We will now move onto to look at how to clean vintage instruments. Extra care should be taken as the finish is often much more delicate as a result of years of use and they are often quite valuable. James masterfully walks you through the process.
When it comes to a vintage instrument, you are very often dealing with nitro finishes that have worn down. On the guitar we are using as a demo, you can also see checking, which is essentially where cracks have started to appear on the body. These fine cracks mean that you don't want to go anywhere near the guitar with a pump polish as it can get underneath the nitro and start staining the finish. Instead you should use a polish specifically designed for vintage instruments such as Virtuoso polish.
Just as before, you simply need to apply a small amount to the blue towel and start cleaning the body. With vintage instruments, you should go on a case by case basis, and if you are in any way unsure about putting product on the finish, don't! Simply use the blue cloth to wipe the finish to remove the base level of dirt. As a guide though, when you do use the polish, this is the rough amount to use:
Ready to move on? Remember to check out every lesson in this unit first – then try the next unit...
Just as with electrics, acoustics can have a nitro or poly finish. James walks you through how to approach cleaning up an acoustic guitar, no matter the finish. Once again, we look at the best product to use and how to use it!