Need help with a guitar repair please.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Hi All,

I have a 1967 Fender sunburst Coronado I in for repair. It needs new pots, which I've got covered. I'll carefully cut the ground wire from the trapeze to the output jack, as well as the shielded cable from the pickup to the volume control so that I do not have to take a soldering iron to the original pots and jack. I'll bag that assembly up and give it to the owner. Then I will replace the two pots, the tone cap and the output jack with new.

The guitar is in pretty good shape, but it is dirty. I told the owner that I would do only a light cleaning on the body and back of the neck because I didn't want to harm the finish.

The rosewood fretboard is also grungy. For that, I'll do a deep cleaning and moisturize with lemon oil. I have had good results with this method on my own guitars.

My question is this: What process / cleaning agents do you recommend for cleaning the body / back of neck?

Also, for the other processes I have described, would you do them any differently and why?

Many thanks,
Lou

[martin manning]

For cleaning old wax etc. from the body and neck I think naphtha, available as "lighter fluid" is the usual choice. Then polish with a commercial cleaner/polish like Virtuoso Premium Cleaner. People use mineral oil (which is sold as baby oil) on fret boards, or I have been using some stuff called Guitar Honey, whatever that is...

[Reeltarded]

GoJo hand cleaner.. original NOT pumice. lol not citrus either.

Apply with a damp cloth. Let stand. Count to 300. Remove with clean dry cloth. Beautiful! Whatever.

[brentm]

Have you tried bore oil for rosewood freeboards? Its nice and not heavy...

+1 on naphtha. Test a spot first just as a sanity check.

[Structo]

I use naphtha as well.

It will not harm nitro lacquer finishes.

But as usual, all things in moderation.

[cbass]

+1 Naptha.

I've been using linseed oil on fretboards.Is that a stupid thing to do?

[Firestorm]

+1 Naptha.

I've been using linseed oil on fretboards.Is that a stupid thing to do?

I think that's what Dan Erlewine always used.

[martin manning]

Speaking of Dan E, perusing Stew Mac's site I see they are selling a house-branded silicone-free polish, and for fretboards they offer lemon oil, tung oil, and their own mystery mix of linseed oil and something to dry (polymerize?) it, and avoid a potentially sticky surface.

[HeeBGB]

I have been using fret doctror for years. Only thing I buy for rosewood boards these days. http://www.beafifer.com

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Thanks so much for all the helpful replies! I live in a small town, and I am not even sure I will find naptha at our hardware store. So I took a trip over to Wikipedia to self-educate a bit before I make the trip over there. Turns out there is a slew of different varieties of naptha. Is this splitting hairs - will any naptha do, or should I be looking for a particular type? Also, if I am not able to come up with a suitable polish, is it unwise to clean the finish with naptha, and not do anything else (polish)?

Thanks again,
Lou

[brentm]

vm&p naptha is what ive used.

http://www.amazon.com/Klean-Strip-VM-P- ... B001G9TGQI

home depot and lowes for local pickup. works great as a lower powered goof off too.

[Structo]

The lighter fluid for Zippo lighters is Naphtha.

Ronsonol

http://content.costco.com/Images/Conten ... /2067b.jpg

[rdjones]

If it not too bad, Pledge furniture polish.