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Newbie questions

M

mihal27

Feb 11, 2009
19
0
#1
Hello!
I have got some questions:
1. How to know if I have matte-poly finish or natul oil finish?
2. Can clean the matte poly finish (wchich have on my neck and probably on body as well) with this: Invalid Link Removed and this: Invalid Link Removed
3. What are the differences between matte-poly finish and high gloss finish (besides evident differences like that high gloss shines etc.). I mean: is matte finish is just thiner than hi gloss and that's all?
4. What can i use to clean off (unbind) a carnauba wax (a don;t want to damage a finish during the cleaning)? Perhaps alcohol or some kind of benzine?

Sorry if my english is not well, but i'm not english. I hope you will understand.
 
#2
mihal27 said:
Hello!
I have got some questions:
1. How to know if I have matte-poly finish or natul oil finish?
2. Can clean the matte poly finish (wchich have on my neck and probably on body as well) with this: Invalid Link Removed and this: Invalid Link Removed
3. What are the differences between matte-poly finish and high gloss finish (besides evident differences like that high gloss shines etc.). I mean: is matte finish is just thiner than hi gloss and that's all?
4. What can i use to clean off (unbind) a carnauba wax (a don;t want to damage a finish during the cleaning)? Perhaps alcohol or some kind of benzine?

You can use either of those two products on either poly or oil finishes without any problems.

Poly finishes are usually very thick and hard as a rock. I can't tell what's on your bass without looking at it up close. If it's a mass produced bass, it's probably poly.

The safest thing to use to clean off old wax is naptha (lighter fluid) or mineral spirits (paint thinner such as Varsol). They won't damage oil, poly or nitro finishes. Don't use benzene. It can damage an oil or nitro finish and it's not necessary. Alcohol works too but will damage nitro and shellac finishes. It dries a bit too fast for me to use on wax though. Paint thinner is about the safest and easiest to use.
Click to expand...
 
#3
Thank you very much.

I have Spector Legend Classic Bubinga and on the spector webside is: "Natural Matte Finish: Genuine Exotic Bubinga Top" Invalid Link Removed. But someone said, that i have got a matte-poly finish, not natural. Is it possible that on the webside is some error about that?

And can You explain me is matte-poly finish is the same as high gloss, but just thiner?

"Poly finishes are usually very thick and hard as a rock" No, my finish is thin and the surface is similar to surface of some smooth wood. But yes, it's hard.
 
#4
mihal27 said:
Thank you very much.

I have Spector Legend Classic Bubinga and on the spector webside is: "Natural Matte Finish: Genuine Exotic Bubinga Top" Invalid Link Removed. But someone said, that i have got a matte-poly finish, not natural. Is it possible that on the webside is some error about that?

And can You explain me is matte-poly finish is the same as high gloss, but just thiner?

"Poly finishes are usually very thick and hard as a rock" No, my finish is thin and the surface is similar to surface of some smooth wood. But yes, it's hard.
Click to expand...

Usually thick, not always. "Matte" means "dull or flat-without a shine". You can get a finish similar to an oil finish with poly if you don't apply a lot of it and don't buff it to a shine. I can get a matte finish with varnish, shellac, lacquer, tung oil and varnish and oil mixtures.

Once again-I can't tell what is on your bass without seeing it in person, but the website is probably correct if it says "natural matte finish". Does it look natural, whatever that means? A lot of Warwicks I've seen were finished with an oil/varnish mixture. They were "matte" and looked "natural".

I think you're getting too obsessed with inconsequential things here. You wanted to know what to clean your finish with. Those two products you mentioned will work, as will a damp cloth with water and a drop of dish soap.

Remove wax with naptha or paint thinner. Don't use benzene.

If you really must know what the finish is made of, contact Warwick.
 
#5
Thank You!

"Those two products you mentioned will work" - I'm not sure if hi gloss polish will work on natural/oil/wax finish. Won't it for ex. change the colour of wood/finish?

And can oil liquor matte finish, and can it be bad?

And if my neck and body reflects light and for example my finger, that means, that it's matte finish?

And isn't naphta kind of benzine? Perhaps extracting benzine is good?
 
#7
mihal27 said:
Thank You!

"Those two products you mentioned will work" - I'm not sure if hi gloss polish will work on natural/oil/wax finish. Won't it for ex. change the colour of wood/finish?

And can oil liquor matte finish, and can it be bad?

And if my neck and body reflects light and for example my finger, that means, that it's matte finish?

And isn't naphta kind of benzine? Perhaps extracting benzine is good?
Click to expand...

Wax works the best I have found for a natural oil/wax finish to restore some luster or shine. If you don't want any shine, don't polish it with wax. Just clean it with mineral spirits, wipe off any excess and let it dry.

"And can oil liquor matte finish and can it be all bad"--I don't understand this sentence. Sorry.

Naptha and benzine are different, at least where I live. Naptha is a bit more refined than mineral spirits or paint thinner, as it is commonly called. Naptha dries faster and is more volatile. For example-Zippo lighter fluid is a form of naptha. It will burn and ignite when hit by the spark from the flint in a Zippo lighter. Paint thinner, used in a Zippo lighter will not ignite.

But both these products will clean off grease and oil that builds up on your bass. Like from greasy hands, etc. It also will dissolve wax.

It will not dissolve the oil used to finish a bass because that oil has already dried and hardened. So it's safe to use on nitrocellulose, oil/varnish (such as Watco and other danish oils) varnish, polyurethane and most other finishes I can think of. In general, it's a pretty good cleaner. Soap and water will dissolve grease too and some other dirt. It's also a good cleaner. Often I use both.

So, to clean my instruments, I usually wipe them down with mineral spirits or naptha and if they are still a bit dirty I use acloth dampened with some water with a few drops of soap in it. Then I use a damp cloth with just clean water to remove any soap residue. Then I may polish the bass with a good quality furniture wax.

