Nitro finish on neck

[MacDoggie]

I was getting ready to put my 535 back in its case for a while, (I've had it on a stand for a few weeks because of its regular use).  I was giving it a good wipe down with a microfibre cloth when I notice the back of the neck appears to have a finish problem starting up where your hand would rest when playing open chords.  It is not where the stand I use rests, so that had nothing to do with it.  The two things I am thinking it could be is residue from my hand, but its odd that it is so concentrated and built up in one place, rather than smeared up the neck also.  The other thing is a flawed finish in the worst possible place.

 

To eliminate the first possiblity, I was wanting to clean it with a recommended cleaner.  I am using the fender cleaning kit that has a Maguires solution and cloth in it.  Is there a better recommendation to use on this finish?

 

I'm really bumming about this, I bought it as "used" from Wolfe, but the neck wasn't an issue when I received it.  If it truely is the finish is bad, I have no idea how to get if fixed.  Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

Thanks...MacD  :'(

 

PS: I know pics would help with this, but haven't been able to get any with my camera yet.

[tulk1]

MacD,

 

Wanted to reply since you've had some views but no offer of help. Well, won't be much help here, either.  Mostly wanted to say Bummer and offer condolences. On some occasions the KZoo will offer to help. You might write the boys at the factory and tell them your story. Have you mentioned this to Jay yet?

[MacDoggie]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  No I haven't contacted anyone yet, I thought I'd get any ideas to see if I could try a better method of cleaning it before I went to Jay or Grahm.  I've had the guitar since April, so I suspect I'll be out on the island alone for help, but it won't hurt to ask them. 

 

I might contact them after I get a pic or two that shows the issue.

 

I have to say from reviewing the boards, the reputation of Heritage's build quality might be slipping.  Of course you always hear from the dissatisfied customers more than others (look at me, this is my first post at HOC).

[111518]

MacD:

On cleaning ... there is disagreement, I'm afraid.  I use Strew Mac's "preservation polish," which is silicon free, because silicon can be a real problem with any future ability to refinish.  Many of the commercially available polish/cleaners do however contain silicon, and it does work as a sort of rubbing compound and therefore more "deeply" cleans.  I don't know about the Maquires.  If you think you have a finish problem, I think I'd stay away from silicon at least until I got someone to look at it ...but others might have different advice.  If, on a luthier's advice, you decide you want to clean or smooth the finish abrasively, there are non-silicon rubbing compounds that you can use.

 

My first instinct says, given the season, that the problem might have to do with the impact of shrinking after having the guitar out of the case and in the air for two weeks without humidification.  (I live in the far North, and all my guitars move like crazy during the winter, and this sometimes shows up in the finish, action, way the frets feel at the edge of the neck, despite my best efforts to keep them and my house humidified.)  I don't know where you live, how you heat, if there's sun in the room, etc.  Hard to offer much substantive help, but like Tulk1 I can offer condolences.  I have finish issues on a couple of Heritages, but fortunately not where my hand rests when I play. 

[cosmikdebriis]

I have to say from reviewing the boards, the reputation of Heritage's build quality might be slipping.  Of course you always hear from the dissatisfied customers more than others (look at me, this is my first post at HOC).

 

Possibly so, but it's certainly important for everyone to air these issues.

 

Got to keep the guys at h on their toes, for their sake as much as ours

 

Brand loyalty is an important factor but it doesn't pay to forget "Hell hath no fury like a Woman guitarist scorned  >

[yoslate]

MacDoggie:

 

Sorry to hear about this unfortunate turn of events!  Residue from your hand...I hope not!  What do you do for a living?  But if there is a finish problem, finishes are chemistry, and this stuff can be idiosyncratic, to be sure.  Have a good luthier in the neighborhood?  I mean luthier, not some juvenile shredder with an opinion, at the local GC.  How about a college or university with a music program and string players?  They'll know someone to contact.  Find a luthier and get him to put the hard eye on it so that when you get in touch with Jay or the boys in K-zoo you can give them a little information, maybe eliminate some possibilities.  I would avoid the application of any more chemicals until someone knowledgeable has a crack at it.  If you need, ultimately, to contact Heritage, call them.  And as someone on another thread noted, just tell them you'll hold, rather than call back.  And I don't think one may make the general observation Heritage's build quality is "slipping"  More inconsistent than it should be, probably, but not "slipping," as a rule of thumb....  Good luck, and keep us posted.

[brentrocks]

that is certainly odd...i would like to see pics too.  i hope this can be resolved easily.

[SouthpawGuy]

I used to work in engineering and I was always paranoid about residues from oils and cutting compounds, even barrier cream and hand cleaners getting on to my guitars.

Is there any possibility that any of the above could be the culprit ?

Another possibility is that the prevous owner used a different cleaning method / solution to you and there could be a reaction between the two.

A long time ago I used household polish on a Strat, duhhh ! I know, and when I then use a proper polish the two reacted and the finish glazed over.

 

Hope you find a fix for the problem.

[MacDoggie]

My reference to residue from my hand I guess could have been more explicit; I meant SWEAT!  I don't have a industrial type of job, I try to keep my hands clean, but there is always the sweat and oils from the skin that I thought could effect it.  I have a old LP that I don't play all that often that doesn't have this problem but its a Nashville model.  It stays in a fairly controlled environment of the house with approximately 40% humidity, out of direct sunlight.  This guitar has never been gig'd.  I don't know what could have spawned the problem.

