Keeping your sunburst clean?

[Johnny M]

I was changing the stings on my mandolin tonight and realized how grubby it looked.  When I first got it I always wiped it down spotless before putting it away.  Over time, I guess I got lazy and only wiped down the neck when it felt like it needed it (fairly regularly).  My guitars and mandolin get played daily and I'm over the honeymoon phase with all of them ~ I treat them well, but I don't handle them with kid gloves either.  To me, they are meant to be played rather than having them as a showpiece.  So my question to you players out there ~ are your sunbursts spotless most of the time, or do they show signs that they've been played (fingerprints and smudges)?  Am I the only one that's lazy when it comes to keeping their sunburst spotless?

John

PS ~ I cleaned it all up tonight when I changed the strings and it does look amazing to tell the truth.

[ducktrapper]

I know what you mean. My 000-50 TSB is a fingerprint and smudge magnet. When I saw Steve Earle a couple of years ago, he was playing a lovely sunburst Collings that looked just awful in the lights. He was kind of grubby too, truth be told, but his lovely wife-to-be was gorgeous.   

[unclrob]

I wipe down my strings after every play.As for the body finish...well......only when I'm changing the strings and then sometime's I forget.I have an excuse though....I clean a lot of other peoples guitars so I get lazy with my stuff.I know that I shouldn't but come on give an old repair guy a break.

[Dotneck]

So my question to you players out there ~ are your sunbursts spotless most of the time, or do they show signs that they've been played (fingerprints and smudges)?  Am I the only one that's lazy when it comes to keeping their sunburst spotless?

I'm like unclrob...my AJ gets kinda grungy 'cause I play it and sweat on it.  I wipe down the strings after playing but the rest usually gets ignored...

Cleaned it up before the weekend though and it looks kinda nice again. I got a spray bottle of H2O that I spray on and gave her a nice rub donw. Presto! All clean again!

[ducktrapper]

... and yes I try to keep my guitars as spotless as possible while still leaving them out on stands. I've taken to putting little hoods on them all because the headstocks and tuners are the hardest to keep clean. I use Crown Royal whisky bags.

   

[Dotneck]

... and yes I try to keep my guitars as spotless as possible while still leaving them out on stands. I've taken to putting little hoods on them all because the headstocks and tuners are the hardest to keep clean. I use Crown Royal whisky bags.

   

That's a good idea!  Do you know an easy way to get a few of those bags?

[ducktrapper]

That's a good idea!  Do you know an easy way to get a few of those bags?

They often show up as special at Christmas, however, the LCBO is selling Crown Royal with a bag right now as a pre-Christmas special or something.

[bhika]

That's a good idea!  Do you know an easy way to get a few of those bags?

Not without one heck of a hangover.

[ducktrapper]

Not without one heck of a hangover.

Contrary to ordinary, you aren't actually required  to drink the entire bottle in one sitting, in order to get the bag. It's not a prize.  

[cke]

Contrary to ordinary, you aren't actually required  to drink the entire bottle in one sitting, in order to get the bag. It's not a prize.  

Now if was Royal Crown....

[ducktrapper]

Now if was Royal Crown....

... it would be a plastic bag. 

[unclrob]

I'd find a prize for anyone who could drink that bottle in one sitting.

[johnny37]

If you throw the cap away when you open it you have to drink it in one sitting.  Its the Canadian way.

[Danny]

  I know this is off topic, but I happen to have just finished cleaning and polishing a sunburst Webber Mando.
  I used felt and Polishing compound. This had scratches and a lot of sticky residue from sweat. I got most of it off. Good enough for me anyway. I'm installing a PG on it for a friend but I can't stand to see a nice instrument so grimy.

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