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Keeping you bass looking good
- Thread starter tramp
- Start date
I only really clean the fretboard properly with lemon oil.
The rest of the bass will only usually get a wipe down with a cloth. They've been beaten and look it for the most part so it's not too much of horror for me anymore if they get a bit dirty after a while. But the neck has to be in good condition.
The rest of the bass will only usually get a wipe down with a cloth. They've been beaten and look it for the most part so it's not too much of horror for me anymore if they get a bit dirty after a while. But the neck has to be in good condition.
Some basses need to be waxed such as Warwicks with the natural finish; my other basses, however, I just wipe down after each use with a cloth. If you do get a bass that requires waxing, I highly recommend using the wax provided or talking to the customer service/support people at the company before applying any other wax.
I'm sure some searches will turn up different products depending on what finish you finish are applying it on. Check with a respected luthier or manufacturer, for your instrument.
I have and use:
Mequairs #9 and 7, Ken Smith's polish, Trick's Drum Polish (recommended by Lakland's head luthier), Virtuoso cleaner and polish, and some plastic cleaner/polish whose name escapes me at the moment.
Also, naptha (lighter fluid) for wiping down strings (I use some TI JF344's which need heavy cleaning prior to installation due to polishing compound residue etc. - both TI and Pyramid never remove this from thier flatwounds). Naptha can be used on most finishes for heavy cleaning - particularly nitro based. But, check first for your type of instrument finish.
For the care of my fretboard's (unfinished rosewood) I use a light application...very light, of Howards Orange Oil with an old white washcloth. After wiping this clean, I apply a very light application of Howards Feed n Wax, wait 20 minutes, then buff with a soft cloth. I tend to do the fretboards twice a year.
I wipe the fretboard, strings, and body with a dry cloth after each time I play. Maybe every couple of weeks I additionally wipe the body with Ken Smith/Tricks polish applied to a cloth, then buff.
That's what I do anyway.....
I have and use:
Mequairs #9 and 7, Ken Smith's polish, Trick's Drum Polish (recommended by Lakland's head luthier), Virtuoso cleaner and polish, and some plastic cleaner/polish whose name escapes me at the moment.
Also, naptha (lighter fluid) for wiping down strings (I use some TI JF344's which need heavy cleaning prior to installation due to polishing compound residue etc. - both TI and Pyramid never remove this from thier flatwounds). Naptha can be used on most finishes for heavy cleaning - particularly nitro based. But, check first for your type of instrument finish.
For the care of my fretboard's (unfinished rosewood) I use a light application...very light, of Howards Orange Oil with an old white washcloth. After wiping this clean, I apply a very light application of Howards Feed n Wax, wait 20 minutes, then buff with a soft cloth. I tend to do the fretboards twice a year.
I wipe the fretboard, strings, and body with a dry cloth after each time I play. Maybe every couple of weeks I additionally wipe the body with Ken Smith/Tricks polish applied to a cloth, then buff.
That's what I do anyway.....
I clean my strings with this: http://www.ernieball.com/products/c...nder-Wipe-String-Cleaner-Small-Palm-Cannister
And the body with a soft cloth,
And the body with a soft cloth,
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
Martin Guitar Polish and a microfiber cloth. I'm OCD and keep my basses on a 7-guitar stand, so they do collect their share of dust when not in use. My basses get attention about every week. 
Car polish is actually an excellent choice for any poly finish bass or guitar. Works well for satin and matte finishes too which results in a little bit of color darkening and some sheen. I also occassionally use reg spray furniture polish. 1-2 times a yr I use dunlop deep conditioner for fretboard. And of course regular wipe down of isntrument with clean soft cloth.
Standard Gibson polish & the yellow cloth.
Tuners(if touched), bridge, back of neck, and contact point for my right arm get wiped EVERYTIME I play a bass. If I don't do this after a gig, it is an invite to dulling finishes and messed up chrome/metal.
The only time a bass gets a thorough "bath" is when I first get it(most here are bought used) and then when changing strings. Fretboard gets 0000 steel wooled and boiled linseed oil, hardware gets Brasso, and then a final "polish" with the Gibson stuff.
Tuners(if touched), bridge, back of neck, and contact point for my right arm get wiped EVERYTIME I play a bass. If I don't do this after a gig, it is an invite to dulling finishes and messed up chrome/metal.
The only time a bass gets a thorough "bath" is when I first get it(most here are bought used) and then when changing strings. Fretboard gets 0000 steel wooled and boiled linseed oil, hardware gets Brasso, and then a final "polish" with the Gibson stuff.
