Cleaner

[6stringkid]

I figured most cleaners and polishes are pretty much the same but what's the best cleaner or polish to use for a D 03R ? Are certain cleaners and polishes better for certain kinds of woods ? also whats the best cleaner or conditioner for the fretboard on a D 03R ?

[unclrob]

I use boiled linseed oil.First I clean the board and frets of all grey matter with 0000 steelwool thenI dab on some oil wipe it in wait a minute or less and wipe it off.About a half hour later I wipe it one more time and put the new strings on.Depending on how many hours you play once a year is good enough.If you play in bars where greasey food is cooked  keep an eye out for the grey matter if its starts building up clean and re-apply.

[jeremy3220]

I figured most cleaners and polishes are pretty much the same but what's the best cleaner or polish to use for a D 03R ? Are certain cleaners and polishes better for certain kinds of woods ? also whats the best cleaner or conditioner for the fretboard on a D 03R ?

A damp cloth is all you should need on the body. It's a satin finish so don't use a polish unless you want to alter that.

[L07 Shooting Star]

I've only used one brand of polish for the last 27 years, but that's mostly because I use it so sparingly, I still have the original plastic squeeze bottle of it!  It's a bottle of Ernie Ball Guitar Polish and all it says on it for instructions is, "wipe on, wipe off".  So I guess I can't really recommend any brand or type as I have nothing to compare mine to.  It's always worked well for me.  The bottle is almost empty and I will soon have to see if I can find another one.  Several major guitar manufacturers have guitar "polishes" with their brand name on them.  I'm thinking they would all be similar and any one would be good for your guitar.  One thing you should definitely NOT do is apply any product that contains silicone to a guitar (and furniture, by the way).  It will likely interfere with any future finishing or touching up

Like Jeremy, I mostly just use a damp cloth.  But I would add, "assuming your guitar is relatively clean to begin with and you wipe it regularly".  When I get a real dirty guitar to work on or if I buy one, I clean it with a weak detergent solution on a damp cloth first, then I use that Ernie Ball Polish on it.  I also apply this polish to all of my guitars (except the fingerboard of course) about once a year or more often if I'm gigging with them and they get covered in fingerprints, body oil or whatever.  If I'm selling a guitar, I always polish it up nice before it is delivered to the new owner.  Same for a guitar I've worked on for someone.

Another thing to note is there is a distinction between a "cleaner" and a true "polish".  A true polish would have microscopic abrasive particles in it and if rubbed on the finish would make it glossier in theory.  My so-called polish is more of a cleaner, I think.  It may have abrasive in it, I don't even know for sure.  It "cleans and polishes" I guess.