Cleaning gunk off your bass

[gearHed289]

My two main live basses - Ric 4003S and Les Paul - both have a nasty layer of film on the tops - mostly where my forearm rests - that seems impenetrable with normal guitar polish. I've even tried rubbing compound (white Turtle Wax) to no avail. Would naphtha be too aggressive? I know there's decent finish under there, but I can't seem to get to it. HELP?!?!

[drbassman]

Just my opinion, but Naptha would probably be fine on the poly coated Ric and OK if used judiciously on the LP nitro finish.  The key is to have a very soft rag for application and gentle rubbing so you don't scratch things up.  In my experience, I haven't had Naptha hurt a finish when gently wiped on then wiped off.

Anyone else got any ideas?

[Dave W]

FWIW, I had a late 90s Jetglo 4003 that I could never get the film off. It was there when I bought it new, a store employee buffed it out, but it just kept on reappearing no matter what I used. Some process at the factory must have made it that way. Best of luck with yours.

[Pilgrim]

I can't be sure, but I know that Virtuoso cleaner will not hurt the finish.  Might be worth a try.

http://www.virtuosopolish.com/

[4stringer77]

Spit

[chromium]

I've used cloth lightly dampened with naptha to remove gunk from finishes.  Just test in an inconspicuous area first, but more than likely it'll be fine.

I've had good luck with 3M Finesse-It II for buffing out finishes.  I just took the haze off of that red Hamer with this stuff and a little elbow grease.  Shines like a mirror now!

For a gentle/routine polish, I've used Virtuoso and also the stuff from Stew-mac - which I really like.  It's called "Preservation Polish".

[Iome]

I know it sounds crazy, but you can get a lot of things clean with the soap you use to wash dishes in (don't know what it's called in english). I' mean when you clean by hand, not the stuff you use in a dishwasher.

[Pilgrim]

I've had good luck with 3M Finesse-It II for buffing out finishes.  I just took the haze off of that red Hamer with this stuff and a little elbow grease.  Shines like a mirror now!

That's gooood stuff.  I have used it for final buffing.

[exiledarchangel]

Spit

This. Thousands of pornstars all over the world use it, they can't be wrong.

[Highlander]

Brillo pads are pretty good...

(seriously though, whatever you try, use a clean white cloth and an obscure, non-visible area, for test purposes, before you go for the main-course - any sign of "discolouration" and BACK AWAY FROM THE CAN...! )

[the mojo hobo]

I know it sounds crazy, but you can get a lot of things clean with the soap you use to wash dishes in (don't know what it's called in english). I' mean when you clean by hand, not the stuff you use in a dishwasher.

We call it dish soap and the Dawn brand cleans greasy stuff real good.

[Lightyear]

We call it dish soap and the Dawn brand cleans greasy stuff real good.

Dawn is good stuff - oil patch workers use it to shower with, instead of soap, as it is the only thing that will cut the crude they're covered  in.  Wildlife rescuers use to clean birds that get coated in oil spills - evidently it works better than anything else.

As for the finishes I might speculate that the finish has had an unpleasant reaction with your sweat and has changed states.

[Iome]

We call it dish soap and the Dawn brand cleans greasy stuff real good.

....That makes sense....

[ramone57]

I've used naptha with good results and I also have gotten pretty good results with Dunlop 65 polish

[gearHed289]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm really curious about Dawn. I think I'll try that first. The 3M stuff next. I use the Dunlop 65 normally, and that doesn't do anything but smear it all around.