Rejuvenating oil for old guitars....

I like this even better than mineral spirits:

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html

best regards,
mike

Well no you're not supposed to drink it !!!!

Thanks for the warnings but it's already been done to my guitar and I like it !!

djwayne


It costs about $9.00 dollars a can, but one can should last me for decades. 

I couldn't help but think that in decades in may not be as potent. You may need to buy a new can of the stuff to work wonders on the old stuff.

Is the expiry December 22, 2012?

Regular lemon oil is an excellent solvent. I've used it many times to clean really gross guitars. If you have a real mess like sticker residue, naptha works great. Coleman camp fuel is a cheap source and it doesn't react with finishes. It is dangerous, so use with care and observe all the warnings.

What do you guys use for cleaning heavy gunk off of gold plated pickups, bridges, and tuning knobs? I have an old guitar that had that moldy green dirt buildup on a lot of the hardware when I got it and I've been afraid to touch because I don't want to accidentally remove the gold plating.

djwayne

Gold plating wears off easily no matter what you do. This is why chrome plated hardware is popular amoungst seasoned pros.
 
I haven't had that problem so I'm not the one to answer it.

The guitar is 31 years old and none of the plating has worn off yet so I don't buy in to the pro's preferring chrome idea.

It boils down to how well the person playing it takes care of it.

Got my answer on-line.

Thanks.

Bub

djwayne

Gold plating wears off easily no matter what you do. This is why chrome plated hardware is popular amoungst seasoned pros.

I haven't had that problem so I'm not the one to answer it.

The guitar is 31 years old and none of the plating has worn off yet so I don't buy in to the pro's preferring chrome idea.

It boils down to how well the person playing it takes care of it.

Got my answer on-line.

Thanks.

That's the way it was explained to me, no reason to get rude about it. Care to share what you found out on the web ??

Mineral spirits

djwayne


Some people even recommend lighter fluid, but I wouldn't. I'm happy I used this Rejuvenating Oil as my old guitar has been brought back to life with no problems at all and it looks great !! 

For what it's worth...
The oil you used is recommended for oil finished wood. Does your Martin have an oil finish?
 
As John mentioned- Naptha....it is lighter fluid and his recommendation is excellent for cleaning
unfinished wood and metal plated components. I also support his recommendation of lemon oil and especially so for those that have an oil finished instrument.
Purchasing Naptha is much cheaper than paying for lighter fluid. It should go without mention that it can be a dangerous in the wrong hands but...
 
I highly recommend that folks take the time to learn what finish is on their instruments
and if you're still uncertain about how to or what product to use on the instruments finish then
consult a local luthier or contact the manufacturer.
 
Taking the advice from somebody that may have had success on their instrument with a
product not recommended for the particular finish is NOT going to mean it will work on yours and
in fact could ruin the finish on your instrument.
 
I personally would have followed Martins advise and cleaned it with a damp warm cloth and then
polished it. The fretboard is a completely different issue as are any unfinished parts that may include
the bridge.
 
I understand that this conversation has expanded to include electric guitars hardware. I
addressed the Martin acoustic only and assumed it had the original finish.
 
I was hesitant to post here as the last time my opinion was met with "the master has spoken"...
so I'll add...I only offer my opinion...please consult a "master" if needed as I do not consider myself one.
 
 

I'm glad it worked for you.

Naptha is probably the most common product used for removing wax.
Although lighter fluid is naptha it can also have other ingredients. I would not use
lighter fluid.
If one uses Naptha sufficient time for evaporation should be given.

Before using Naptha I would use this.

I mainly use Naptha for cleaning wood that I will be glueing together. I feel
better knowing that my guitar bodies and necks are joined by glue and nothing else :).

Well researching the finish on a 35 year old giutar and contacting a luthier was not on the agenda. All I wanted to do was remove some old wax and clean up the guitar. Mission accomplished.

I like the scunge on my 42 year old Martin. It's all me.

djwayne

Bub

djwayne

Gold plating wears off easily no matter what you do. This is why chrome plated hardware is popular amoungst seasoned pros.

I haven't had that problem so I'm not the one to answer it.

The guitar is 31 years old and none of the plating has worn off yet so I don't buy in to the pro's preferring chrome idea.

It boils down to how well the person playing it takes care of it.

Got my answer on-line.

Thanks.

That's the way it was explained to me, no reason to get rude about it. Care to share what you found out on the web ??

I wasn't being rude.

The most common way I could find to clean the green cruddy buildup was to take the pickup cover off and soak it in very hot soapy water.

I know there's some people here who are well versed on the subject, so I asked hoping to get some old timers secrets for cleaning crud and causing the least amount of damage.

Thanks.