atreyu260 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 hey whats up i was wondering what you all thought the best way to clean a les paul is i just got my first lp [-o</ it took me forever to save for it... i wanna know how u all clean bodies and necks??... does ne one know if the ernie ball wonder wipes are good for a gibson fretboard?? THaNks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 If you have a pickup, you can put it in the bed with the case open and drive thru one of those automated car washes. :-) Congrats on your new guitar! First, try to keep it clean to start with. My kid leaves all kinds of greasy sh!t on my guitars if he just looks at them. Gibson polish and good quality cloths are a must. Wash your cloths OFTEN to keep entrained grit from harming your finish. I have used Windex on mine to get really stubborn stuff off with no harm done. Of course, nobody at Gibson will recommend THAT.... Conditioning fretboards is way over rated in my opinion. Keep them clean, and after a few years hit it with 0000 steel wool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The rules of the forum clearly state ... All new Gibson Les Paul purchases must be posted in picture form ... :-$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Hey Neo... Do you get the extra hot wax on the drive threw?? Post some pics!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atreyu260 Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 ...its not a new gibson its a 1993 standard...i cant figure out how to post pictures but ill keep tryin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plank_Spanker Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Keep your hands clean when you play. Wipe the strings down when you're done playing. That's about it. You won't need to clean the fretboard on any regular basis unless you really gunk it up with BBQ sauce and Fritos. Normally, I clean and rehydrate my fretboard about once a year with woodwind bore oil. As for the body, I use a good quality polish and make sure that any rag that touches the finish is 100 per cent cotton It's not as high maintenance as you might think.................. Congrats on your new LP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I've used Trick guitar polish... others swear by Gibson pump spray. What I am using now is a product for high end wood furniture and it works GREAT! Gratz the new axe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_104 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Can't go wrong with a brand correct guitar polish and some lemon oil for the neck if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The rules of the forum clearly state ...All new Gibson Les Paul purchases must be posted in picture form ... :-$ Here, Here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Can't go wrong with a brand correct guitar polish and some lemon oil for the neck if you ask me. Be care with lemon oil, it has known to not react well with certain rosewoods. Use the honey stuff which is far less potent, but still moistens thirsty fretboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaresz Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Congrats on the new LP! As everyone else has already stated use clean soft cloth, all cotton is best. I like Gibson's pump polish myself. Maybe a little fretboard conditioner once a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPDEN Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Also, to avoid build-up most manufacturers agree a damp warm cloth (not dripping wet!) is the best way to wipe down your instrument between playing. Use a polish like every third wipe down. Be sure to use clean cotton cloths. The sightest bit of dirt becomes an abrasive and can damage the finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Over the past 100 years, most Gibson guitars, banjos and mandolins have been finished with nitrocellulose lacquer. (The alternatives are varnish, polyurethane or polyester.) Although nitrocellulose is the traditionally preferred finish, it is not the most durable. It scratches fairly easily, and without the proper care, it can crack or discolor. With the proper care, a nitrocellulose lacquer finish will retain its beauty and functionality for decades. Here are the Do's and Don'ts DO... Wipe off the finish with a 100% cotton cloth after every playing session. The guitar polishing cloths that come with some instruments and are available at most dealers are 100% cotton, but soft flannel is what repairmen use. This is the most important thing you can do for a lacquer finish. And while you're at it, wipe down any metal parts if needed. Protect the instrument with a quality case. Hardshell is the best. If you want to polish your instrument, use a high quality guitar polish only. Polishes vary in their chemical composition, and some have a reputation for damaging a finish, but the great majority of finish damage allegedly done by the polish is actually the result of using a cloth that is not 100% cotton. Be sure not to leave any excess polish on the instrument. Check the climate where the guitar is kept or stored. To prolong the life of the finish and the guitar, humidity should remain a constant 45-50%. The rule of thumb for heat and humidity is, if you're comfortable, the guitar is comfortable. When shipping or storing the instrument, tune down the strings a step. DON'T... Never wipe down the instrument with anything other than a 100% cotton cloth. Anything else will scratch and dull the shine. Never put the instrument away with moisture, sweat, grease or anything else on it. Human sweat will quickly oxidize, dull, and destroy a lacquer finish if it is not wiped away before it is put up. Human sweat will also pit and tarnish metal parts if it is not wiped off after use. Never open a cold case in a hot room, and vice versa. If you do encounter extremes in temperature and humidity, leave the instrument in its case so that it can slowly acclimate to the change. Opening a case in a heated room after it's spent a few hours in the unheated trunk of a car could have the same effect on lacquer as pouring boiling water into a cold glass. It will crack right before your eyes. the proper acclimation time depends on the severity of the change. When you decide to remove the instrument, gently crack the