Fingerprints on my bass!

[mrbass02]

I got a new epiphone eb-3 about a couple of weeks ago and i got the ebony version. but there is only one problem i have, it's that it's covered with my fingerprints. I heard epiphone uses a cheaper kind of finish than gibson does, but is this a problem for anyone else with an epiphone bass? If so, is there any way to treat it with some chemicals to remove and prevent the fingerprints?

[JustDavid]

That's actually a theft-deterrent measure, kinda like those tags they use in clothing stores. The music store should have removed that when you bought. No biggie; take it back & they can take it off no problem.

(Sorry. Look, I tried to resist. I really did!!)

Seriously though, I presume that you are just worried about fingerprints on the glossy black body, that they will easily come off with a soft lint-free cloth, & that you wish the finish wouldn't show fingerprints et cetera so much. Correct?

[Munjibunga]

Dunlop 65.

[Pilgrim]

My suggestion: Virtuoso cleaner and polish. You don't need the cleaner, just the polish. Dark finishes simply show fingerprints. http://www.virtuosopolish.com/

[Quap]

Orbital sander.

[kyral210]

Gibson polish

http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/produ...ion_polish_4oz

[Rick Auricchio]

If your fingerprints are actually embedded in the finish, then it's a defective finishing job. Either that or your body chemistry is very strange. But you'd see some effect on the strings.

[GeoffByrne]

I've always used car polish as it sets a lot harder than domestic polish and doesn't show as many fingermarks - use sparingly as it's mildly abrasive.

[jdieh1]

Get over it, wipe em off... Wash your hands before you play helps too if you really can't get over it.

[scrodzilla]

Buy a P-bass.

[mrtn400]

Things stay cleaner if you don't use them.

Originally Posted by Quap

Orbital sander.

Lol.

Originally Posted by scrodzilla

Buy a P-bass.

LOL!

[Oren Hudson]

Black is beautiful - when it's clean. Therein lies the problem - very hard to keep clean. As stated, keep your touching to the neck and strings. I keep a soft clean cloth -diapers work really good - handy, even for gigs, and continually wipe it down. Best just to not touch as much as possible.

[Jake of Bass]

They're only fingerprints dude. Chillax

[Rattman]

Try washing you hands well each time before you even take the bass out. Also, carnuba wax (yes, car wax) will remove alot of minor blemishes from dark finishes.. try not to bear down too hard however.. carnuba wax may take off more than you want

[Buster666]

First get a Porter-Cable polisher. Then get a bottle of 3M or Maguair's Swirl Remover polish. And a bottle of 3M or Classe automotive polish. And a bottle of 3M or Meguairs or Mothers pure carnuba wax. And some microfibre towels. Now strip the body of the bass get as much hardware off as possible. Start with the swirl remover. Put about a nickel but less than a quarter's diam glob of 3M on the body. Find out what an orange foam pad is. Just google show car detailing and finishing.
Start the polisher out on speed one and work your way up to three. Let it glaze over and remove with a microfibre towel. Don't use that towel ever again except for swirl remover.
Now do the same process with the auto polish. The bass will now look better than it did when it left Kalamazoo. We haven't even waxed it yet. Some detailers like to put a coat of synthetic wax on before the carnuba wax. This gives it both show quality Reflectivity as well as Depth. If you have an older Fender with a lot of wear on the tortouise shell pickguard start off with an agressive rubbing compound like the 3M Perfect-It Heavy Cut. Trying to fix defects in Polyurethane finish without an electric polisher is like trying to build a house without a circular saw.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Buster666

First get a Porter-Cable polisher. Then get a bottle of 3M or Maguair's Swirl Remover polish. And a bottle of 3M or Classe automotive polish. And a bottle of 3M or Meguairs or Mothers pure carnuba wax. And some microfibre towels. Now strip the body of the bass get as much hardware off as possible. Start with the swirl remover. Put about a nickel but less than a quarter's diam glob of 3M on the body. Find out what an orange foam pad is. Just google show car detailing and finishing.
Start the polisher out on speed one and work your way up to three. Let it glaze over and remove with a microfibre towel. Don't use that towel ever again except for swirl remover.
Now do the same process with the auto polish. The bass will now look better than it did when it left Kalamazoo. We haven't even waxed it yet. Some detailers like to put a coat of synthetic wax on before the carnuba wax. This gives it both show quality Reflectivity as well as Depth. If you have an older Fender with a lot of wear on the tortouise shell pickguard start off with an agressive rubbing compound like the 3M Perfect-It Heavy Cut. Trying to fix defects in Polyurethane finish without an electric polisher is like trying to build a house without a circular saw.

Cripes, dude. He asked about fingerprints. He's not entering it in a beauty contest, nor did it sound like he was planning on driving it anytime soon.

He'd end up spending $200 just to wipe off some fingerprints..........

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Cripes, dude. He asked about fingerprints. He's not entering it in a beauty contest, nor did it sound like he was planning on driving it anytime soon.

He'd end up spending $200 just to wipe off some fingerprints..........

Yeah, that's why most people don't care so much about fingerprints on their basses. But since he does care, that's the detailed answer to getting rid of them.

[mkrtu9]

Originally Posted by Buster666

First get a Porter-Cable polisher. Then get a bottle of 3M or Maguair's Swirl Remover polish. And a bottle of 3M or Classe automotive polish. And a bottle of 3M or Meguairs or Mothers pure carnuba wax. And some microfibre towels. Now strip the body of the bass get as much hardware off as possible. Start with the swirl remover. Put about a nickel but less than a quarter's diam glob of 3M on the body. Find out what an orange foam pad is. Just google show car detailing and finishing.
Start the polisher out on speed one and work your way up to three. Let it glaze over and remove with a microfibre towel. Don't use that towel ever again except for swirl remover.
Now do the same process with the auto polish. The bass will now look better than it did when it left Kalamazoo. We haven't even waxed it yet. Some detailers like to put a coat of synthetic wax on before the carnuba wax. This gives it both show quality Reflectivity as well as Depth. If you have an older Fender with a lot of wear on the tortouise shell pickguard start off with an agressive rubbing compound like the 3M Perfect-It Heavy Cut. Trying to fix defects in Polyurethane finish without an electric polisher is like trying to build a house without a circular saw.

never thought about using car stuff. Good idea. Bet it would SHINE

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

Yeah, that's why most people don't care so much about fingerprints on their basses. But since he does care, that's the detailed answer to getting rid of them.

Some guitar cleaner and a polishing cloth is more than sufficient for getting rid of fingerprints. That is the detailed answer for how to detail a car.

[Ric5]

Scratchx and Zymol