What Do You Use To Clean Your Bass

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by autodidact

Bleach and an abrasive metal scrubby.

Awesome. Lets see your bass.

[hoketus]

Regular Dunlop Lem Oil is all I've ever needed. $5 a bottle, great for the fretboard. A bottle lasts well over a year for use on my whole stable - 2 guitars, 1 bass, 2 ukes.

[scottfeldstein]

Moonshine and an English riding crop.

[hoketus]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

Moonshine and an English riding crop.

But is the moonshine for you or the bass? Not going to ask about the crop...

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by spade2you

Hmmm ... looks like an 8-inch curved boner.

[Johno Dunn]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Hmmm ... looks like an 8-inch curved boner.

Huh huh, huh.....you said boner!

[Munjibunga]

Anyway, Dunlop 65 on glossy finish. Bowling alley wax (eventually) on satin finish.

[ShonenCello]

Isopropyl Alcohol on a soft cloth.

Bass looks brand new after a few swipes.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by ShonenCello

Isopropyl Alcohol on a soft cloth.

Bass looks brand new after a few swipes.

And if its nitro, it looks like bare wood.

[ShonenCello]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

And if its nitro, it looks like bare wood.

Well it's not.

[M.R. Ogle]

Who wipes?

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

I use a shammy to remove finger prints. Should I be cleaning my fretboard!? :S

If you shammy on the bass - it won't need cleaning (or is that 'shimmy'? I dunnow) -

However "chamois' is a good cleaning rag if it's soft and has never seen water. But be careful - some of them are treated with silicon too.

This is NOT good:::

Originally Posted by Diesel Kilgore

Damp diaper cloth. Then a coat of Meguiar's carnuba wax (#26 or Step 3) on the body and down the back of the neck. Then dry diaper cloth for dust after that until the wax wears off.

It's CARNAUBA - 'carnuba' is a silicon and paraffin wax product of DuPont. Yuck!

Originally Posted by Dbassmon

Lots of good products out there. Dunlap, Fender/Mcguire.

Lemon Pledge has silicon in it, I stay away from that, you don't want that on your finger board.

Some rubbing alcohol on rag to remove string grime works well. Commercially available string cleaners sometimes have a very light oil in them that makes the string feel sleek and reduces oxidation from skin oils.

Lemon oil or raw linseed oil for unfinished fingerboard to restore and protect. Wipe it on, let is soak in for a couple of minutes, remove what has not been absorbed.

Damp soft cloth to remove finger prints.

A good quality carnunba wax once in a while leave a finish looking very nice and protected.

Clean instrument is nice to touch, I hate playing someone's axe with layers of finger munge and grey green deposits around the frets.

The silicon will shorten the life of strings as it attracts dirt. UNLESS you want RW strings too.

And it's CARNAUBA!

But I don't ever clean my basses since they never get dirty. They wouldn't dare. Wax keeps the crud bugs away.

[Jeff K]

Here's what I use to clean and condition rosewood boards. No silicon.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

This is NOT good:::

Hey! Don't cap on the Sham-wow. I dry my dog with those, and they work bitchen.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by Jeff K

Here's what I use to clean and condition rosewood boards. No silicon.

I think I just might try this on my whole bass. It's rosewood fretboard and natural mahogany body.

[Immigrant]

Originally Posted by Jeff K

Here's what I use to clean and condition rosewood boards. No silicon.

Bass players are special. That same product has been mentioned several times in this thread but was never agreed with or acknowledged until a photo appeared. That stuff is the best.

Pretty flammable also I think. Careful.

[Randyt]

If you are trying any new product...try it on a small area on the back ...just in case there is a reaction.

This is what I use: Fret boards (rosewood type..non sealed) that are extremely dirty...
1) Wipe with Naptha.(lighter fluid)...get rid of crud...then wipe lightly with 0000 steel wool...rewipe with Naptha...then wipe with clean cotton cloth.
Condition fret board with 100% pure tung oil...there are many good alternatives..Bore Oil, 100% mineral oil...found in pharmacys,
...if its not that dirty...just start with tung oil and rewipe etc....make sure you donot completley saturate FB..apply product to FB ..let sit for 5 minutes and wipe clean.

Body: painted surfaces: most commercial cleaners are primarily water...that..and a good micro fibre cloth works great. Many good commercial cleaners out there...McQuires, Dunlop, Martin guitars...etc.
if the Body is not a painted surface...I would call whom built your bass for you, and ask for recommendations...ie...My Elrick...Rob Recommends Bri-Wax ...as it is polish wax penetrant.
Good luck

[thunderbird66]

Spray silicone. The slicker the better

[lowfreq33]

My main bass has an oil finish. Usually about twice a year I'll change strings, and while I have them off I'll give it a good cleaning with a slightly damp cloth, just water to get the dirt off. Then it gets a good coat of lemon oil. The bottle I have right now is Old English brand. I'm aware it's mostly mineral oil, but I haven't seen any problems.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

My main bass has an oil finish. Usually about twice a year I'll change strings, and while I have them off I'll give it a good cleaning with a slightly damp cloth, just water to get the dirt off. Then it gets a good coat of lemon oil. The bottle I have right now is Old English brand. I'm aware it's mostly mineral oil, but I haven't seen any problems.

Good to know. Ibanez is remarkably unhelpful. They basically say "clean with a dry cloth, and if you have to use anything else see a professional." Nice.