Scratch X & Zymol

lars · Post by **lars** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:58 pm

The guitar may be worn, but not dirty.

I would clean it even if it was Kurt's vomit.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Thu May 10, 2007 4:30 am

"..Personally I think patina is fine on antique furniture, but a guitar is not a piece of furniture...."

But both are thought of as sought-after collectibles, and some people who help create the market demand for both items regard patina or an unaltered state of condition as a plus in whether they'll buy it.

This is a good analogy, and demonstrates how the opinions can differ on what's okay and what should be left alone. I agree that in the classic 'antique' world, most people leave things 'as is' for the sake of preservation. Vintage guitars in some cases may not matter as much to this viewpoint, but IMHO there are as many people in favor of cleaning as there are against it.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:12 am

Martin, your friends are parroting what they read online and elsewhere, which "facts" or "information" are put out by vintage dealers without explanation or qualification, in order to control pricing and therefore make their lives easier.

If it's a guitar with a lot of charm and/or history, it makes sense to preserve those attributes. (Imagine...Lennon's 325 in black with all those lovely dings and scratches, versus the "restored" item, which has lost its charm, but retains its historical cachet, though diminished.) To use this "originality" reasoning in the case of an anonymous but nasty, badly-cared-for and badly-maintained instrument, is out of whack. Fix it, bust it up for parts, or toss it, but don't tell me about "originality"...

relayer4u · Post by **relayer4u** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:18 pm

Which Zymol wax should we get? Is it the paste one that they call creme?

Thanks!

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:20 pm

You can use the paste, but my favorite is the stuff in the light blue plastic bottle called "cleaner wax".

I always keep a gallon handy.

relayer4u · Post by **relayer4u** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:25 pm

Thanks, that's what I need to know!

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:24 pm

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:32 am

Say...That looks familiar!

beacon · Post by **beacon** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:06 am

I've also used the paste with fine results. They actually make different waxes for different colors. The one I have used is called "Carbon" for use on darker finishes. Very important to follow the directions...mostly not to let it dry on the surface like most paste waxes.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:04 am

This is something that those used to "wipe-on, let haze, wipe-off" waxes and polishes, need to understand.

Also, it helps to mist a little cold water over the surface after the first buffing to "set" the wax, then buff again while the water is still present. Result is that all the microscratches are filled, and the finish can be flawless (depending upon the original paintwork!).

I use Carbon on my Merlot Miata and dark blue SAAB convertible, with excellent results.

squid · Post by **squid** » Sun May 27, 2007 10:13 am

Can a brother get a wee refresher on Scratch-X/Zymol/diaper technique? My 330DCM is probably in need of a treatment and it's mentioned so often in the archives (hurrah, Paul!) that I can't find simple instructions. I presume Scratch-X applied first following the directions on then bottle, and then the Zymol. Buff the Zymol with Huggies, right?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun May 27, 2007 10:53 am

Basically correct, John...I cut one diaper into 4" squares and use one for Scratch-X, with a dime-sized bit of the Scratch-X each time you reapply. Put it onto the cloth. Work on a small area of the guitar at a time; say 2" square. When it's all done, do the same with Zymol on a different scrap of cloth.

Don't try to work the whole guitar over at once; move from area to adjacent area so you can concentrate of quality of gloss.

I do at least two subsequent applications of Zymol; following these, misting cool water over the surface, and one more buff, helps to "set" the wax for max gloss. With Zymol, you do not let it dry, then buff it off--you put it on and rub it in, then immediately remove any excess with a clean diaper.