Keeping a Bass white...

[Xyphere]

I picked up an olympic white American Standard Jazz Bass this year and I'm trying to keep it nice and white for years to come. What would be the best cleaning solution to get the job done?

[the_fooj]

I don't think the color fading as a much of a problem these days with the thick and heavy polyurethane finishes they use. The white turning to the cream color you see in those vintage basses is more often due to the thinner nitro finishes they used back in they day. I'm no expert on this stuff by the way. Can anyone confirm/refute this?

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by the_fooj

I don't think the color fading as a much of a problem these days with the thick and heavy polyurethane finishes they use. The white turning to the cream color you see in those vintage basses is more often due to the thinner nitro finishes they used back in they day. I'm no expert on this stuff by the way. Can anyone confirm/refute this?

Using a non-yellowing finish on top of a color-stable color coat is what's required. Most, but not all, water-borne clear coats are visually neutral, but not all of 'em can make the same claim. Some color coats are not light-fast; their color will change with exposure to UV.

When in doubt, apply finishing products on test pieces - preferably of the same species as the bass - before applying to an instrument.

[tomvelsor]

a finish on a new fender bass today is not likely to have that color change your worried about. i wouldent use anything, or be concerned about it in the slightest.

[bassmodder]

My 16 year old white car is still white. Seriously, the polly will not yellow. Just keep it waxed with Maguires Gold Class car wax and that should repel the bar gooze and keep her nice and white.

[colorblindbass]

well...

i have an '06 olympic white standard Precision (thick, thick poly finish), that i got new in '07
i play it everyday,
In enviroments ranging from a Chemistry classroom to really smokey bars.

i took the pickguard off yesterday to check a pot, and there's definitely some nice cream colored aging going on.

[Xyphere]

Ok, thanks for the information.

[Pilgrim]

Since the bass has a factory finish, what you have is what you'll get. I personally like Virtuoso guitar cleaner and polish, but the main factors in aging that finish will be time and exposure to sunlight and fluorescent light.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Xyphere

I picked up an olympic white American Standard Jazz Bass this year and I'm trying to keep it nice and white for years to come. What would be the best cleaning solution to get the job done?

No cleaning solution will keep it white for years to come, other than cleaning grime that builds up on the surface. Most finishes yellow with age-exposure to UV light and oxygen are two factors that you can't do much about except keep the bass in a case whenever it's not in use. Some types of finish yellow more than others. The ones with an oil content are the most yellowing. But your factory finish Fender will stay fairly white for some time and by the time it starts to noticeably yellow, you'll either have sold the bass for something else or won't care because something else will be more important. Like getting big dents in it from some accident that you'll want to repair.

Just keep the bass clean and out of direct sunlight and in a stable environment. You don't need to use any fancy cleaning solutions or waxes for the new factory finishes. A soft clean cotton cloth dampened in lukewarm water that has a drop of dish soap in it will remove dirt and grease. Between cleanings with the damp cloth wipe it down lightly after each playing session with a soft clean cotton cloth. Most of the stuff they sell in music stores for maintaining finishes are a waste of money on a modern finish like yours.