Double Bass Proper Upright Scrubbins?

[KellanEmSoftly]

Hey folks, I just picked up my first Shen Willow today, and I'm antsy to clean and polish it! I'm wondering what the good natural products for finger boards, body, and neck would be. I feel like the neck is a little starchy and could use perhaps the luthier's equivalent to baby powder to smoothen things up a bit.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Alcohol to clean the fingerboard and plain water for the rest of the bass. No baby powder!

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Fine steel wool or 320 or finer sandpaper and mineral oil on the neck are good. I like boiled linseed or watco as well. Don't baby it.

 

[tyb507]

Water is okay, but VERY sparingly. Use a barely damp cloth, and don't let the surface get wet. Saliva is also handy for pesky dirt.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Sulfuric acid on the fingerboard

 

[RSBBass]

Be careful with alcohol. Many bass finishes are alcohol soluble. A slightly damp cloth will take care of all but the worst grime. If you have a rosin buildup, alcohol can be carefully used on the strings.

I would not use anything more on the neck until you have played the instrument for a while. Natural skin oil and playing can smooth a neck very nicely. if it is too rough for that, talk to the place you bought it from.