 

I've owned a variety of manufacturers and never had this problem.  I am just trying to see if the problem was on my side of the track or if this was common to others before I contact Wolfe or Heritage.

[GuitArtMan]

Are you sure it's not from the stand?  Nitrocelulose lacquer and surgical tubing don't get along well at all.  I've seen more guitar finishes tjen I can count mucked up by leaving them on stands or wall hangers with surgical tubing.

 

I like the Fender/Meguirs stuff and have been using Meguirs Mirror Glaze since the '70s.  The other stuff I really like is Virtuosso polish and cleaner.  I can't stand the StewMac Preservation Polish - absolute crap imho.  I can't believe they reccomend/sell that junk.

[Kuz]

Are you sure it's not from the stand?  Nitrocelulose lacquer and surgical tubing don't get along well at all.  I've seen more guitar finishes tjen I can count mucked up by leaving them on stands or wall hangers with surgical tubing.

 

I'll bet that this THE PROBLEM. I have this story over and over. It always come back to the stand, wall hangers, or even straps that have fake leather (vinyl) on them.

 

And this Nitro reaction doesn't take long... less than a week!

[Thundersteel]

I once bought a stand that was supposedly safe for instruments. After only one night, both my guitars developed yellow spots where they were resting against the stand.

 

I went back to the music store where I bought them, and got my money back. They claimed that the stands never damaged any of their guitars. I looked to see what guitars they had in the stands in the store--all lower-priced, import jobs with the super-thick, plastic-like finish on them!

[MacDoggie]

Somehow I doubt the stand is the culprit.  The stand I have is a Ultimate GS-100 Genesis Single Guitar Stand which basically has two fingers to support the headstock and doesn't touch the back of the neck.  The finish spot is below where the stand holds the neck piece.  The differene of the tab points under the headstock versus where you would hold the neck for an open C chord or such. 

 

I still haven't gotten to the pics yet due to work (I know I've got messedup priorities) but should be able to get them soon.

[tulk1]

While we're on the subject of stands I thought I'd mention that I use FretRest 100E stands by Proline. Marketed as non-reactive. Been using them nearly a year with no adverse effects on the finishes. I'm particularly worried about the EJ Strat as that is my main instrument at the moment. Not a smear or mark from the stand on it. Just an FYI.

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi Mac,

Is there anybody else who might have played or even polished the guitar ?

Just a thought ....

[Cryoman]

Hi Mac,

 

Nitrocellulose lacquer is pretty durable until some solvent has dissolved / reacted with it.  It's ability to be polished out is pretty amazing.  I'd start with a soft terrycloth some warm water and a half a drop of dishwashing liquid and see if you can rub out any dirt or surface "stuff" that might have reacted with the lacquer.  I would not scrub hard necessarily, just do small polishing circles for awhile to see if you can remove anything.  Once satisfied that your are clean of foreign matter / chemicals, etc... I'd  give it a rinse wipe or two with just water and then switch to a mild  cream guitar polish (Dunlop, Fender, McQuire's, etc) and try to polish, polish, polish it out again with small swirls from a linen / cotton polish cloth square (2" x 2").  I'm betting you'll get far with tenacity and patience.  My experience is that almost anything can be polished out of nitrocellulose lacquer provided it had not penetrated through all coats....

 

Cheers,  Cryoman

[MacDoggie]

Hi Cryoman,

 

Thanks for the suggestion.  This is the approach that a friend/luthier suggested.  He also added to use a small amount of windex after the soap to cut any residue.  The last step is using some virtuoso polish he had.  It seems to be working pretty well.  I'll use it again tonight and it probably will be okay. 

 

I also think I found the culprit.  Our neighbor kid may have been screwing around with it one day when the family was visiting.  I've been showing him some things and I think he wanted to get some extra "practice".  He's a good kid, and it seems to be cleaning up, so I think I'll let him off with a warning.  The way he is, no telling what it was...

 

That's why I have a dog!

[brentrocks]

I love a happy ending

[tulk1]

I love a happy ending

 

Oh yeah!! Don't we all. 

[MacDoggie]

Thanks to everyone who offered the help.  It's good to have people to call on!

 

[brentrocks]

Thanks to everyone who offered the help.  It's good to have people to call on!

 

 

where do you live...gonna join us in July???

[MacDoggie]

I'm about an hour SE of St. Louis.  Not sure what is happening in July you are referring to. 

[brentrocks]

I'm about an hour SE of St. Louis.  Not sure what is happening in July you are referring to. 

 

check out this thread

 

http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/i...opic,525.0.html

 

it may be a bit of a drive, but it will be fun!!! ;D  if you have any questions, feel free to call or PM me...269-207-7328

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi Mac, congrats on getting to the bottom of it.

 

CSI HOC to the rescue  ;D

[MacDoggie]

Sounds like it would be a great time, but I doubt I can be there.  Between my schedule and $4 a gallon gas it doesn't look good for me.  A video on the sight of the jam session would be cool though.  Play some blues for me...