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Author
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Topic: Cleaning up your steel
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Brinton Payne
Member From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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posted 20 October 2003 11:05 AM
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Can anyone give suggestions on cleaning up your psg? Is there a metal polish that can be used or lacquer polish? |
Larry Bell
Member From: Englewood, Florida
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posted 20 October 2003 11:29 AM
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The most important thing you can do is to wipe off your strings and endplates (and anything else you touched while playing). Fingerprints can become permanent, especially if your sweat is very salty/acidic. Just wiping them down with a clean cloth after playing will go a long way toward keeping the metal looking new.If you (or a previous owner) didn't take good care of the metal finish, you can use a cymbal rouge or MILD abrasive metal polish. A common brand is Simichrome, made by the Happich Corp in Germany. It will remove a few molecules off the top, resulting in a black sludge that will buff out to a shine, if the scratches aren't too deep. If the scratches are really deep, there's little you can do short of disassembling the guitar and having the endplates, sides of a metal neck, pedal bar, etc. buffed by a professional who has experience with steel guitars. For mica or the naugahide/vinyl pads on some guitars, I use ArmorAll. It leaves a protective coating and prevents vinyl from drying out. Works pretty well on mica finishes too. Do NOT use anything abrasive on shiny mica. It won't shine for long.  For lacquer, I've always used lemon oil and nothing else. Wax will build up, but lemon oil leaves a light coating of oil that protects the wood and the finish. I don't have a lacquer guitar right now, but when I did, I would go over it with lemon oil once every week or two. They looked new when I sold them. I would occasionally use Meguire's rubbing compound if little scratches appeared. That's what works for me. ------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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Dale Bessant
Member From: Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
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posted 20 October 2003 03:33 PM
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Hey Brinton,
Hello from Canada, I use a product called
Autosol, you can get it in tubes or cans,it does a wonderfull job on polished aluminum or chrome, use it sparingly and it will buff up to a glorious shine,try it you'll like it...  |
Brinton Payne
Member From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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posted 20 October 2003 03:37 PM
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Thanks a ton Larry and Dale! I think my biggest fear is messing up the finish. I some of these guys playing and their guitars look brand new (when I know they are not). I'll try an underpart or corner with the products you suggested. |
Nicholas Dedring
Member From: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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posted 20 October 2003 05:36 PM
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Blitz cloth seemed to do a nice touch-up on some dingy endplates and changer body (I don't know what the right term would be, not the fingers themselves, but the thing that they are held by)... available for plated metals and other kind for non-plated metals. Also does a pretty good job removing the scuzz off of the plain steel strings.That won't do it if it's really severely grungy, but it's worth a dry, and is less messy than tubes of polish, I thought. |
Roger Crawford
Member From: Locust Grove, GA USA
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posted 20 October 2003 05:46 PM
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For the metal parts (end plates,pedal bar, etc),Mothers mag polish. Get it at most any auto parts store. |
Dennis Detweiler
Member From: Solon, Iowa, US
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posted 20 October 2003 07:38 PM
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Flitz metal polish is great stuff also. Comes in a tube and makes polished aluminum look like chrome. Apply it like brasso. I've used 500 grit wet/dry sandpaper to remove scratches. Then polish with Flitz.
For lacquer in need of overdue cleaning...I use a car finish cleaner and then put a couple coats of Liquid Glass car polish on it. It's not a wax, so it won't build up or turn yellow. It leaves a finish that looks like you put a clear coat on it. I have a 1976 MSA that looks like it's new.
Dennis |
sonbone
Member From: Dallas, Texas
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posted 21 October 2003 12:05 PM
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Q-tips come in handy to wipe off the smudge under the tuning keys and other places that are hard to get at with a polish cloth. For light touch up of the bright work, I use glass cleaner and a paper towel. Be careful not to get any in the changer though.Sonny |
Ken Williams
Member From: Arkansas
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posted 21 October 2003 04:48 PM
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Pipe cleaners are pretty good for cleaning in under the strings beyond the nut. A soft paint brush or make-up brush works pretty well for removing dust. It doesn't hurt to have a can of compressed air, like you buy at Office Depot, on hand. I hope you guys don't have heart failure, but I use a product called "Never Dull" cotton wading on the chrome. The reason I say that about the heart failure is that I've had people tell me that it is too abrasive. But, I've never had any problem with it. I don't put a lot of pressure when applying. I just apply in small circles with light pressure. I don't use it on the aluminum, as it will take the color out. But, for the end plates, and high gloss sides of the necks, and tuning key areas, it does a good job for me. Ken
http://home.ipa.net/~kenwill |
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