Proper way to clean/polish Gibson Les Pauls??

[Guitar God]

I'm using Lizard Spit guitar polish at the moment and it's some great guitar polish. As for cloths, I'm using an Ernie Ball guitar polish cloth and I have one or two Fender polishing cloths, too.

 

 

[old mark]

Whatever polish or cloth you use, do it by hand and lightly...take a little time with it and you will do a better job.

 

 

 

mark

[Yuro]

So I was cleaning my LP today with Dunlop spray polish and a microfiber cloth and noticed that I have hairline scratches on my finish. I've heard that this can be because I am "dragging" the tiny pieces of dirt across the finish as I wipe the guitar with the cloth. I've always sprayed the polish onto the guitar then wiped it with the cloth. Should I spray onto the cloth THEN wipe the guitar? help!

 

 

You guys actually clean them?

 

I figure I'll play them for 10 years to decide if I want to keep them. If I don't, I'll buff up the ones I'm selling. If I don't polish constantly, there's more finish to work with.

 

But seriously, folks…

 

I love a little patina on my guitars, LP's included. I dislike chrome because it doesn't change. I love nickel because it does and it turns a very pleasing, to me, sort of vintage cool. I must not be alone in this because the more expensive custom shop guitars all use nickel hardware like the original 40's 50's and 60's Gibsons did. Chrome is for car bumpers. I think it looks a little cheesy on vintage or vintage-like guitars (like LPs). Keep it off my pickups and hardware please. I even like my gold hardware with patina.

 

Guitars that are worshipped and kept in brand-new condition are not any more desirable than ones with normal patina. Some collectors will disagree, but I buy plenty of nice guitars with light scratches or even buckle rash on them. If they are what I want, I'll pay the price. Shine doesn't make them better looking or playing to me. Some guys need that perfection. If it motivates you to play better, go for it.

 

When you buy that brand new guitar, it's difficult not to fret (get it?) about the first tiny scratch on the finish. Put more tiny scratches on by playing it! It will look better. There are polishes that can bring it back to perfect again, but repeated polishing and rubbing with chemicals isn't the best idea long-term. Pick your time to polish. It shouldn't be a daily or even weekly or (IMHO) even monthly activity. About annually, I'll go over a guitar that I play a lot and do what needs doing…but no more than that.

 

Consider also that polish has airborne chemicals bleeding off…that nice polish smell is just one of those. If you polish yours down constantly, at least don't close it up in a case until the chemical vapors have had a chance to bleed off the finish. Don't leave that stuff trapped in your case with your guitar. Remember there are pickups in there and wiring and pots. Heck, even chemicals from the vintage plastics have been known to do bad things. Early pickup rings come to mind as a particularly vulnerable item. Finding originals in good shape is a rare thing and those parts are worth a lot of money now. Same with the early plastic tuner ends. They sort of disintegrated just from being left in a case too long or seeing the sun or some combination thereof.

 

I do like to clean up the fingerboard when I change strings and maybe rub it down with a trace of oil it if it looks dried out. I'll clean the finish if I've gotten it sweaty or clean the back of the neck when it gets caked up. Otherwise, I leave it alone. A coat of polish when you first get a new guitar may be a good idea for some guitars. I try to keep my guitars in the cases and just concentrate on not bashing them against things or dropping them. That's about all the care they really need. I'll buy a guitar with a small imperfection but I won't buy one with a repaired neck. I've got two re-fin guitars. I'd rather have a beat-up original than a re-fin generally but I'll make exceptions for exceptional guitars.

 

I like to buy great examples of great guitars that are in VG or so condition at good prices. That way I don't worry so much about them and can concentrate on extracting great sound out of them. Mint guitars, for me, are just too precious and not worth the effort to try to protect them.

 

I feel the same way about cars, BTW. Perfect ones are perfect because they are not driven or because their owners spend more time cleaning than driving or both. It's a dirty world out there.

[Guest Farnsbarns]

I dropped my Lester in for a fret dress recently. I've specifically asked him not to polish my guitar just in case his does that as part of the service, I don't want it all buffed shiney.

[Sitedrifter]

As others have said, flannel is the choice material for cleaning and or polishing your guitar. Microfiber should not be used because even the softest you can find (and you won't find the really soft MF towels in an auto store or walmart) will harden up over time and will cause scratches. When I say harden up, I mean the fibers become stiff and while it may still feel soft it will scratch the nitro finish to hell. Also, you should wash your guitar cloths either by hand or with laundry detergent that has NO softners in it.

 

Go to Walmart and by a yard of white cotton flannel cloth for under 10 bucks. You will have enough cloth for years.

 

 

Disclaimer: what I wrote above pertains to a nitrocellulose finish. If you have a poly urethane finish guitar such as a Taylor. Have at it with what micro fiber towels and wax with silicone in it as that type of finish is more durable then any automotive finish.