deisenbarth Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Hi everyone. Got a question that maybe some of you may have tried. I have a Worn Brown Mahogany Les Paul that I want to clean. I have a friend that told me Pledge spray wax will be ok on it. Because it is Mahogany and has the little wood grain grooves in it I was wondering if the spray wax would do any harm. Thanks Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 It may be mahogany but does your friend know that the guitar has a lacquer finish? I don't know what Pledge will do to your guitar but why don't you just stick with cleaners specifically intended for guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 NO!!!! Don't use Pledge... Just use some normal guitar polish. I haven't cleaned mine since I got her.... Just wipe it down with a duster.. or like Are nine says use some proper guitar polish.... Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 A friend is telling me you can use gas on it... just go to a gas station and ask for 1 liter of unleaded gas. Just kidding, try normal guitar products, gibson has some, GHS has a very nice guitar polish/cleaner, make sure they are intended for nitro finishes. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deisenbarth Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Thanks all. That's pretty much what I had figured. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHawk233 Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Vintage mahogany has no Nitro finish.... Just popping in here because I dont know how to clean mine, but then again the body doesn't get dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Vintage mahogany has no Nitro finish.... Just popping in here because I dont know how to clean mine' date=' but then again the body doesn't get dirty.[/quote']It actually does have a Nitro finish, it's just so light (3-4 coats, as apposed to the usual 6-7) that, it doesn't show. Just think of it as a VERY faded finish. Hence the "Vintage" in Vintage Mahogany, where Vintage=Faded. But as some people have already stated, DO NOT! use Pledge, or any kind of FURNITURE polish on any guitars, especially those with a nitro finish...unless you want them to feel "stickey" every time you pick them up to play. The best thing to do is, wipe your guitar with a damp cloth (perferably lint-free), after every use, because over time, after polishing it with actual polish, you will notice A LOT of build-up, as many guitar polishes contain carnauba wax, that will eventually fill in the pores in the wood, and ruin the finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 You may be referring to Virtuoso, which comes as a cleaner and a polish, both of which are mislabeled IMHO because the cleaner has some abrasive and a "polish" can mean many things. Posters here and elsewhere swear by the stuff for polishing out a dull finish, which in the vintage world is a no no. I usually use Martin Guitar Polish (made by Guardsman) but there's also pump polishes from Gibson and Planet Waves (which has a cinnamon smell) which are thin cleaner/waxes that won't leave much residue. There are also "waxes" but you won't need them very often. I try to use a microfiber towel to wipe down the neck and strings every time I finish playing. Meguiar's makes guitar products now, whereas in the car wax world "polish" means something abrasive, the label is used differently for furniture and for guitars. Planet waves has a set of products called "restore" (which had wierd results on a vintage Hagstrom so I'm cautious about it, it seems to soften the finish a little bit before it dries), "protect" (which is a creme wax), and "Shine" (which is the cinnamon candy smelling stuff that works much like Martin pump polish - spray a little on a rag and clean the guitar with it. By the way, if you really have tremendous gunk on there and you're trying to clean it off and maybe strip any waxes that might have been put on there before, you can use naptha. Naptha is available in quart cans at the paint store labeled "VM&P Naptha" (varnish makers & paint), or in small bottles at the convenience store labeled "lighter fluid." It's safe for nitrocellulose finishes. In fact, it can be used to clean the dark gunk that you see on the fretboard sometimes. Then, knowing that you've just removed all the old wax, it might be a good idea to come back with some polish or wax (unless that affects the appearance of the patina on the particular guitar, which is a matter of taste). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Vintage mahogany has no Nitro finish -1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHawk233 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Wow, Ok so That figures why theres the smallest amount of shine on my guitar.... Thanks for the heads up, so Guitar polish will be ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 so Guitar polish will be ok? Indeed. I recomend GHS guitar polish. Most of the guys here would recomend Virtuoso polish. There is also the gibson product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHawk233 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I have the Dunlop stuff, but I dont think the polish is too great. I'll get virtuoso polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luamano Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Aloha all. The main thing to remember is not to use anything that contains an abrasive. I bought my LPC natural finish in 1979 and have used "Pledge" all these years. It is absolutely perfect. No change in color other than aging. I must admit, I did use Pledge on my '58 FT-79 "Texan" once but never again. The "Texan" became dull instead of glossy. It took a little panic and sweat to regain the original look. I can't explain the difference other than one is a Gibson and the other an Epiphone. I guess the safe thing to do would be to follow Gibson's advice or recommended polishes. You gotta start clean in order to get dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I've had this for over 20 years..........wiped the sweat off it as quickly as practical, dusted it with a terrycloth towel, lemon oiled the fretboard when it gets dry (about once a year). NEVER used cleaners, waxes, polishes, etc, on it. Might want to leave the chemicals for guns and cars.....not Nitro finished guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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