Guitar polish

[DBCooper]

What polish to do you recommend for a 70's Les Paul? Any to stay away from? I'm afraid of using something that will hurt the finish. Thanks.

 

[Phusion974]

Virtuoso polish gets alot of praise.
Ive used it before with great results.

 

[jb_abides]

+1 Virtuoso, but use their cleaner first. Then polish sparingly, gradually, as needed to desired sheen.

 

[NorlinBlackBeauty]

+ Another for Virtuoso - cleaner, then polish. Use sparingly, one small section at a time with 100% clean cotton cloth.

Keep moving to fresh areas on the cloth as you progress. I use separate cloth for the cleaner and the polish.

It has limited distribution. eBay is where I usually get it for a somewhat better price.

About Us - The Virtuoso Group, Inc.

MOVING NOTICE… We have moved from California and are now in Meridian Idaho. Please note our new email: [email protected]. If

virtuosopolish.com

 

[sparky2]

Carnauba wax.

This is the best and easiest to work with, and it leaves your guitars looking and feeling fabulous.

I have been using it for many years now, on all my guitars.

 

[jstarr]

Virtuoso for hand rubbed polish. Dunlop 65 for spray.

 

[DBCooper]

Thanks, all. I ordered this on-line last night before I got any of your replies. Any concerns about this one? What threw me at first was that it uses the word "accessories" in the title, as if it is meant for polishing accessories. But then I realized that only Sweetwater is using the term. Gibson just calls it "guitar polish."

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PolishPump--gibson-accessories-4oz-polish-with-pump?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3251365098&rkg_id=0&utm_source=MSN&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Guitars&utm_term=ProductType3=guitar%20cleaning%20&%20careBrand=&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Guitars&adgroup=Guitars%20-%20Guitar%20Accessories&placement=bing&creative=78271523959160&device=c&matchtype=e&msclkid=8ccf808a8c0d13ba3b26dea1258931f9&gclid=CN-U9-fbnecCFUnAswodZaEEcw&gclsrc=ds

 

[NorlinBlackBeauty]

Thanks, all. I ordered this on-line last night before I got any of your replies. Any concerns about this one? What threw me at first was that it uses the word "accessories" in the title, as if it is meant for polishing accessories. But then I realized that only Sweetwater is using the term. Gibson just calls it "guitar polish."

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PolishPump--gibson-accessories-4oz-polish-with-pump?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3251365098&rkg_id=0&utm_source=MSN&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Guitars&utm_term=ProductType3=guitar%20cleaning%20&%20careBrand=&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Guitars&adgroup=Guitars%20-%20Guitar%20Accessories&placement=bing&creative=78271523959160&device=c&matchtype=e&msclkid=8ccf808a8c0d13ba3b26dea1258931f9&gclid=CN-U9-fbnecCFUnAswodZaEEcw&gclsrc=ds

It'll do, but nowhere near as well as Virtuoso. My best guess it will do a decent job at removing fingerprints, right arm top sweat smudge, etc.

Anything branded by the manufacturer is not going to be harmful. How effective is another thing.

Silicone is what you want to avoid when polishing a guitar finish.

 

[integra evan]

The Gibson pump polish is trustworthy good stuff, but the Virtuoso is better. Virtuoso is good for a deep clean, and the Gibson pump polish is good for a quick clean.

 

[NorlinBlackBeauty]

The Gibson pump polish is trustworthy good stuff, but the Virtuoso is better. Virtuoso is good for a deep clean, and the Gibson pump polish is good for a quick clean.

The Virtuoso polish is an excellent quick clean too. Pretty much all I use anymore.

The finish on my '73 Lester is not in the best of shape. My fault for not treating it well back in the day. I do not give it much attention unless it is string change time.

Even then, nowhere near as much fussing as I give my two bought new 2015 Martin 28 series Dreadnoughts. I tend to go OCD on those as the lacquer is quite thin. Virtuoso polish excels for those.

 

[Daniel.S]

Meguiar’s cleaner wax

 

[NorlinBlackBeauty]

Carnauba wax.