case open for a time to allow for a gradual change in temperature. Don't let your belt buckle scratch your instrument. Prolonged belt buckle scratching will eventually remove the finish in that area. Do not leave the instrument in direct sunlight. This will cause a colored finish to fade. Shades of red fade the fastest. Do not use furniture polish or automotive polish or any abrasive polish. It may remove or destroy the finish. Don't try to touch up scratches or dings. Your guitar will look as bad as a car with "factory touch up" paint dabbed on it. Some types of damage can be touched up without refinishing, but this work should be done only by an experienced repairman. And finally, watch out for guitar or music stands that are not "lacquer friendly." The rubber tubing on many stands will eat through lacquer and stain the guitar through the finish into the wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbursted Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Gibson Luthier kit. I take advantage of a string change to hit the fretboard and body. A good diaper works well for a post play wipe-down (and I don't mean Pampers, that will surely f*** things up). Congratulations on your new Les Paul, and welcome aboard. PS If you go to Photobucket, you can upload your images, then copy the IMG to your posting in the forum. Good luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvendio Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 First of all congrats on the LP. Now with that said I would recommend virtuoso polish from my experience. Next about the polish cloths I find if you use the Gibson 100% cotton cloths make sure you don't press too hard when you polish because they will scratch. I got scared of using them after a small scratch on the back of my robot. I now use super fine microfiber cloths from L and M and no more probs. here is a close up of the Gibson cloth here is a cheap walmart microfiber here is the super fine microfiber from L&M here they are together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The big box stores (Home Depot and Lowes) have Norton Microfiber cloths in the sandpaper/paint section. Try the blue "wet" version (the red "dry" cloth looks like something your mechanic has in his pocket). Very soft microfiber terry cloths. keep one in the case and one on your guitar stand at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 First rate advice Axe! Good enough to repeat.... It scratches fairly easily' date=' and without the proper care, it can crack or discolor. With the proper care, a nitrocellulose lacquer finish will retain its beauty and functionality for decades. [/quote'] Yeah, the laquer is very soft and swirls easily. Nature of the beast. quality case. Hardshell is the best. Absolutely! Polishes vary in their chemical composition' date=' and some have a reputation for damaging a finish [/quote']Never use a polish that says it will REMOVE scratches! It has abrasives in it!!! You will regret it. To prolong the life of the finish and the guitar' date=' humidity should remain a constant 45-50%. [/quote']I'm in the desert' date=' and I keep humidity above 40% in my house with a humidifier. Usually, just cooking on the stove or showering add enough humidity. Spend $15 to get a good digital temp/humidistat to keep in the room so you can monitor it. When shipping or storing the instrument' date=' tune down the strings a step. [/quote']That's how Gibson ships 'em. Do not leave the instrument in direct sunlight. The damage will be much worse than you ever considered by the time you notice it. The rubber tubing on many stands will eat through lacquer and stain the guitar through the finish into the wood. Axe, this is one place I have to disagree with you. ALL stands with any sort of foam on them are considered dangerous in my opinion. Don't take a chance. Get some white cotton wash cloths to put between the rubber and the guitar. Oh, I was just kidding about the car wash thing.... If the guitar is a '93 (I had a black '93 Standard) it's probably a good solid guitar. If it was gonna break or freak out, it would have happened YEARS ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbursted Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 First of all congrats on the LP. Now with that said I would recommend virtuoso polish from my experience. Next about the polish cloths I find if you use the Gibson 100% cotton cloths make sure you don't press too hard when you polish because they will scratch. I got scared of using them after a small scratch on the back of my robot. I now use super fine microfiber cloths from L and M and no more probs. Great close-ups. I can see I need to be looking into a replacement cloth. Thanks for the tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibis Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Be care with lemon oil' date=' it has known to not react well with certain rosewoods. Use the honey stuff which is far less potent, but still moistens thirsty fretboards.[/quote'] Agreed, I've been told to use Teak Oil for the fretboard (cheap, freely available for garden furniture) by a renowned luthier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibis Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Don't let your belt buckle scratch your instrument. Prolonged belt buckle scratching will eventually remove the finish in that area. Join the club of guitarists that wear their belt buckle one loop to the side away from centre (LHS if you're right handed). Looks a little strange, and takes a little getting used to, but you'll never worm up the back of a guitar by accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Cotton and soft flannel cloths are great for cleaning, if you like scratches in the finish. Stick to the mico fiber kind. Virtusoso cleaner and polish is the very best stuff to use IMO but in general any cleaner formulated for guitars will be O.K. and about once a year (maybe) I'll clean the fretboard with Gibson's fretboard conditioner. It's not terribley important unless it's really gunked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvendio Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I forgot to mention be cautious with the stitching on some microfiber cloths either cut them off or tuck them under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.