Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a can of this stuff. It's pure carnauba wax in turpentine, but I'm not up on waxes and polishes. Of course I know of the recommendation to use pure carnauba wax on Ricks from the manual and all that, but what I want to know is has anyone used this stuff and will the turpentine hurt the finish on my bass? I'm not using it until I know. If it will, the can goes back on the shelf in the ol' workshop. I tried searching on the archive search engine but didn't turn up any answers to this question.
Thanks folks!

Actually, the proper spelling is "carnauba". Even some manufacturers get it wrong on the label.

Carnauba comes from palm trees in a very windy and sandy part of Brasil (the northeast). The palms secrete carnauba essence to protect their leaves from the onslaught of the wind-driven sand. We scrape it from the leaves and make things shiny with it.

You should look up "Zymol" in the search window.

Carnauba waxes use various solvents to make them easier to apply; turpentine is one used in very high quality furniture waxes. Turpentine has a number of problems tied to its carcinogenic qualities and also to its odor.

Turpentine, being an aromatic, will dissolve previous coats of wax while you're putting on another coat. Especially with furniture waxes, there will eventually be a yellow buildup in corners. You don't notice this on furniture due to its own warm brown coloration. You will notice this on your bass or guitar, though. Turps will also carry the wax into the pores of the conversion varnish and may yellow the binding.

Zymol (my recommendation, YMMV) is actually an emulsion which uses carnauba and natural essential oils, blended with a water vehicle. The smell is really nice, and you can put it on in several coats, which build up one on another, as water will not strip previous coats of wax. Zymol will not yellow, either.

I see! I remember the mention of Zymol but I wasn't sure how to spell it. I will look this stuff up. The Lundmark goes back to the workshop shelf. Thanks, Paul!

Zymol can be found at auto parts stores and also at Walmart.

Thanks, Kris! I managed to locate a place about an hour away from me that has it, but I will check Wal-Mart first.

AutoZone also caries it - they are becoming just about as common as Wal-Marts.

Out here we have the ever present Pep Boys!

There's an Auto Zone near me. I'll give it a shot.

I looked up on the Zymol website and found a couple dealers in my state, one that's not too far away from me, at least not too far to get something to properly maintain my Ricks. But before I go up there, I'll try Wal-Mart and Auto Zone.

Try Target also, they may have it.

And if all else fails, try what's used at the factory, Turtle Wax, for under three bucks a bottle and available just about everywhere in the world.

Poor turtles! I hope you don't scrape them too hard!

Remember the past while you are polishing, and you can wax nostalgic ...

Ooh, good one Gary! Worthy of Peter McCormack himself