Joe 'Dingo' Wright Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Hi People. Just a few quick questions. I've recently had a bass built, which has a composite fretboard, and i have no idea what would be the best treatment to clean it with? Im also wondering what the best cloth and treatment is best to use on the lacquered body, just to keep it looking as pristine as possible for as long as possible. And avoiding scratches! Once a few adjustments have been made to the bass, il be adding it to the build diaries section on this site. Any help is much appreciated. Cheers. Joe - (Dingo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Use a good non-silicone guitar polish, Gibson polish is fine, but there are many to choose from. If your board is ebanol, the same polish is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe 'Dingo' Wright Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Ok, cheers. I was mainly just unsure what to use on the composite board, I've just had no dealings with anything like it, and didn't want to ruin it! Thanks for your help =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 composite? as in graphite - I've got a Status and the instructions say clean it with WD40 I seem to recall?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1323184421' post='1460252'] composite? as in graphite - I've got a Status and the instructions say clean it with WD40 I seem to recall?! [/quote] Bloody odd, that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 WD40 is what Joe Zon Recommends for use on his fingerboards too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1323186046' post='1460274'] WD40 is what Joe Zon Recommends for use on his fingerboards too. [/quote] Bloody weird, that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 (edited) When I bought a BSA air-rifle new as a teenager the stock had a matt/satin finish. It was hit with overspray of WD40 every time I dried the rifle off, within a few weeks it had a very high glassy finish - which was also quite tough. Edited December 6, 2011 by Big_Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 [quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1323190883' post='1460394'] When I bought a BSA air-rifle new as a teenager the stock had a matt/satin finish. It was hit with overspray of WD40 every time I dried the rifle off, within a few weeks it had a very high glassy finish - which was also quite tough. [/quote] Bloody strange, that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proshine artworks Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 [i]regarding cloths i would use automotive polishing cloth these dont scratch [/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Did you know that WD-40 isn't patented & has "Secret" ingredients? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1323184421' post='1460252'] composite? as in graphite - I've got a Status and the instructions say clean it with WD40 I seem to recall?! [/quote] I think the earlier phenolic fingerboards on some Status basses went a bit grey and polishing with WD40 made them nice and black and shiny again. Personally I agree with James Jamerson that "the dirt keeps the funk" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Mine is a graphite neck and I clean it with soapy water and then a decent rub with a clean cloth. Does the trick. I used WD40 once and it seemed to work quite well, too. It makes it very deep black and shiny. In fact I might do it again when I get home, it's been a while. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Before I give the fingerboards a dose of WD40 I take the Zons down to my local garage for a blast with the jet washer* - brings them up a treat. [size=2]*Not recommended for semi acoustic or acoustic instruments.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Extract of whale liver-oil leaves a lovely shiny finish on almost anything. And makes a tasty hot beverage too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I use a car polish called 'Mer' on just about everything that needs a clean. Plastics, metals, woods, the lot. Very gentle, very easy to use. It was commended to me by custom bike builders. I used it on my own bike, and it migrated to my guitars. Also use the gibson pump polish, with a nice soft clean duster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 [quote name='ped' timestamp='1323274633' post='1461450'] Mine is a graphite neck and I clean it with soapy water and then a decent rub with a clean cloth. Does the trick. I used WD40 once and it seemed to work quite well, too. It makes it very deep black and shiny. In fact I might do it again when I get home, it's been a while. Cheers [/quote] You should try Back to Black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1323274368' post='1461445'] Did you know that WD-40 isn't patented & has "Secret" ingredients? [/quote] Yes there was a big fuss a while back when people claimed that WD40 had silicone in it and was responsible for ruining finishes in car spray shops. (As anyone who takes any silicone based sprays into some high end spray shops gets instant dismissal. So deadly are the fine silicone dropletts to paint finishes) WD40 would not say what was [i]in[/i] their product, but they did state under oath or by affidavit, that Silicone was [i]not[/i] an ingredient. I have heard that some sort of fish oil goes into it though. ? Edited December 7, 2011 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I use a car polish called 'Mer' on just about everything that needs a clean. Plastics, metals, woods, the lot. Very gentle, very easy to use. It was commended to me by custom bike builders. I used it on my own bike, and it migrated to my guitars. Also use the gibson pump polish, with a nice soft clean duster. MB1. Is it not the "Mer " that takes out the fine scratches and revitalises dull or faded paintwork? