How Do You Keep Your Mosrite Looking New??

[Dennisthe Menace]

I don't think I've seen any postings on this yet, but I was just wandering how the rest of This Crew keeps their Mosrites looking 'Like New Condition,' well at least cosmetically. I myself, WAX my guitars once every few months.... No, you heard me right, as long as the guitar has a nice shine to the surface already, I actually use "PURE" Carnuba Wax on my guitars...... Now keep in mind, I'm referring to guitars that have a Healthy Finish on them already. Others are going to require other procedures or steps as far as getting them into that type of condition.
Does anybody else here wish to share their Secrets?

[zak]

How Do You Keep Your Mosrite Looking New??

I don't.

The thick layer of grime, dirt, dried beer & sweat, and various other debris protects the finish.

[dubtrub]

Zak, that's the reason I had to have the bridge pickup rewound on my '64.

When I first get a guitar I'll use a carnuba past wax, but after that I only use a soft cloth with a little Lemon Pledge sprayed on it to keep it clean. If I want the finish to have a high luster, then I'll use a silicon based swirl remover. If the finish is 'poly' the I forget the carnuba and only use the silicon swirl remover. This is probably one of the best protection of all.

When I change strings, I'll use a lemon oil concentrate on the fretboard. I'll put on a heavy coat and let it soak for about five minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. I'll then rub what remains into the wood.

After each sweaty playing session, I'll use naphtha soaked on a rag to wipe down the strings. They will last a lot longer using the naphtha as it removes all the oils, sweat and grime. Oh yeah, for us old folk's, slobber too.

EDITED: 10-2-08

Well folks, I have a HUGE correction to make regarding my use of lemon oil. After all this hoopla over lemon oil being bad for fretboards, I dug out my 25 year old bottle of lemon oil , only read the barely legible label "orange oil'. Well that had me dumbfounded as I have told people for years to use lemon oil. There is a big difference between the two. After researching the difference on the internet, I find that lemon oil contains mineral spirits, where orange oil is all natural. Lemon/Orange Oil.

For all those folks I've steered wrong over all these years, I apologize.

[zak]

Zak, that's the reason I had to have the bridge pickup rewound on my '64.

I don't see how waxing the finish will protect the pickups from being soaked in various fluids? Regardless of how dilligently you wipe the guitar, stuff is still gonna get inside the pickup...

[kenposurf]

There are two products you should know about: 1)Maguiars Scratch X and 2)Zymol Cleaner Wax...you should also get a supply of very soft cotton cloths or better yet find a diaper supply outfit near you and buy a stack of "pre softened" cloths. The other guitarist in our band is truly a master of finishes and how to care for them. He teaches concept car design at the post grad level and in his spare time is a one man custom shop for Rickenbacker guitars. Paul builds beautiful Rick acoustics all with one of a kind finishes ..there is a waiting line 6months-to a year I believe for his refins. These products are what he uses as do I. If anyone needs more info on this I can post a link to the Rick site that talks more about it.

[ElTwang]

I've always been told that using all kinds of guitar-products/fluids was an unnatural way to treat the woods and fretboards....also I'm a fan of the wear and tear gigging and playing do to my instruments. In other words, I only wipe my guitars clean with a cloth after gigs and sweaty rehearsals.

[dubtrub]

You are correct ElTwang,

I should clarify that when I change the strings, I wipe down the fretboard with naphtha to clean off the grime, sweat and gunk build up. Then it is necessary to rejuvenate the rosewood as the naphtha removes the natural oils drying it out.

[kenposurf]

The posted question was how to keep your axe looking new. I too have a couple of relic style guitars that I never polish but if you want to keep the finish looking good the products I mentioned are the bomb. Remember wer're talikng about the guitar body NOT the fretboad you're not treating the wood but the finish on the body.

[Dennisthe Menace]

I actually had quit using the lemon oil a few years back. For some reason, I started thinking that the 'lemon' part is acidic. Acidic type chemicals dry up the natural oil in the wood. So I thought that at the same time you are administrating the lemon oil onto the fretboard, you are also drying it out...???? But that's just me I'm using a small amount of linseed oil onto the fretboard every other time I change strings......

[dubtrub]

I actually had quit using the lemon oil a few years back. For some reason, I started thinking that the 'lemon' part is acidic. Acidic type chemicals dry up the natural oil in the wood. So I thought that at the same time you are administrating the lemon oil onto the fretboard, you are also drying it out...???? But that's just me I'm using a small amount of linseed oil onto the fretboard every other time I change strings......

Lemon oil concentrate is used in restoring the dried out woods in antique furniture. I use linseed oil on gunstocks as it is a varnish type of substance that actually creates a thin layer when rubbed on the surface of raw wood eventually building up a layered finish. I used to use Linseed oil on fretboards and finally had to use lacquer thinner to clean off the build up. Lemon oil will revive dried out wood while allowing it to breath. It doesn't seal the wood pores and doesn't build up. I should also mention that a saturation of any type of oils on a fretboard can damage the wood by softening it allowing fret to become loose. I apply it then wipe it all off. Only a microscopic amount will remain.

And as you say, Dennis, that's what you use. What I use may not be for everybody, and I'm not recommending anything. I'm just saying what I use.

EDITED: 10-2-08

Well folks, I have a HUGE correction to make regarding my use of lemon oil. After all this hoopla over lemon oil being bad for fretboards, I dug out my 25 year old bottle of lemon oil , only read the barely legible label "orange oil'. Well that had me dumbfounded as I have told people for years to use lemon oil. There is a big difference between the two. After researching the difference on the internet, I find that lemon oil contains mineral spirits, where orange oil is all natural. Lemon/Orange Oil.

For all those folks I've steered wrong over all these years, I apologize.