This is the best and easiest to work with, and it leaves your guitars looking and feeling fabulous.

I have been using it for many years now, on all my guitars.

View attachment 435092

Meguiar’s cleaner wax

Nearly all consumer grade automotive polishes contain silicone. Assume they all do.

They work just fine until you might need some finish repair done on your guitar. Silicone severely affects refinish attempts by interfering with the process needed for a newly sprayed finish to adhere and polish out well.

If you never have finish repairs done, you'll be OK. Why risk it? Just say no to silicone.

 

[Daniel.S]

I look after my stuff so no problems here!

 

[grumphh_the_banned_one]

Occasionally your guitars may need more than just a polish/wax, in which case some abrasive polishing agent is in order.

Ime sometimes "cloudy" areas on a guitar are not always just accumulated dirt/grease, but rather microscopic wear that dulls the finish. In that case no polishing compound will get rid of that cloudy area.

E.g. i used to have an Explorer that was cloudy where the forearm rests - and i spent inordinate amounts of time with various products trying to make it shini again. No dice.
Only when i got an abrasive polishing compound did the guitar get its shine back.

I polish by hand (which is sweat-inducing), because i don't trust myself with power tools and abrasives.

See that glare in my avatar? That's a '71 Deluxe right after the abrasive treatment - other pics from right after polishing can be found in this thread:

Please help me date my early 70's LP Deluxe :)

Hi, found this forum, and after many years (~15) of owning this guitar the mystery of its age still bugs me. Not so much that i have ever investigated this seriously before, but since i just broke a string, and thus decided to give the guitar a polishing, i figured i could just as well take...

www.mylespaul.com

 

[Sitedrifter]

I use Meguiars body shop safe polishes if there are scratches or haze that needs to be removed. No silicone in their polishes (tan bottles) and EJ Wheaton Microcrystalline wax for protection and Dunlop 65 spray carnuba for maintenance.
Of course not on my daily beaters just my stupid choice expensive guitars. LOL

 

[sparky2]

Nearly all consumer grade automotive polishes contain silicone. Assume they all do.

They work just fine until you might need some finish repair done on your guitar. Silicone severely affects refinish attempts by interfering with the process needed for a newly sprayed finish to adhere and polish out well.

If you never have finish repairs done, you'll be OK. Why risk it? Just say no to silicone.

I've been using Turtle Wax carnauba wax on all my guitars for many years.
Back in the old days, I used the paste wax kind in the squatty can, and then more recently, the spray shine.

Your advisement regarding silicon is duly noted and appreciated.

I have contacted Turtle Wax via their corporate website to ask the question, but I seriously doubt it will change my habits and preferences.

I love this wax, and use it on all my guitars, motorcycles, cars, and trucks.

 

[DarrellV]

I've been using Gibson pump polish since I got my 82 back a few years ago. My local shop had polished it up nice after a re-fret and it looked amazing! At least to me.

I've used it ever since and along with some tricks I learned in the Army I can work up a nice glass bowling ball shine on any of my guitars.

Gibson Pump on the 82

Gibson pump on the 2017 SD4

I was recently introduced to Virtuoso Polish and cleaner when I got this 2018 Classic in a rough satin finish.
Some of the same folk in here assured me it would shine it up without a clear coat spray.

As I got it..dull satin finish

After a couple cleanings and polishings with Virtuoso

I just did a complete clean and shine on the 82 the other night using the Virtuoso for the first time, just to see how it would do..

Either one is a great product and will do the job safely, IMO.. the rest is up to your own technique of polishing...

I credit mine to an old Army trick, you each have your own....

 

[HardCore Troubadour]

Jeebus....here we go.

 

[Daniel.S]

Jeebus....here we go.

Yep. @DarrellV is showing his guitars off again.
Any excuse

 

[DarrellV]

Jeebus....here we go.

Yep. @DarrellV is showing his guitars off again.
Any excuse

Forum rules since before I joined state clearly and I quote

', or it didn't happen!'

Just following the ruelz is all...