Sticky Residue on Body that cannot be wiped off!Help!

[stoneroses]

Hello All.This is my first post in this forum and I am already starting things off with a post whose title ends with an exclamation mark!

I have an issue with mysterious unremovable sticky residue on the body my ernie ball (not pre-EB) sabre bass.
It feels like the sticky residue that is left behind when you remove the price tag from a box.
I have tried silicone wax,dishwashing liquid,water to remove the stickiness but none had worked so far.

Here's the story:
After I received my used bass in the parcel, I wiped it down with a wet cloth and dried it with a dry cloth.Then, I applied silicone wax on the neck and body. It was then that I noticed that the body felt sticky and on closer inspection, it looked like dirt and sweat leftover from excessive playing by the previous owner. Like how we sometimes remove dirt from things, I used the tip of my finger to apply friction to the sticky part but it didn't help. So what I did next is to apply dishwashing liquid on the body and then clean the body many times over with a wet cloth to try to remove the wax.I then cleaned the body with a dry cloth.The stickiness remained.

I tried googling 'sticky guitar body' and what I found were complaints about sticky neck but nothing about sticky body.
Could the dishwashing liquid or wax have chemically reacted with the guitar finish?I'm not too sure If my body is nitro or cellulose,can anyone enlighten?
I live in a part of asia where humidity is high,but this may not be the problem because I do not have the sticky issue with the rest of my 10 other basses.
Some people suggested talcum powder but this seems like it would create a bigger mess.
Is the finish salvageable or does it seem like it is already damaged and a re-finish is necessary?

 

[five7]

Try rubbing alcohol, might have to saturate the residue and wait awhile. Might take a couple of times. Has worked for me many times.

 

[stoneroses]

Try rubbing alcohol, might have to saturate the residue and wait awhile. Might take a couple of times. Has worked for me many times.

Just normal alcohol will do?
Btw,any idea what cause that sticky thing to be there in the first place?

 

[DrKev]

Just normal alcohol will do?

I don't know if alcohol is safe for that finish. Depends on what kind of finish was used (nitro?). Wait for more info before doing anything. The previous owner may have cleaned it with the wrong stuff which has softened the finish. You do not want to repeat that mistake.

I'm sure some of the great guys and gals here will chime in with their experiences but until you have more solid information, do nothing. You could just make it worse.

 

[drTStingray]

You need to be careful - some finishes are prone to issues with reactions (blueburst is an example). You may be able to search on it as there have been threads previously.

 

[adouglas]

The title of this thread is definitely in "overshare" territory.

 

[jlepre]

Get Ye to a Luthier

 

[five7]

how about a picture of the bass

 

[Golem]

`

My pre-EB Sabre had a deteriorating finish. Felt kinda
"clingy/clammy/sticky". Nothing I tried would fix it in a
permanent way, but if I kept it waxed the feeling was
covered up and hidden for for about a week at a time.



`

 

[Kevsy71]

I've used spray furniture polish before for adhesive tape residue on wood - just blast it on, leave it overnight and them wipe off.

 

[stoneroses]

I've used spray furniture polish before for adhesive tape residue on wood - just blast it on, leave it overnight and them wipe off.

for the furniture spray,Is it something like this one?
Trigger spray furniture polish | Maxima Green
I reckon its different from the silicone wax I've used right?
From what you experienced, does the furniture polish get rid of the residue or does it just cover things up?

 

[stoneroses]

`

My pre-EB Sabre had a deteriorating finish. Felt kinda
"clingy/clammy/sticky". Nothing I tried would fix it in a
permanent way, but if I kept it waxed the feeling was
covered up and hidden for for about a week at a time.



`

Do you know what kind of finish the sabre has applied?lacquer or nitrocellulose?
I tried wax and it still felt sticky.
When I put water over the finish the sitckiness was covered up for a while,till the water evaporated and my hope evaporated as well!

 

[stoneroses]

The FAQ recommended this though,but may not be that applicable to my situation

Q: How do I maintain the neck on my new Music Man bass?

A: For everyday cleaning, use a small dose of high-grade lemon oil. For the fretboard, use Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner. If the neck is very dirty, give us a call or email us at [email protected]. Since the neck is finished only with gunstock oil and wax blend, it is more susceptible to humidity changes. An occasional truss rod adjustment will help keep your bass playing factory-new. If you are getting fret buzz (plugged in only, of course) raise the action by turning the trussrod wheel counter-clockwise, to lower the action turn it clockwise. An infrequent dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck maintained; we recommend and use Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Clean neck first. Use a small amount of Tru-oil, leave it on for 5 minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. Then 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 direct. Their web address is Birchwood Casey. Rosewood fingerboards should not be treated with gunstock oil; instead they should be treated with a high grade of lemon oil. For cleaning, try using the same high grade of lemon oil to clean the entire neck, both maple and rosewood fretboards. Keep in mind that if the dirt or grease has been worked into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend unless exercised with extremely fine sandpaper (1200-1600 grit), and even then very sparingly. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing your hands first helps! Some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal on unfinished necks. Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any of these oils or waxes.

 

[jlepre]

how about a picture of the bass

+1

 

[J Romano]

An Email to customer service (CS) might be in order! They would know best. If you have a product like Goo-gone, as we do here in the states, that might work but I don't know if it would harm the finish. Goo-gone is a citrus based product that is awesome for removing glue residue. That is why CS is the best option..........

 

[stoneroses]

An Email to customer service (CS) might be in order! They would know best. If you have a product like Goo-gone, as we do here in the states, that might work but I don't know if it would harm the finish. Goo-gone is a citrus based product that is awesome for removing glue residue. That is why CS is the best option..........

Yeah.Will get the pictures up soon.Hopefully I can capture the sticky part clearly.
CS sounds like a good idea.Need to get the serial number down too so they can date it and identify the finish(i.e. nitro or lacquer)

 

[J Romano]

+1, good luck! Looking forward to pictures. Let us know the outcome.........

 

[JHbass]

goo gone anyone? Goo Gone Pro-Power Spray Gel, 24oz: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

 

[Kevsy71]

for the furniture spray,Is it something like this one?
Trigger spray furniture polish | Maxima Green
I reckon its different from the silicone wax I've used right?
From what you experienced, does the furniture polish get rid of the residue or does it just cover things up?

The one I used was aerosol-propelled to give a foam, e.g. Pledge. But best wait to hear what Customer Service suggest first.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Perhaps the finish is not the original. A luthier might be able to determine what it is and thus the course of action.