Any liquid or wax you put on wood will slightly alter the colour and sheen while wet. Wax will dry and when buffed with a cloth will make the finish shinier or more glossy.

"Matte" means--without a shine or dull. "Gloss" means --shine or luster. Semi-gloss is in between the two.

If your bass body or neck reflects light and is almost as shiny as a mirror, I'd say that it's a gloss finish. If it doesn't reflect an image at all and looks quite dull, I'd say it's a matte finish. If it is a bit shinier than matte but not as shiny as gloss then I;'d say it's semi-gloss.

What one company calls matte might be semi-gloss to another company.

It can all be confusing.

The best thing to do is to clean your bass with whatever product the manufacturer recommends. Then you won't have to worry if you have done something wrong. Warwick sells a wax for polishing their basses. You can use that. If it makes the bass too shiny for you, remove it with some paint thinner.

Remember paint thinner is mineral spirits. It is not paint remover. Don't use paint remover.

I hope this helps.
 
#8
"Any liquid or wax you put on wood will slightly alter the colour and sheen while wet. Wax will dry and when buffed with a cloth will make the finish shinier or more glossy." - So if I waxed my matte finish, i damaged it? It's good idea to waxing poly finish? For protect or for looking good?

What finish do you have?

"If your bass body or neck reflects light and is almost as shiny as a mirror, I'd say that it's a gloss finish. If it doesn't reflect an image at all and looks quite dull, I'd say it's a matte finish. If it is a bit shinier than matte but not as shiny as gloss then I;'d say it's semi-gloss." - It reflects only when i look on it from up.

"The best thing to do is to clean your bass with whatever product the manufacturer recommends. Then you won't have to worry if you have done something wrong." There's no cleaner for matte finish, only for hi-gloss, and for wood like lemon oil.

How can i recognize that the wax is still on my finish (i have got the feeling that the wax is still, but it can be some reflection and cleaning with some paint thinner wouldn't necessary).

And what about using gibson hi gloss polish on wax/oil finish?

Thank you in advance for help.
 
#9
mihal27 said:
"Any liquid or wax you put on wood will slightly alter the colour and sheen while wet. Wax will dry and when buffed with a cloth will make the finish shinier or more glossy." - So if I waxed my matte finish, i damaged it? It's good idea to waxing poly finish? For protect or for looking good?

What finish do you have?

"If your bass body or neck reflects light and is almost as shiny as a mirror, I'd say that it's a gloss finish. If it doesn't reflect an image at all and looks quite dull, I'd say it's a matte finish. If it is a bit shinier than matte but not as shiny as gloss then I;'d say it's semi-gloss." - It reflects only when i look on it from up.

"The best thing to do is to clean your bass with whatever product the manufacturer recommends. Then you won't have to worry if you have done something wrong." There's no cleaner for matte finish, only for hi-gloss, and for wood like lemon oil.

How can i recognize that the wax is still on my finish (i have got the feeling that the wax is still, but it can be some reflection and cleaning with some paint thinner wouldn't necessary).

And what about using gibson hi gloss polish on wax/oil finish?

Thank you in advance for help.
Click to expand...

You didn't damage your bass with wax. If you don't like how the wax looks, remove it with paint thinner. Use lemon oil to clean it. All lemon is is mineral oil with some yellow dye and a bit of lemon scent added. Don't use the Gibson polish unless you want it shiny.

Stop worrying and play your bass.
 
#12
No, Polish will not change the structure or cause damage. "Structure" means the makeup and relationship between the parts of something. "Polish" means to add a shine to something. "Polish" can also refer to the people who live in the country of Poland, but we're not talking about them here. The polish fills in the grain of the wood and reflects more light back, thereby making it look shinier. Most of these polishes will not damage the wood or the finish. The liquid mineral oil type polishes, such as lemon oil, as I've mentioned, are merely mineral oil, a yellow dye and a bit of lemon scent. You wipe it on and rub it around with a cloth. It suddenly looks shinier. Over a period of a few days, the mineral oil evaporates and it begins to look dull again, so, if you want it to shine again, you add more.

There are some polishes that I will not use because they contain silicone. Silicone is very hard to remove and can prevent any new finish from adhering properly if you ever decide you want to refinish your bass. These products are the liquid waxes, usually in a spray bottle, such as Pledge. Some of the liquid polishes sold in guitar stores contain silicone. Read the label. If there is silicone in it, don't use it. I don't know what is in the Gibson polish. See if you can find out. Do a search on line and try to find what the ingredients are. It probably doesn't contain silicone but you might as well be certain. Otherwise you'll wake up at night with nightmares about what you might be doing to your bass.

I use simple products to clean and polish my instruments that I know will not damage the wood or the finish and not prevent me from re-finishing if I want to.

So I use naptha, paint thinner or water and dish soap to clean the bass. I use furniture paste wax to make it shiny. I've never had any problems with them in over 40 years.

Now, can I go back to bed? I need a nap. :)
 
#14
mihal27 said:
Thank you for help.

In Poland it's 03:40PM now:)
Click to expand...

Don't tell me you're from Poland. Anyhow I did have a nap for a couple hours and I'm well rested now. I hope I did actually help some. If you have any questions just ask.

There is a book I'd recommend you get if you're interested in knowing a lot more about finishes and caring for them. It's "Hand Applied Finishes" by Jeff Jewitt and available from Taunton Press. It may be available in a library. It's written only in English but with a dictionary handy you'd have no trouble understanding any of it. A lot of people who grew up speaking English could use some help with a dictionary. There's a lot of very good information in the book with lots of illustrations. I've had my copy for about 10 years and still refer to it from time to time.
 

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