How to Clean a Used Heritage?

[LuigiMcJazz]

Hi All,

Recently acquired a 90s Golden Eagle after a long search for an archtop. Really loving it and so wanted to sign on to the forum and learn more about these instruments. So, hello to everyone. 

 

Since the guitar I acquired is in need of a good cleaning, I thought I'd check in for any pointers, since I'm not familiar with the Heritage finishes, etc. My question is will a damp cloth be adequate to clean the body before giving it a coat of the Martin polish, and is it ok to use steel wool followed by F-One oil on the fretboard, which is ebony with cloud inlays. I've had good results with this approach on other instruments. 

 

Thanks very much,

 

Pics forthcoming...

[High Flying Bird]

I got an H-475 used with a thick film of bar funk on it.  I bought a Fender/McGuire's guitar care kit.  It had a swirl and haze polish that worked magic.  I also used it on Joe's Martin.  It took some elbow grease but the shine underneath was worth every minute of the work.  New life!  Joe never knew the finish was that gorgeous until he saw it after it was cleaned.

[LuigiMcJazz]

Thanks very much. That looks like a good kit.

For now, I got the GE looking respectable again with a damp cloth. 

[davesultra]

Naphtha works great on nitrocellulose finishes. Get the grime off with that, then use a good non-silicone based polish. Naphtha is good on fretboards too.

[Spectrum13]

All the above plus use oooo steel wool to clean the frets. Stumac sells fret guards cheep to protect the board, keep the pickups covered so the mags don't attract the shavings.

[tbonesullivan]

I am more about scotch brite or gorgomyte to clean the frets. Steel wool can get everywhere, and eventually may rust, so I tend to avoid it now that there are better alternatives around there.

For cleaning I use Stew Mac preservation polish, followed by Gibson Pump Polish (the orange label). That has worked best for me.

[tulk1]

This subject just came up on the mandolin forum. I was surprised at how many said they just used a cloth and a bit of warm water. More so than not. I'd never thought of just that. 

My recently purchased used acoustic guitar came in with a bit of grunge on it. I used my NomadMusic cleaner - alot of it. Then the polish. It's an all "natural" cleaner, no chemical solvents. Went thru two of my best cleaning cloths and made serious headway on a microfibre cloth. The guitar is squeaky clean, now. No damage to the finish, at all. I've used it on my Heritages, as well. 

[Gitfiddler]

All good suggestions.

Another consideration is Virtuoso Cleaner or Polish... Available online (Amazon) or a Guitar Center near you.

 

Play your new-to-you Golden Eagle in good health.

[Steiner]

8 hours ago, Gitfiddler said:

All good suggestions.

Another consideration is Virtuoso Cleaner or Polish... Available online (Amazon) or a Guitar Center near you.

 

Play your new-to-you Golden Eagle in good health.

+1

[Kuz]

15 hours ago, Gitfiddler said:

All good suggestions.

Another consideration is Virtuoso Cleaner or Polish... Available online (Amazon) or a Guitar Center near you.

 

Play your new-to-you Golden Eagle in good health.

Virtuoso is the bomb.  By far the best guitar cleaner and also the best polish I have ever used.

[tbonesullivan]

All I know is that the Gibson pump polish took a really old looking pickguard on my 535 and made it look great. It really does work awesome on nitro.

[Genericmusic]

Another  for Virtuoso. 

[LittleLeroy]

On 12/8/2017 at 9:10 PM, LuigiMcJazz said:

Hi All,

Recently acquired a 90s Golden Eagle after a long search for an archtop. Really loving it and so wanted to sign on to the forum and learn more about these instruments. So, hello to everyone. 

 

Since the guitar I acquired is in need of a good cleaning, I thought I'd check in for any pointers, since I'm not familiar with the Heritage finishes, etc. My question is will a damp cloth be adequate to clean the body before giving it a coat of the Martin polish, and is it ok to use steel wool followed by F-One oil on the fretboard, which is ebony with cloud inlays. I've had good results with this approach on other instruments. 

 

Thanks very much,

 

Pics forthcoming...

Welcome Luigi!  Looking forward to the pics.

[peteraltongreen]

Here's what I use.Always use a spirit polish.I find that a wax polish drags my palm on the back of the neck.Never use anything containing 'silicone'...that attacks the finish. For metalwork,I use a tube of metal paste,as used on cars  (NOT on Gold plate ).Don't over rub..you'll take of existing polish & plate. For Rosewood fingerboard, kitchen paper,soaked in Lemon oil.Let it work on the dead skin deposits,then,cocktail stick off the grunge ( I sometimes champfer the stick with a Stanley knife) ,and with clean kitchen paper,take of excess oil..Just like new. Before you play..make sure your hands are clean & dry.

[LuigiMcJazz]

Thanks everyone. 

I did contact Heritage about this and they recommended Aristo Shield Polish in their reply. Does anyone know how that compares to the others mentioned, or the Martin polish? 

 

Picture attached:

[AP515]

 

 

[DetroitBlues]

I think Uncle Rob may have the secret...

 

[DC Ron]

23 hours ago, peteraltongreen said:

Here's what I use.Always use a spirit polish.I find that a wax polish drags my palm on the back of the neck.Never use anything containing 'silicone'...that attacks the finish. For metalwork,I use a tube of metal paste,as used on cars  (NOT on Gold plate ).Don't over rub..you'll take of existing polish & plate. For Rosewood fingerboard, kitchen paper,soaked in Lemon oil.Let it work on the dead skin deposits,then,cocktail stick off the grunge ( I sometimes champfer the stick with a Stanley knife) ,and with clean kitchen paper,take of excess oil..Just like new. Before you play..make sure your hands are clean & dry.

If anyone knows a source for the Fender Instrument Care Kit by Meguiar's, please let me know.  Think it was discontinued several years ago, although some supply may exist.  This is a great kit, and my favorite of all these options...

[skydog52]

This is the best I have found. 

http://www.virtuosopolish.com/page13.php

 

http://64.176.243.231/store/

[LuigiMcJazz]

Thanks for all the replies, and the comic relief. 

[Tammuz7000]

If you use Martin polish make sure you put it in the cloth first before you put it on the guitar. Lots of issues a few years ago about that on the Martin forum. I would get virtuous cleaner and polish and it will look like new.


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