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Double Bass Rosin on the bass

#2
I just use a cloth. Are you talking about it being caked on? First, you should never let it get that bad, it can ruin your varnish. I suppose various guitar cleaners or rubbing alcohol would take care of it. I wouldn't scrape it, though.

I always give my bass a good rubdown every few days with a cloth just to get dust and rosin and any foreign matter off it.
 
#3
Whoa! Stay away from rubbing alcohol! That can take up the varnish. Naphtha (lighter fluid) will usually cut through caked on rosin but leave the varnish. However, you should always test your solvents by putting a small amount on a Q-tip and rubbing a small area. If the tip darkens, then you are taking up the varnish and should use a different solvent.

Dimmik is right about giving the bass a rubdown on a regular basis.
 
#4
When I got my bass, the top had a bit of roughness in the areas where rosin dust would fall. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it.

I skimmed the edge of a thin credit card across the surface at a very shallow angle, and the rosin came right off. This time the big banks rescued me! ;^]
 
#6
Paul Barsic said:
Whoa! Stay away from rubbing alcohol! That can take up the varnish. Naphtha (lighter fluid) will usually cut through caked on rosin but leave the varnish. However, you should always test your solvents by putting a small amount on a Q-tip and rubbing a small area. If the tip darkens, then you are taking up the varnish and should use a different solvent.

Dimmik is right about giving the bass a rubdown on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

Correct - rubbing alcohol removes finish.
 
#8
Apologies for mentioning rubbing alcohol as a possible cleaning agent. I use it n my strings but have never used it on the body because I never allow the body to get dirty. The following link is for how to clean rosin off a violin. It also emphasizes not to use water. The soundest advice other than to keep your instrument clean and you won't have this problem is to take it to somebody who knows who to clean them if you're finding the rosin too hard to remove (and by that time, you've probably already damaged the finish anyway).

violin cleaning?
 
#9
It's not caked on but there's a lot I bought my bass lightly used and it had a lot on it when I got it. And do you use a wet cloth or a dry cloth? Also where can you get that rosin remover? Thanks for all the replies everyone!
 
#12
Sdtrf said:
It's not caked on but there's a lot I bought my bass lightly used and it had a lot on it when I got it. And do you use a wet cloth or a dry cloth? Also where can you get that rosin remover? Thanks for all the replies everyone!
Click to expand...

I suppose you can order the rosin-cleaner online. I use a dry soft cloth only but I also don't have any rosin buildup. Apparently, a wet cloth is a no-no. No water. If you can find a luthier in your area, maybe you should take it to him or get his advice. I'd hate for you to damage your finish unnecessarily.
 
#16
I'm gonna take it to the store I bought it from and see what they can do and I'm also going to go to the links you guys posted for me so thanks for all the replies everyone!! I think I'm going to buy the rosin remover too. And a blowtorch?!?!?!?!xD
 
#19
Hey Guys,

Over the weekend I became inspired and decided to try a cleaning method an excellent local luthier described to me:

Get Gojo hand cleaner from an auto parts store; VERY IMPORTANT - Gojo makes 2 kinds of hand cleaner: one with pumice, and one without pumice. Get the kind WITHOUT PUMICE.

Apply on the table and side ribs where needed, avoid getting near glue seams.

Rub a bit, and get the stubborn stuff with a very light nylon mesh pad rub and very light scrape with a plastic credit card. After the Gojo has been sitting a bit, the rosin loosens up nicely, and should take very little effort to dislodge it.

Then wipe off the surface, and go over it with a slightly damp rag.

The whole thing took less than 10 min, and worked great! And this was on a (daily arco practice) bass I hadn't cleaned for about 3 years!

- Jim
 

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