Best Cleaner and Cloths For Nitrocellulose Finish ?

[Kenny821]

I've owned my G&L Jerry Cantrell Signature Rampage for 6 months now and I would like opinions on the best overall cleaner and cloths for the care and protection of a Nitrocellulose Finish... I DO NOT want to polish the guitar or brighten the finish to a shine, I only want to clean fingerprints and handmarks WITHOUT DAMAGING THE FINISH ...also, What's the best cleaner for an Ebony fretboard ?!?... Any long time G&L owners, your opinions are greatly appreciated. \m/

[Craig]

I've owned my G&L Jerry Cantrell Signature Rampage for 6 months now and I would like opinions on the best overall cleaner and cloths for the care and protection of a Nitrocellulose Finish... I DO NOT want to polish the guitar or brighten the finish to a shine, I only want to clean fingerprints and handmarks WITHOUT DAMAGING THE FINISH ...also, What's the best cleaner for an Ebony fretboard ?!?... Any long time G&L owners, your opinions are greatly appreciated. \m/

I checked with one of my contacts at the factory to see if your guitar has a Nitro finish.

Spencer looked it up by S/N and says:

That is showing as a Jerry Cantrell Rampage. It is our standard poly finish.

So, you can use a microfiber cloth with water for basic cleaning. Any of the major automotive body cleaners will work without hurting the finish, too.
I have have a few G&L's with Ebony boards but have not had to use anything special to clean them, just a water damp mf cloth and dry with another cloth.

Hope this helps.

[Kenny821]

I've owned my G&L Jerry Cantrell Signature Rampage for 6 months now and I would like opinions on the best overall cleaner and cloths for the care and protection of a Nitrocellulose Finish... I DO NOT want to polish the guitar or brighten the finish to a shine, I only want to clean fingerprints and handmarks WITHOUT DAMAGING THE FINISH ...also, What's the best cleaner for an Ebony fretboard ?!?... Any long time G&L owners, your opinions are greatly appreciated. \m/

I checked with one of my contacts at the factory to see if your guitar has a Nitro finish.

Spencer looked it up by S/N and says:

That is showing as a Jerry Cantrell Rampage. It is our standard poly finish.

So, you can use a microfiber cloth with water for basic cleaning. Any of the major automotive body cleaners will work without hurting the finish, too.
I have have a few G&L's with Ebony boards but have not had to use anything special to clean them, just a water damp mf cloth and dry with another cloth.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Craig, I thought it was done in Nitro because I saw a video on YouTube featuring Dave Chavez showing off all the Cantrell model Rampages ( https://youtu.be/h1uwmr9oS-s ) and he had mentioned 2 of them as being done in a Nitro finish ( The Limited Edition Blue Dress and the Torch Burned Rampage )... I thought they were all done in Nitro. As for cleaning, since I first bought the guitar, I have only ever wiped it with a dry mf cloth, I was always told to protect the fret board with lemon oil once a year , but I have never tried this on any of my fret boards ... I'm very wary of using anything that could or would damage my guitars.

[Tooslowhand]

For my ebony and rosewood fret boards I use fife oil from "The Fret Doctor". It really works well. Most lemon oil isn't really lemon oil.

[Craig]

I've owned my G&L Jerry Cantrell Signature Rampage for 6 months now and I would like opinions on the best overall cleaner and cloths for the care and protection of a Nitrocellulose Finish... I DO NOT want to polish the guitar or brighten the finish to a shine, I only want to clean fingerprints and handmarks WITHOUT DAMAGING THE FINISH ...also, What's the best cleaner for an Ebony fretboard ?!?... Any long time G&L owners, your opinions are greatly appreciated. \m/

I checked with one of my contacts at the factory to see if your guitar has a Nitro finish.

Spencer looked it up by S/N and says:

That is showing as a Jerry Cantrell Rampage. It is our standard poly finish.

So, you can use a microfiber cloth with water for basic cleaning. Any of the major automotive body cleaners will work without hurting the finish, too.
I have have a few G&L's with Ebony boards but have not had to use anything special to clean them, just a water damp mf cloth and dry with another cloth.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Craig, I thought it was done in Nitro because I saw a video on YouTube featuring Dave Chavez showing off all the Cantrell model Rampages ( https://youtu.be/h1uwmr9oS-s ) and he had mentioned 2 of them as being done in a Nitro finish ( The Limited Edition Blue Dress and the Torch Burned Rampage )... I thought they were all done in Nitro. As for cleaning, since I first bought the guitar, I have only ever wiped it with a dry mf cloth, I was always told to protect the fret board with lemon oil once a year , but I have never tried this on any of my fret boards ... I'm very wary of using anything that could or would damage my guitars.

Check your Build Specification Sheet, as it will list the body finish. If it says "Ivory" it is the standard Poly finish.

For example, here is the Build Specification Sheet for a Legacy Special with a Nitro body finish:


Hope this helps.

[Kenny821]

I've owned my G&L Jerry Cantrell Signature Rampage for 6 months now and I would like opinions on the best overall cleaner and cloths for the care and protection of a Nitrocellulose Finish... I DO NOT want to polish the guitar or brighten the finish to a shine, I only want to clean fingerprints and handmarks WITHOUT DAMAGING THE FINISH ...also, What's the best cleaner for an Ebony fretboard ?!?... Any long time G&L owners, your opinions are greatly appreciated. \m/

I checked with one of my contacts at the factory to see if your guitar has a Nitro finish.

Spencer looked it up by S/N and says:

That is showing as a Jerry Cantrell Rampage. It is our standard poly finish.

So, you can use a microfiber cloth with water for basic cleaning. Any of the major automotive body cleaners will work without hurting the finish, too.
I have have a few G&L's with Ebony boards but have not had to use anything special to clean them, just a water damp mf cloth and dry with another cloth.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Craig, I thought it was done in Nitro because I saw a video on YouTube featuring Dave Chavez showing off all the Cantrell model Rampages ( https://youtu.be/h1uwmr9oS-s ) and he had mentioned 2 of them as being done in a Nitro finish ( The Limited Edition Blue Dress and the Torch Burned Rampage )... I thought they were all done in Nitro. As for cleaning, since I first bought the guitar, I have only ever wiped it with a dry mf cloth, I was always told to protect the fret board with lemon oil once a year , but I have never tried this on any of my fret boards ... I'm very wary of using anything that could or would damage my guitars.

Check your Build Specification Sheet, as it will list the body finish. If it says "Ivory" it is the standard Poly finish.

For example, here is the Build Specification Sheet for a Legacy Special with a Nitro body finish:


Hope this helps.

It just says "Ivory"... standard poly finish, Thanks again, Craig \m/

[Kenny821]

For my ebony and rosewood fret boards I use fife oil from "The Fret Doctor". It really works well. Most lemon oil isn't really lemon oil.

Hey, thanks for the tip Tooslowhand...I'll check it out \m/