Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi y'all,
I received my 92 330/6 MG today via the good ol USMAIL.
I have a few questions..
first: what can I use to eliminate cigarette smell from the case? Can you use a product like fabreeze.
second: What can I use to clean the guitar.

The guitar looks to be in great shape and I'll post photos soon.

I really like the black pick guard and tail piece. I think it looks much better than white.

Thanks to Andrew for making the whole process pain-free.

Thanks again to the group for you help in choosing.
Andy

Congrats! Febreeze and some fresh air will help with the cigarette smell.

Over to you, Paul - again!!

Andy, use a product called Meguiar's Scratch-X to clean up the guitar-apply it with a soft cotton or flannel cloth, a couple of square inches at a time, and rub hard until it shines and the dirt is gone.

Next, protect with a couple of coats of Zymol cleaner- wax (light blue bottle). Both are available at auto parts stores like Trak Auto and also in the Auto section at Target. Soft cotton cloth is vital. Do not use synthetics--they scratch the varnish.

I use Dr. Stringfellow for the strings and fretboard--wipe on and wipe off. Lubes the strings and gets the grunge out of wound strings, too while it prevents corrosion on all of 'em.

Light clock oil in a needle dispenser for tuning machines and bridges.

Thanks for the info Paul,
Should I clean the pickups and bridges?
Thanks again,
Andy

By all means, Andy. I use the Rickenbacker cloth for those (gently) or else Gibson low abrasion metal cleaner.

If you take up smoking the smell will be less noticable. Hahaha!! That's not a recommendation, by the way.

Watch the abrasives, you guys!

To clean pickups and the metal bridge parts, a toothbrush and a bit of naphtha (lighter fluid) for the grunge around the bases and screws. Careful--don't soak the rubber grommets or they might disintegrate (although most electronics and home center-type stores do stock them). If there is any pitting, a bit of the Scratch-X or some Turtle Wax 123 on the brush, then dry-brush and wipe with a soft cloth.

I usually replace those grommets anyway; I buy 'em by the box. They are OEM hardware store items, as I mentioned.

All depends upon how grungy the hardware is. When I polish an oldie like this, I unstring it, unscrew the pickups, unsolder the pickup leads from the pots and switch (marking and/or photographing everything) and remove the pickguards, controls, bridge, and tailpiece.

I inspect each piece and deal with it separately. Do NOT use an automotive-type chrome cleaner on the hardware--it's too abrasive. I often will completely disassemble a bridge and clean the screws, bridge saddles, and bridge base with a rotary brass wire brush chucked up into a drill press (pillar drill to you Brits), and a bit of WD40 sprayed onto things to loosen up the corrosion. Even raw metal parts like old Fender bridge screws and those threaded saddles clean up real nicely with this trick.

When you do it this way when you first get an old Rick, then reassemble everything and put on new strings, adjust the neck and set the action, you've given that old instrument a brand new lease on life! And you won't have to go through it again for many years.

Also gives you a chance to have a look at the guts and see how original and "nice" it is. Bit of a history lesson, as it were...

Andy,

Congrats!! Hope to see some pics. I prefer 330's for 6-string, too. Enjoy.

Glad it all worked out in the end.

To Andy, I'm sorry it didn't turn around faster, but it was out of control from my end.

...and the cigarette smell must have come from the owner before "me"!!!