Detailing a guitar

[sibhusz06]

I know this is an auto forum, but im curious if anyone out here does guitar detailing? Basically I have a Jackson Randy Rhodes Flying V that is black and has some light swirls in the clear coat given its black. I have some Meguirs 205 as well as Wolfgang AIO as well as the Wolfgang Sealant. Would the AIO be ok for this kind of application.

Thanks for the help Kal

[Dan Tran]

Test spot is all I have to contribute to this question.


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[Farmallluvr]

Talk to a music shop,I am not sure what stuff designed for cars might do to a guitar

[dlc95]

A good friend of mine is a luthier, and guitar repair tech.

He has used Meguiar's products for years.

On my lacquer drums, I use Zymol HD Cleanse, and Creame Wax.

One of my good friends has a Jackson V, and it had some very hard paint on it. Megs M09, and Zymol HD dis nothing to it, so you'll have to do your test spots to know for sure.

[Mike Phillips]

I've buffed out a few guitars in my life. Interestingly enough, most of the guitar players I've met don't care what their guitar's look like as far as "finish quality" goes, i.e. swirls and scratches, they tend to be in that group of people that don't know the difference between a Squirrel and a Swirl.


The difference between a swirl and squirrel (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/23142-difference-between-swirl-squirrel.html)


Here's some tips....

The factory paint, whatever it is will be very thin. So tread or "buff" lightly. Stick with foam pads and fine cut polishes if working by machine.

If possible, have the owner strip it down to just the bare body and neck. Then have the owner hold it will you buff it. Have them hold it with a death grip, close to their body. They can spin it around, hold it at the right angle to make easy for you to machine polish.

Of if hand polishing, lay down a few bath towels on a flat table and this will protect the body and neck as you move it around to polish all the various sides and curves.

Be sure to take good before and after shots. Use a swirl finder light.


:)

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Remember, wood will not dissipate heat like sheet metal on a car. You also don't want to apply pressure because you don't want to stress the neck while pushing on the body.

When it comes to my guitars, I take care of them, but to me the play ability is far more important than the appearance. IMO, I think the more a guitar is worn and aged, the more of a story it tells. And isn't that what us guitarists really want???? The music and guitars to tell thier story?

Some of the greatest guitars certainly tell their story, SRV's #1 Strat, Brian May's "Red Special." From three feet away, mine look pretty good... but up close my 25 year old guitars show some play...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3483/IMG_2475.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/127704/title/img-2475/cat/3483)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3483/IMG_2455.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/127702/title/img-2455/cat/3483)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/3483/IMG_2458.jpg (https://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/127703/title/img-2458/cat/3483)

[BudgetPlan1]

FWIW, Jescar has some experience in guitar refinishing products.

Jescar Guitar: Jescar – From Fret To Finish (https://www.jescarguitar.com/)


Jescar has been the representative and importer of Menzerna products since 1978 for the North American market. Jescar has been supplying buffing and polishing products and supplies to industrial finishing market such as furniture, musical instruments, metal finishing, and automotive beginning in 1999. Our concentration in the guitar market led to our development of Jescar fret wire which is now the international standard for all guitar manufacturers.

Menzerna = Jescar ? (https://www.autopia.org/forums/car-detailing-product-discussion/183283-menzerna-jescar.html#post2024510)

[machz]

I normally use a good wax on mine and call it good.I have tried a mild compound with a PC and it seemed to work fine.


Also to the other guitar players, why do you put your strings on backward :)

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[WaxMaster1]

This is my 50's Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster "Relic". So, Fender will charge crazy money to age the guitar so it looks like a 60 year old guitar with lots of lacquer checking. I do not polish it by hand or machine. I will apply this "quick detailer-like" spray to wipe off gunk. I've had Ernie Balls which use a crazy thick polyurethane finish which I wish a car had and same goes for an American Standard Stratocaster like Paul's, when chipped, the coat is super duper thick. I'm pretty sure the Jackson, which Fender owns, has a thicker urethane finish and I wouldn't hesitate in that case to aggressively polish it. Now if it's like Paul's double bound Les Paul, that has a lacquer finish I would only wipe down like mine. Also, try removing a strap button, you should see the edge of the finish and you might be able to tell how thick it is.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181107/0755d2f2e9aac30880fb9edd6e15c26f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181107/a6d43e1cccbda8480c36f3eaee7deab3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181107/934e0d7f8af9e9fb842eb1c6801aa0f3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181107/bc8ddaa33b4a89f703a0141b9c670026.jpg

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[sibhusz06]

Thanks all for the feedback, as waxmaster noted, i do have a thick urethane finish. The guitar i have is of a collectors edition so wanted to keep it looking as good as i could given how bad black shows imperfections so easily. I ended up actually claying it, then using using M205 just by hand to play it safe and have applied the Wolfgang aio and it seemed to have gotten the fine swirls out or filled. Ill have to invest in a 3 inch DA to go any further with better results.

[damaged442]

I will give my guitars periodic wipe downs to get rid of fingerprints or other assorted grime, but as far as finish wear from play is concerned, the more worn, the better! Every scratch, nick, sent, paint defect tells a story to me, and it's all about adding to the character of the guitar.

[MarkD51]

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The Smith's Spray Polish is very good stuff, used it for years.

But it won't do much for swirls.

But what does work well without going crazy on the paint is a good hand glaze. I've used Glazes like 3M's Imperial Glaze on many Basses of mine, and brought back a couple valuable used ones like a Rickenbacker Chris Squire Limited Edition 4001 V63, and a 1962 Fender P-Bass Re-Issue in Mary Kaye White Finish to looking like brand new with just this Glaze.

With a Glaze like Imperial Hand Glaze, you don't have to be that afraid to rub well. While Glazes are not said to be Polishes, you'll be surprised at just how much swirl damage you'll remove.

This one pictured is my Fender American '62 Re-Issue P-Bass in 3-tone Sunburst.

[MarkD51]

With a string instrument like a Guitar or Bass, and prior to glaze-polishes, it is a good idea to strip as much hardware off as you can.