Official Luthiers Forum!

I have a question on maintaining my guitar, it's an absolute beginner's question. I am a computer programmer and almost never work with my hands so some of this basic terminology is completely foreign to me, almost pathetic.

Close to a year ago, I purchased an Avalon AS200CE

The guy that sold it to me also sold me Gerlitz Guitar Honey, and Gerlitz No. 1 Carnauba Guitar Wax & Polish, along with one of those Jim Dunlop clothes. The Gerlitz products can be found here. He said to apply the guitar honey and wax each time I change my strings...I am a bit overdue on that.

I am not quite clear on the instructions and wanted to know if someone could advise me? I don't want to take any chances and do damage to my guitar. Keep in mind I hardly work with my hands. As for the guitar honey, it says to first to buff it with superfine steel wool. How much effort should this part take? Should I buff it gently, or with pressure, how long? Does the word "buff" simply mean to rub? Next, it says to apply a thin layer of the guitar honey. I'll spray it on, easy enough. And buff it dry with a soft clean cloth. Is the Jim Dunlop cloth sufficient, or should I get an old tee-shirt?

As for the wax: "Lightly dampen the supplied applicator, and squeeze until nearly dry. Apply a thin, even coat with a circular overlapping motion. Allow the wax to dry to a haze, then buff off the residue with a soft clean cotten towel or polish cloth, turning the cloth frequently"

First of all, I am completely unclear on where I am supposed to apply this? Do I apply it everywhere but the fingerboard? Or just the front part of the body?

Now, it comes with an applicator which is kind of spongy. The wax is very hard. I assume the directions mean to dampen it with water, then rub it in the wax to soften it and get some wax on the applicator? Is that correct?

I am not sure what it means by "dry to a haze?"

By the time I am ready to buff off the residue with a soft clean cotten towel or polish cloth, will the wood be sticky from the wax? Am I to buff it until the wood is not sticky? And again, is the Jim Dunlop cloth sufficient for this? Would a regular bathroom towel or wash rag work as well?

Thank you for your patience with me!

Mostly you just need to wipe it clean with a cotton cloth. Most of us do a little something on the fretboard, but wipe most off.

Less is better in regard to polish and such. No kidding.

Congratulations on owning an Avalon. Hope it's one of the goodun's.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I just briefly skimmed their web site, but it sounds like a bunch of manufacturer ballyhoo to me. Do not oil your fingerboard every time you change your strings, unless you only change them once or twice a year. And I don't know about their polishes. They should be censured for telling you to rub your gloss finish down with steel wool. Unless I misunderstood and you were referring to the frets. In this case, 0000 steel wool is a common tool for cleaning frets and fret boards.

Polish your guitar when you change the strings with a plain old guitar polish. I like Dunlop 65, but there are tons of polishes that are fine. The "polishes" that leave a film that dries should not really be called polishes, but rubbing compounds or waxes. You don't need these unless you are going after swirl marks from a buffing wheel, or trying to remove years of gunk and grime or the occasional mild scuff marks. Once or twice a year it's okay to wax or oil the fingerboard. Howards Feed'n'Wax, mineral oil, the Gerlitz stuff (which is probably mineral oil repackaged and marked up 2,000%) - any of these are fine in moderation.

Just polish your guitar with plain old polish and a decent paper towel when it's dirty, and if you feel like it you can wax the fingerboard once or twice a year - or not, it doesn't matter that much.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Just use barbeque sauce.

Well, now, that opens up a lot of possibilities. Texas style, Kansas Style, Eastern NC vinegar based, Western NC Tomato based, SC Mustard based. Mustard probably wouldn't work as well. I'm sure there are plenty of others. The ones without sugar would probably be the best ones. Nothing worse than a sticky finger board. But, you could lick your fingers after you play each piecel Might be very pleasant.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Marc,
Don't use steel wool on your guitar at this point. It probably still looks brand new. Just wipe it down with a clean cloth. Towel, washcloth, bedsheet, white sock with a hole in it, Kotex, paper towel, it don't matter. Buy you a bottle of Lemon Oil and apply a small amount on the wooden fretboard and wipe off the excess. You'll be all good. Forget about all that buffing an polishing for now until you get to know your guitar better.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Marc,
Don't use steel wool on your guitar at this point. It probably still looks brand new. Just wipe it down with a clean cloth. Towel, washcloth, bedsheet, white sock with a hole in it, Kotex, paper towel, it don't matter. Buy you a bottle of Lemon Oil and apply a small amount on the wooden fretboard and wipe off the excess. You'll be all good. Forget about all that buffing an polishing for now until you get to know your guitar better.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

There is absolutely no need for you to use either of those products. Don't touch your guitar with steel wool.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I have had great results with cleaning my guitars with DISTILLED water lightly sprayed on a soft polishing cloth. That's all...no polish...no wax.

UNLESS it is coated with beer and tobacco smoke film crud from playing in those honky tonk bars. In that case, use a high quality cleaner/polish from some place like StewMac. Under no circumstances should you ever use a furniture polish or wax that hasn't been approved for musical instruments.

As David says, re-hydrate FB's once or twice a year with a SMALL amount of the specialized oils for FB's. I occasionally polish frets with micromesh abrasives.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com