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 [quote name='MB1' timestamp='1323280545' post='1461587'] I use a car polish called 'Mer' on just about everything that needs a clean. Plastics, metals, woods, the lot. Very gentle, very easy to use. It was commended to me by custom bike builders. I used it on my own bike, and it migrated to my guitars. Also use the gibson pump polish, with a nice soft clean duster. MB1. Is it not the "Mer " that takes out the fine scratches and revitalises dull or faded paintwork? [/quote] Could be. I use the polish, but they do have a scratch removing paste. T Cut brings up old oxidised paint work too, but I wouldn't use it to polish a bass. Here's the full range of Mer stuff... [url="http://www.merproducts.com/index.aspx"]http://www.merproducts.com/index.aspx[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1323279784' post='1461571'] Yes there was a big fuss a while back when people claimed that WD40 had silicone in it and was responsible for ruining finishes in car spray shops. (As anyone who takes any silicone based sprays into some high end spray shops gets instant dismissal. So deadly are the fine silicone dropletts to paint finishes) WD40 would not say what was [i]in[/i] their product, but they did state under oath or by affidavit, that Silicone was [i]not[/i] an ingredient. I have heard that some sort of fish oil goes into it though. ? [/quote] I'd heard about "fish oil" being in there & also the main ingredient being water, but both apparently not true. Here's a wee list from Wiki... WD-40's formula is a [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_secret"]trade secret[/url]. The product is not patented to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients. WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_Safety_Data_Sheet"]Material Safety Data Sheet[/url] information, are:[list] [*]51% [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoddard_solvent"]Stoddard solvent[/url] (i.e., [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits"]mineral spirits[/url]: primarily [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexane"]hexane[/url], somewhat similar to [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene"]kerosene[/url]) [*]25% [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_petroleum_gas"]Liquefied petroleum gas[/url] (presumably as a propellant; [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide"]carbon dioxide[/url] is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability) [*]15+% [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil"]Mineral oil[/url] (light lubricating oil) [*]10-% Inert ingredients [/list] The German version of the mandatory EU safety sheet lists the following safety-relevant ingredients:[list] [*]60–80% Heavy [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphtha"]Naphtha[/url] (petroleum product), [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen"]hydrogen[/url] treated [*]1–5% [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide"]Carbon dioxide[/url] [/list] It further lists flammability and effects to the human skin when repeatedly exposed to WD-40 as risks when using WD-40. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrile_rubber"]Nitrile rubber[/url][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloves"]gloves[/url] and safety glasses should be used. Water is unsuitable for extinguishing burning WD-40. There is a popular [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_legend"]urban legend[/url] that the key ingredient in WD-40 is [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_oil"]fish oil[/url]. However, the WD-40 web site states that it is a petroleum based product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 If people washed their hands each time before picking up the bass, it would reduce drastically, the need for fret cleaning in the first place, not to mention prolonging string life. I have often seen guitarists and bassists pick up their instrument with hands that looked like they had just come from changing the engine in a car. All I ever need for FB cleaning is a moist cloth and a quick rub when changing strings. Also, oiling (regardless of what you use) should be kept to a minimum, as over oiling can be as bad as none at all. I oil my FB around every eighteen months or two years. Still looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) [quote name='daz' timestamp='1323279784' post='1461571'] Yes there was a big fuss a while back when people claimed that WD40 had silicone in it and was responsible for ruining finishes in car spray shops. (As anyone who takes any silicone based sprays into some high end spray shops gets instant dismissal. So deadly are the fine silicone dropletts to paint finishes) WD40 would not say what was [i]in[/i] their product, but they did state under oath or by affidavit, that Silicone was [i]not[/i] an ingredient. I have heard that some sort of fish oil goes into it though. ? [/quote] Are you sure you're not confusing it with Worcester Sauce? Edited December 7, 2011 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I used to clean my entire bass with WD40, fingerboard is in fantastic condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1323276107' post='1461488'] Extract of whale liver-oil leaves a lovely shiny finish on almost anything. And makes a tasty hot beverage too! [/quote] I haven't the TIM for any more of your [s]blubbering[/s] blabbering. WD40 has been ok for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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