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lenny

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Joined
Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,415
Location
Nova Scotia Canada
Even if we sent it as a gift?....If i get a gift from my Aunt in the U.S.A ...i dont pay taxes or duties.....and sometimes we can find the Little bottles of Murphys ....which last FOREVER!!! ...we could probably ship those in a regular bubble mailer right to your post box!
 

Craiguitar

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Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
409
Location
New Waltham, UK
Even if we sent it as a gift?....If i get a gift from my Aunt in the U.S.A ...i dont pay taxes or duties.....and sometimes we can find the Little bottles of Murphys ....which last FOREVER!!! ...we could probably ship those in a regular bubble mailer right to your post box!

Well I got some spares for my guitar from EBMM, in a tiny jiffy bag, and got stung for Duty & tax, even though the spares were only worth maybe $15.

The shipper has responsibility to properly declare the goods upon export, and then the carrier has the responsibility for collection of charges before they can release / deliver the goods. It makes no difference if you say "gift" on the export docs.
 

Spudmurphy

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Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
It should make a difference if it is marked as a gift as the laws changed this year and a gift valued at £XYZ would be exempt from import and vat. However a gift valued at £ABC would be exempt from import but not VAT.
Sorry I don't have £xyz or £ABC values to hand but they should be on the HMRC web site?

I love my Murphy's;)
 

Spudmurphy

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Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Limits changed on 1/12/2008 (first December)
If UK'ers import goods as a commercially bought item, from non EU countries then if the value is less than 150 euros there will be no import duty. However the limit for VAT remained unaltered and remained at 22 euros. Therefore, if an item cost 140 euros, you would not pay import duty but you would pay VAT. According to my internal HMRC staff newsletter it went on to say that "Another thing that causes confusion is the differene between a purchase and a gift. There is further (sic)relief on duty and VAT for goods valued at 45 euros. So if Auntie Ethel in the USA sends you a birthday pressie valued at 45 euros or less you will not be charged duty or VAT".

I am not an expert on import duty - my field is personal taxation, so don't quiz me on this?
 

Craiguitar

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Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
409
Location
New Waltham, UK
Hi,
Well I finally procured some Murphy oil soap via evil-bay. I got a large bottle of the concentrate (to get more for my money, basically a lifetime supply). Anyway a great seller meant I got away with not paying the customs import duty & tax etc.

So, I cleaned my necks with the stuff and yeah I was surprised how much crap came out of the wood, and how much of the soap soaked in. A bit of Tru-oil & gunstock wax on there and they're good as new. Marvellous. :D
 

RocketRalf

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Joined
Dec 10, 2007
Messages
1,119
Location
Sydney
Hey guys, sorry if this was answered already: Technically what is Murphy's Oil Soap? How should I go shopping for a replacement where there is no Murphy's label? Where should I look? thanks.
 

Jerry Jim

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Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
71
Location
Wiesbaden, Germany
hey there,

well, can sombody tell me how to use the murphy oil soap?
I mean, do I have to protect my frets or anything? With the wonder wipes I can easily wipe everything off.

a little "walk-through" would be great, since I don't wanna damage my maple neck.
Do I need this soap only or anything additionally?

thanks,
Jerry
 

doesitmtter

Active member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
44
Location
Chicago, Illinois, United States
I use a small dab on an old t shirt and rub the whole thing down. Since it's made for furniture it's pretty mild on both finished and unfinished wood. Just rub until there's no build-up left, the same way you'd do to a table.

Someone may have more detailed information but this has served me well on all my electrics and acoustics.
 

Jerry Jim

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
71
Location
Wiesbaden, Germany
hey
thanks for the video, but there he's using the murphy soap only for the backside of the neck, not the fingerboard.
also, he's using the soap and the gunstock wax in combination. Do I have to do it this way, or is the soap enough, already?


Besides, he does not mention if the murphy soap is diluted, at all.


PS: Sorry, but I'm a German and I need kinda like a strict line :D
 

mbgreene

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Joined
Sep 8, 2004
Messages
2,556
Location
Rockland County, NY
OK - take a deep breath and relax.

Basically you are using a mild, wood-friendly soap on your maple neck and fretboard. You don't need to do this all the time, just when you feel the neck or fret board needs it. Use it sparingly and depending on how dirty the neck is will depend on how much effort you have to put into the wiping. And based on your recent pictures I don't even see any grime.

Like cleaning any other wood product, you don't want to saturate. Just use a damp enough cloth or paper towel to clean what needs to be cleaned and then wipe it dry. You don't need to worry about the frets or finish.

Do you want to just clean the neck or give it a quick refinish? If you want to refinish then you can consider a light sanding of the back of the neck and an oil/wax or just wax application. Some people do this 1 - 2 times a year others less - depends how you want it to feel, (except Tim O'Sullivan who claims he's never refinished his necks and loves them).

I personally do not wax the maple board when I do a re-fin, just the back. Some people use a touch wax. There are a number of other threads referencing neck cleaning or re-finishing you can search for. But remember, if 100 people respond to how they clean their guitars you will get 125 different ideas. Use your own discretion and common sense.

Here is a copy of the neck cleaning question from the Music Man site FAQ. Might there be minor discrepencies with the video - it's possible - again use your discretion.

How do I clean and maintain my Music Man neck?
To clean the neck, use a high-grade of lemon oil. If the neck is very dirty, try Murphy's Oil Soap diluted 3:1. Some players have found that using a toothbrush for cleaning is very effective.

Since the neck is finished only with the gunstock oil/wax blend, it is more susceptible to humidity changes. A very infrequent dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck maintained; we recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Use a small amount, leave it on for just 5 minutes, then it off with a paper towel. After that, apply Birchwood-Casey Gunstock Wax. Be sure to douse the paper towel with water before disposing of it! Read the wax and oil manufacturer's instructions regarding disposal of these used paper towels.

Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores or directly. Their web address is Birchwood Casey

Rosewood fingerboards should not be treated with the gunstock oil; instead they should be treated with a high grade of lemon oil. Again, for cleaning, try using the same high grade of lemon oil to clean the entire neck, both maple and rosewood fretboards. Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner are excellent for frequent cleaning and maintenance as they are very effective and string removal is not necessary.

If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 to clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing your hands first helps! On an unfinished neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal. Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any of these oils or waxes.


hopefully this helps
 

Jerry Jim

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 14, 2008
Messages
71
Location
Wiesbaden, Germany
so, there's no need for deluting the murphys soap?! Just a little on a paper towel and that's it... all over the whole neck?!

I guess, I only want to clean my neck (get the green off...), since the unfinished maple neck is kinda damageable. The wonder wipes couldn't make it...
 
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