Does anyone use automotive wax?

[coastie72]

I have been told by many that they use automotive type wax on guitars and basses? I actually seen one luthier use a past wax on an old discolored Fender guitar, Telecaster, and it looked great afterwards. Does anyone want to share their thoughts or facts on this?

 

[mynan]

Maybe if I was going to leave it outside for a few days, but since it's inside most of the time Wonder Wipes do the job nicely.

 

[agplate]

I've been known to use Mequire's No. 7 Show Car Glaze (my technique) as a light polish with a finish of Turtle Wax (green bottle/white cap) diluted with water (a Rickenbacker factory technique). The Glaze will take out alot of fine scratches and really shine the finish, while the wax is a gentle finish. You may not wish to wax the back of the bass too much, as it will really slide around on your belly for a while.

I've never had any problems with this process on any bass with a painted/clearcoat finish. Probably wouldn't be too good on my Stealth though...

 

[Caca de Kick]

I always use Meguires hightech yellow. It works beautifully in restoring the gloss in old basses, and I also use it after refinish jobs when I'm polishing it to a gloss.

 

[Powman]

Would it not be safer to use products specifically designed for guitars? I use the Gibson guitar polish. Seems to work well.

For the unfinished maple neck I ordered gunstock oil from Cabela's.

 

[AtomicPunk]

Scratch-X and Zymol. Makes it look like a mirror.

 

[Ben Esparza]

I met a guy 30+ years ago that used Armour All for the body and motor oil for the fingerboard! I never saw the bass, but I'm sure it's probably a toxic dump by now.

 

[johnfrazier]

Scratch-X and Zymol. Makes it look like a mirror.

Will this remove a filmy kind of haze from nitrocellulose? If so, what's the process? Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[strummer]

I met a guy 30+ years ago that used Armour All for the body and motor oil for the fingerboard! I never saw the bass, but I'm sure it's probably a toxic dump by now.

Sounds like a party, was it synthetic or fossil motor oil? What viscosity?

 

[jd_elam]

I met a guy 30+ years ago that used Armour All for the body and motor oil for the fingerboard! I never saw the bass, but I'm sure it's probably a toxic dump by now.

I used to know a guy that used WD40 to clean his strings after he played. He would just spray them down, fingerboard and all.

He just couldn't understand why the lacquer was coming off the neck!

 

[five7]

Works better than beer!

 

[mmbassplayer]

Sounds like a party, was it synthetic or fossil motor oil? What viscosity?

A few years back when my father made custom drums, he finished a red oak snare with motor oil... 10w30 to be exact. As he told us it was a method he learned in 7th grade woodshop. Drum ended up looking great and polishing to a mirrorlike shine. Looking for a picture of it now. JOSH

 

[Powman]

I don't know...all these automotive products make me nervous. Not sure I would do that to my baby...

 

[Aussie Mark]

I don't know...all these automotive products make me nervous.

I don't see why it would. The paint used to finish your bass is basically auto paint.

 

[AtomicPunk]

Will this remove a filmy kind of haze from nitrocellulose? If so, what's the process? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Here is the regimen I use.
1. Anytime it's the first time you're doing a particular instrument. Anytime the instrument has fine scratches, swirl marks, etc. use the Scratch-x, then Zymol. Zymol is a wax and Scratch-x is a cleaner. Clean it, then wax it.
Scratch-x has a tiny amount of abrasive material in it that takes out scratches and swirls in the finish as well as any sweat, etc.
Be careful not to get it on the control knobs, etc. I use a cloth diaper.

2. Apply and rub hard. Support the guitar on a flat surface which is also covered in soft cloths. Keep rubbing until the compound has broken down and dried, or until you can feel that it's stopped working. Then renew and start again. STAY AWAY FROM SHARP EDGES AND CORNERS with the abrasive compounds. Do 2 square inches with Scratch-X, and an area abut 4" X 4" with the Zymol. Zymol should be put on sparingly; you can mist on some water to help buff it. It is not necessary to wait for it to dry.

3. Don't be nervous. The most important thing if you are nervous, is not to stray from the prescribed regimen. It is most important that the cloth is absolutely soft and clean. The tiniest bit o' grit will cause heartaches. You'll develop a feel.

Soon you will have a shiny guitar that smells like a daquiri. Your case will love it when you put it in.