Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a grungy Grestch that needs some attention.

Is the Naptha / Scratch-X / Zymol treat safe and effective on a Nitro finished guitar such as a Gretsch 6120-1959 LTV or Gretsch Setzer SSLVO (which I gather is are not really true Nitro finished guitars anyway) ?

Reading through the post here it looks like the Virtuoso products are out.

I am not sure about the others products out there and I am coming up with a whole kaleidoscope of methods on Internet searches.

Thanks!

I've used that method on 60's Gibsons and it works just fine.

Stick to Scratch-X (or my newest fave, Nu-Finish Scratch Remover) and Zymol, as usual. These two guitars have a CV undercoat/sealer, and nitro top coat. If anything, the Scratch-X/Zymol method works better on nitro than on CV!

Weird about Virtuoso at first glance, in a series of email excahnges, I got sandbagged and stonewalled by their CEO when I asked about synthetic ingredients, petroleum distillate, and silicone. He flat refused to share their MSDS, but finally did admit to petroleum distillate as the vehicle, which means you can't build up coats. My conclusion--silicone is present, and in significant percentages of the formula. He was engaging in damage control; only logical IMO.

Scratch-X had some silicone--a very tiny amount, as I never experienced any difficulties with it in my paint shop. I've switched to Nu-Finish now; don't have a MSDS yet. If it's got a tad of silicone. I'm OK; so far no ill effects on my paintwork. (Silicone in a paint booth's air or filtration system yelds a fish-eye epidemic and is very tough to remedy!)

So is using Naptha (lighter fluid) as a cleaner on a Nitro or Rick lacquer finish not a good thing or necessary?

Just Windex clean, Nu-Finish then Zymol?

Naphtha will not hurt nitro, but just to be safe, rub a tiny area with a few drops on a clean diaper and see if anything but dirt comes off.

I use Windex and a toothbrush to clean hardware and around corners and tight areas. Try not to soak any areas where bare wood is showing, and keep it out of open screw holes--it swells wood.

Naphtha is good for dissolving oil-based dirt and grease, but Windex--being a good substitute for soap and water, is good for everything else, and will degrease, too.

"oil-based dirt and grease"...that's what I have and lots of it.

This poor girl was in the store where I bought it for quite a while without being cleaned and was unmercifully pawed.
Dust, dirt and grime everywhere but no permanent damage.

With your guidance in hand once I strip her down she should clean up nicely!

Thanks

Dirt on a guitar is usually a combination of water-soluble and solvent-soluble oily grunge. Sometimes a water-surfactant solution (Windex is a great example of this) will work on both types of dirt. But there's no harm in trying either first. Just go carefully, and don't overdo things by soaking with either solvent or water.