Nail Polish on FB

saxnbass · #1 11-15-2006, 03:21 AM

I bought a cheap Ibanez for like $35. It's a maple fretboard, thing is the previous owner wrote "R O C K" on frets 4,6,8,10. I asked him what it was and he said Nail Polish. Can I use Nail Polish Remover to get rid of it? If not, what should I use?

62bass · #2 11-15-2006, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxnbass

I bought a cheap Ibanez for like $35. It's a maple fretboard, thing is the previous owner wrote "R O C K" on frets 4,6,8,10. I asked him what it was and he said Nail Polish. Can I use Nail Polish Remover to get rid of it? If not, what should I use?

The nail polish remover I've used has been acetone. It'll remove nail polish but will also remove any other finish that's on your maple board. You might try fine steel wool and some alcohol like isopropanol or methyl hydrate to see if it'll come off without damage to the coating on the maple, but if it's penetrated into any pores it won't come out easy. The alcohol shouldn't damage the finish. The steel wool can.

On a $35 axe it's probably not worth the bother of stripping the finish and redoing it, but that might be the only option.

202dy · #3 11-15-2006, 04:46 AM

Depends on the base finish on the neck. If it is poly-whatever acetone will not have an effect on it. But if it's nitro acetone will melt through everything. If it is an Ibanez manufactured in the last ten years it is probably a poly finish.

saxnbass · #4 11-15-2006, 04:53 AM

I think it's Poly. So acetone won't affect it? So Nail Polish Remover will work and not harm the neck/finish?

202dy · #5 11-15-2006, 05:14 AM

If the base finish is poly, acetone should melt only the nail polish on the neck. The caveat is: Always test on scrap. If it's a used guitar someone unknown to you may have refinished the fingerboard with something else. Use a applicator like a cotton swab and try it on an edge of the fingerboard where it will be least noticeable like the leading edge south of the twentieth fret. Better yet, if the finish on the fingerboard is the same as the neck, pull the neck and test on the back of the neck that is seated in the pocket.

Of course, at thirty five bucks acquisition cost, a little bit of ugly can't be that bad.

saxnbass · #6 11-15-2006, 05:29 AM

Alright. Tried the Nail Polish Remover and it worked just fine. Didn't take off any finish on the fretboard. Thanks guys.