How do I clean and polish my new G&L?

[candleman]

Hi folks,

I was just delivered a brand spanking new Legacy HB (pics posted in porn section, LOL)... I've played it and it could use a cleaning after my drool, etc was inadvertently blathered all over it's awesomeness (just kidding). Actually, it just has some fingerprints and a bit of forearm goo from regular playing, but I want to be able to clean the new guitar without messing it up.

I guess my paranoia comes from a story way back a long time ago. When I graduated high school in 1980, my mom gave me a brand new Gibson Les Paul Artisan (think, hearts and flowers for neck inlay...). I was in love with that guitar and polished it constantly even from the first day. I made the terrible mistake of using Martin Guitar polish on the new Gibson finish... which ruined the finish and made it sort of a milky yuck that could not be wiped off.

Today, I think I'm good on the cleaner/polish... I learned my lesson and never bought that crappy Martin stuff ever again. I might use it on a 1978 Ford truck bumper, but never again on one of my babies. Now I have been using good ol' Dunlop 65 Guitar Polish and Cleaner. I've never had any problem with that stuff.

My concern is having the right cloth involved in wiping it down (combined with a good no-abrasive cleaner)...

I'm thinking the finish is new and I don't want to cause what car polishers call "spider webs"... small circular sort of scratches that never come out and can be seen in good lighting.

What I'm not sure about is the rag used to wipe the guitar with... used to be an all-cotton baby diaper was close by, but I don't have any of those these days. I don't even know where you'd buy any in this day and age of Pampers and Huggies (LOL). I found a local music shop was using a regular paper towel when they wiped off one of my Jackson guitars... I was kind of freaked out because I thought the paper towel would have sort of an abrasive quality to it... I never let them touch my guitars again.

Maybe (he wonders) buying some of those micro-fiber cloths might be the trick (???)

If there's any professional new G&L polishers out there, I'd appreciate your feedback. I love this new Legacy HB that I custom-ordered and I want to treat it with lots of TLC.

Thanks!!



Candleman

[Craig]

I just use water and a clean soft cloth. For many years I used cloth diapers (still have them in some of my guitar cases) but I did switched to micro fiber.
This topic has come up from time to time so search the G&LDP for them.

Hope this helps.

[CSVeteran]

I like Dunlop Formula No 65. It seems to work well on electrics, acoustics and anything with a finish on it.

[blargfromouterspace]

I just use water and a clean soft cloth....

Same here. There's absolutely no reason to spend money on special 'snake oil' guitar polishes.

[GeorgeB]

Maybe (he wonders) buying some of those micro-fiber cloths might be the trick (???)

That's what I use, works wonders for me. Sometimes I spray a bit of isopropanol alcohol when needed. All of my guitars have poly finishes so using alcohol is not doing any harm.
Over the long term, and with heavy stage use, the metal parts are far more problematic to keep in good shape...