removing old rosin from top of bass

thebassbass · #1 05-05-2009, 04:07 AM

my bass has 30 year old rosin caked on the top of it. i was just woundering if there is a good way of taking it off with out eating at the finish. the top of the bass feels like 80 grit sandpaper.

Doug D · #2 05-05-2009, 09:21 AM

I've got the same thing on mine....

and I remember reading that Xylene was the product of choice.... Anyone know about this...?

what would Xylene do to the finish? I've never worked with it.

DallasStrings · #3 05-05-2009, 11:20 AM

Xylene is a really nasty carcinogen. If you use it, be very careful with the stuff! Work outside with a respirator mask and chemical gloves on.

Doug D · #4 05-05-2009, 01:10 PM

if it's that bad (which I don't doubt) then it seems that it would destroy the finish, no?

Jake deVilliers · #5 05-05-2009, 01:22 PM

Turpentine is the rosin solvent of choice around here. Its made from distilled pine resin - sort of the flip side of rosin which is made from the solids that are left.

Try some on an inconspicuous part of your instrument first and use in a well-ventilated area - just because its from pine trees doesn't mean it won't kill you!

Bill Bentgen · #6 05-07-2009, 01:18 PM

Shar Music used to sell a really smelly cleaner in a brown bottle. It worked really well for removing old rosin. It's not available anymore, probably because it may have contained Xylene.

It smelled so bad my wife used to make me use it outside. The cleaners now available from Shar and Kolstein don't work nearly as well, or not at all.

Jake deVilliers · #7 05-07-2009, 02:30 PM

Hill makes a Varnish Cleaner that works nicely, it evens smells like turpentine! Its just wickedly expensive compared to you know, turpentine...

smg_luthier · #8 05-13-2009, 05:56 PM

Xylene is the best solvent form this job. second choice would be turpetine, third, naphtha.
these solvents are relatively mild, and in low dose, quick aplications, are not very harmful to finishes.
however, the more rosin that is built up, the more solvent & elbow grease is required...
this is where it gets tricky..
if you rub your instrument in one spot with just a dry cotton ball for long enough, eventually you will hit wood.
i think it's best if you just use a vaccum cleaner with a very soft brush to remove the bulk of the loose stuff, then, a clean dry cloth to gently wipe off any more that you can.
if you feel the need to do any more than than that, keep in mind that if you use a solvent, it will basically melt the rosin, making it into a varnish, possibly melting it into the original finish.
when you use any solvent, you should use it in very small areas, on something like a cotton swab, maybe with a drop of mineral oil to prevent sticking.
change the swab as soon as it becomes dirty.
you might go through 10 bucks worth of q-tips, and it might take you a month of long lonely nights, but it could be worth the effort.
OH, if it's a newer factory instrument, you can just pour a couple gallons of alcoholl on it...
smg.

Martin Sheridan · #9 05-16-2009, 12:00 PM

smg~
Fill out your profile. We'd like to know who you are.

I think Xylene is too nasty to use. I've used it and it's probably the why I am the way I am today.

Terps sounds good. I use a solution I make that contains terps.

salcott · #10 05-16-2009, 12:59 PM

I'd pay a professional to deal with that much rosin buildup and not let it happen again.

Dr Rod · #11 05-17-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug D

if it's that bad (which I don't doubt) then it seems that it would destroy the finish, no?

no

DallasStrings · #12 05-17-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smg_luthier

Xylene is the best solvent form this job. second choice would be turpetine, third, naphtha.
these solvents are relatively mild, and in low dose, quick aplications, are not very harmful to finishes.
however, the more rosin that is built up, the more solvent & elbow grease is required...
this is where it gets tricky..
if you rub your instrument in one spot with just a dry cotton ball for long enough, eventually you will hit wood.
i think it's best if you just use a vaccum cleaner with a very soft brush to remove the bulk of the loose stuff, then, a clean dry cloth to gently wipe off any more that you can.
if you feel the need to do any more than than that, keep in mind that if you use a solvent, it will basically melt the rosin, making it into a varnish, possibly melting it into the original finish.
when you use any solvent, you should use it in very small areas, on something like a cotton swab, maybe with a drop of mineral oil to prevent sticking.
change the swab as soon as it becomes dirty.
you might go through 10 bucks worth of q-tips, and it might take you a month of long lonely nights, but it could be worth the effort.
OH, if it's a newer factory instrument, you can just pour a couple gallons of alcoholl on it...
smg.

Troll Alert!

This guy hijacked my thread with downright ridiculous advice too. Just ignore this post..

Don Higdon · #13 05-17-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasStrings

Troll Alert!

This guy hijacked my thread with downright ridiculous advice too. Just ignore this post..

It appears that his career at TB lasted one day.
I've played bass for 52 years, and I've never lived more than 30 miles from where he is. Never heard of him.

Doug D · #14 05-19-2009, 08:31 AM

I'm really curious how the rosin is getting in this state (on my own instrument).

is it melting under the friction of the bow and solidifying on the finish? my bass has this on the sides of the C-bouts and it's like 80grit paper as described earlier...

DallasStrings · #15 05-20-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug D

I'm really curious how the rosin is getting in this state (on my own instrument).

is it melting under the friction of the bow and solidifying on the finish? my bass has this on the sides of the C-bouts and it's like 80grit paper as described earlier...

Are you using pops?

Don Higdon · #16 05-20-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasStrings

Are you using pops?

Heifetzbass · #17 05-20-2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasStrings

Are you using pops?

Naptha will clean off the pop's no problem and *usually* doesn't damage any of the finish. Just make sure you do it in a well ventilated area, or with a respirator.

Drugs are bad, m'kay.
BG

Doug D · #18 05-21-2009, 07:21 AM

Pops? not that I know of.... this bass came from a public school orchestra, so I have no idea.

why, does pops splatter and build up worse than others?

Don Higdon · #19 05-21-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug D

Pops? not that I know of.... this bass came from a public school orchestra, so I have no idea.

why, does pops splatter and build up worse than others?

If it came out of a public school, it probably has never been cleaned.
Yes, Pops flakes more than the others.

Martin Sheridan · #20 05-21-2009, 11:53 AM

I wouldn't recommend Naptha any more than Xylene. It will probably work ok, but it's nasty on the brain, liver, and other living human tissue; a carcenogen. If you do use it use rubber gloves and do it outside. Read the warnings on the can.

Here's a formula for a good all around cleaner:

2 parts terps
2 parts linseed oil
2 parts mineral oil
4 parts water
4 parts alcohol

Use a rag and clean the instrument. Do one area at a time and dry it with a soft paper towel or soft cloth immediately after doing that area. For rosin build up use OOOO steel wool and be careful. If you mess it up don't blame me. Since a previous post said terps alone will clean up rosin, use that, and I don't see why synthetic terps wouldn't work. Let us know. The formula I gave you above is for general cleaning and polishing. It's at least 100 years old. Harry Wake gave it in one of his books. He was born in 1900 and his father was using it then.