| I like naptha myself. It's safe and won't damage nitro or other guitar finishes. It's an excellent de-greaser and de-waxer. Lighter fluid is naptha. Some paint stores sell it as "paint and varnish makers naptha" and if you can't find it there, Coleman lamp fuel is naptha (just check the label as Coleman makes a couple of different fuels. The lamp fuel is the cheapest option. I get mine at Home Depot in a gallon container.
It's flammable so use caution.
Paint thinner, such as Varsol, will also clean as well but it takes longer to evaporate than naptha.
Alcohol is good too but as 202dy says, it will damage nitro finishes and real nitro pickguards, so if you actually have an instrument with a nitro finish, don't use it. If I need alcohol I buy methyl hydrate at a hardware or paint supply store. It's sold as a shellac thinner. Isopropyl alcohol from a drug store works too but contains some water and is much more expensive.
And as 202 also said, the combinatiomn cleaner-polisher products and some of the other expensive stuff you can find, are not as effective and just a good way of wasting money. If you want to get your fingerboard clean, naptha is great and won't cost an arm and a leg. After you clean it, you can wipe on a bit of mineral oil for that wet look. Or you can use the so called "lemon oil", which is mostly mineral oil with a bit of yellow dye and a fake lemon scent and costs a lot more.
As far as how often to clean it-whenever it gets dirty and gunky. Depends how much you play and how much you sweat.
Last edited by 62bass : 04-03-2007 at 07:31 AM.
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