Best Polish

[jdogric12]

Gary, I may take you up on that in August! I could use some for my walnut-y Rick.

[grayk]

Paul, forgive my ignorance here but is the Zymol good for all makes of guitar ?

[jingle_jangle]

Nothing to forgive, Keith, ask away...

I'd use the Scratch-X/Zymol treatment on any unchecked guitar or bass or ? with a glossy finish. However, since it's primarily an automotive product, it's best suited to instruments with automotive-type finishes. This covers all main brands of electrics.

I use it on RIC acoustics, because the finish on these is the same as the electrics, and hence, automotive. OK on Fender, Gibson, PRS, Epi, etc.

Nice, French-polished instruments should get a beeswax treatment--that's a furniture finish and should be fed like fine furniture.

http://www.thefurnitureconnoisseur.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=166

On something like a handmade acoustic, I'd use whatever the luthier recommends. If in doubt, Santa Cruz makes a very nice wax blend that would be good on a varnished or French-polished surface.

http://www.santacruzguitar.com/products/acousticguitaraccessories.html

Old Martins should be fed with the beeswax stuff, too.

The nice thing about beeswax products and the Santa Cruz stuff mentioned above is that it doesn't leave white residue in the fissures in checked surfaces.

[jakeox]

How about a non-glossy autumnglo? Is Scratch-X OK for that?

[jingle_jangle]

Um, I thought I said "glossy", Jake.

For non-glossy CV finishes, use "Brillianize":

http://www.brillianize.com/

[jakeox]

Yep, mini-hijack over. Thanks.

[jingle_jangle]

Not a hijack at all, Jake. Topic is finish care, and you're right in the ballpark.

[grayk]

Thanks Paul that is very informative. Zymol seems to be quite an expensive product (only mail order it would appear) in the UK so it makes sense to be able to use it on my other makes.

[sowhat]

Okay, Paul, you talked me out of sending this cloth as a present to the first who'd say they want it. (And now it'd be easier for me to explain why it'd never become yet another doll's dress...)

[elysrand]

Paul, is Scratch-X and Zymol the optimum restoral treatment for the original finish on a 1968 4001?

That might not be CV?

[jingle_jangle]

If it's original, Elys, it's CV. RIC (then Electro String) started using conversion varnish sometime in 1959.

But I use Scratch-X and Zymol on nitro-finished, pre-'59 Ricks, too, and it does a fabulous job.

However, allow me to caution that a very beat-up, oxidized, or otherwise heavily-weathered finish, whether it be nitro or CV, is a candidate for "leave it alone", or at the owner's option, a proper CV refinish.

[chrisdski]

I have an 82 4001 mapleglo with a checked finish- should I use the same stuff?

[jingle_jangle]

Chris, depends on how badly checked. I'd opt for the beeswax stuff discussed elsewhere in this thread. It won't leave white residue in the cracks.

[sixtwentytwelve]

I tried the Scratch-X and Zymol treatment and have already brought one older Ric back to life. Absolutely amazing. Saw the reference in this thread to nitro[cellulose lacquer], which prompts me to ask the following (apologies in advance for the off-Ric inquiry) -- can this treatment safely be used on a recent '52 reissue blonde Telecaster (USA) that purports to have a nitro finish? The Tele I have in mind is suffering from what appears to be some highly superficial "button rash" that it picked up on a dealer's showroom floor -- it's only visible at a certain angle, but it would be nice to get rid of it entirely. On the other hand, I would prefer not to try the Scratch-X/Zymol treatment if it might do more harm than good . . . any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[bob_atherton]

My local guitar store was trying to get me to buy some Ernie Ball Wonderwipes (?) Never used them, any good?