water" on a nitro or shellac finish is a disaster.

Me, I stay away from any and all water and soap on my guitars as most of them have Nitro finish and it's too easy to screw up. Questions arise like, is your water too hard or too soft? will it leave mineral stains? should you carry around a bottle of DI water just to be sure? will it corrode any hardware? what type of soap? what's the ph balance of the soap? am I sure? -too risky for me. I just want to clean my guitar not become a chemist.

I stay away from any and all household products like Simple Green, 409, Superclean, Windex, Pledge, and their ilk, and I leave the car products in the garage for the cars. Once again unless you're sure or have tested it on a "unnoticable spot" why risk it. And do our guitars have any "unnoticable spots" anyway? I also don't like the idea of lighter fluid unless I'm gonna do a Jimi Hendrix on my guitars.

++++++++++++one!

[Misty44]

How do I maintain the gloss and shine on my guitar?
Use turtle wax express like Taylor recommends?
Or use lighter fluid like some people have been suggesting?
And how often should I wax it?

You don't need to maintain the gloss and shine, just keep it clean.

Don't wax, wax is for floors and cars, use a guitar polish like Virtuoso (which unlike others is NON-ABRASIVE), and use it once a year, if that.

Lighter fluid such as Ronsonol is "naphtha," which is a great cleaner, especially for sticky residues. Don't smoke while using it! (It is an excellent product for cleaning many household items, read the front label.)

Before using naphtha, try a huff of breath and wipe with a clean cotton or microfiber cloth.

Wash your hands before you play (promotes string life, minimizes fretboard grunge build-up) and wipe down the neck, board, strings, and body after playing.

If you must use a snakeoil for cleaning, get one made for guitars...do not use products made for furniture such as Pledge.

[Rudals]

Originally Posted by Misty44

You don't need to maintain the gloss and shine, just keep it clean.

Don't wax, wax is for floors and cars, use a guitar polish like Virtuoso (which unlike others is NON-ABRASIVE), and use it once a year, if that.

Lighter fluid such as Ronsonol is "naphtha," which is a great cleaner, especially for sticky residues. Don't smoke while using it! (It is an excellent product for cleaning many household items, read the front label.)

Before using naphtha, try a huff of breath and wipe with a clean cotton or microfiber cloth.

Wash your hands before you play (promotes string life, minimizes fretboard grunge build-up) and wipe down the neck, board, strings, and body after playing.

If you must use a snakeoil for cleaning, get one made for guitars...do not use products made for furniture such as Pledge.

Pledge? OMG! I hope no one has abused their guitars with it.

[JohnZ]

Originally Posted by rudals1281

Thanks! I've heard a lot of people using Maguiars. Speaking of skin contacts, am I paranoid for wearing a long-sleeve shirt everytime I play because I don't want to get sweat on my guitar?

It's an old family business that made soap before they started making waxes 100 years ago. I imagine they are still the go to products for classic and show cars.

Like most everyone is saying, a damp cloth will do most everytime. I usually use ionized and filtered water if the instrument is around the house.

[Sprikitik]

Originally Posted by arie

I think the OP has a Taylor which would have a Polyurethane finish and is pretty durable.

It's not polyurethane it's polyester.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars...velopment.aspx