Shaun
Hi Guys,
I've got an Ebony finished '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio. Although the guitar is in very good condition, over time the Ebony Black finish on the body has accumulated swirl marks, and the area where I rest my arm has become a bit dull. I'd like to bring back the shine, or perhaps even get it to better than new, which I would imagine would require some sort of buffing or polishing, and then to maintain this finish.
From reading this forum, there are some very talented luthiers here, and I would like your expert opinion on how best to tackle this, and what products and process to use to get the best possible result.
Thanks in advance!
Shaun
MikeM
NOOOOOOOOOO MAN!!! People pay for that stuff!! It gives character. Relicing is the in thing ?
If you really want to, Meguire has a swirl remover
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.asp?T1=MEG+SWIRL+1
It should also buff it up ever so slightly. Does it have a thick plasticy look? I read a thread once about using fine steel wool to remove the glossyness and make it look a little more vintage. Was really cool.
Shaun
The guitar has plenty of character that has come with age and a few unfortunate incidents. The swirl marks however are simply as a result of my own ignorance and stupidity with regards to cleaning and maintaining it, which I want to rectify going forward.
I'm hesitant to use an automotive product on this guitar, as it has a nitro celulose laquer finish, not a polyurethane or other acrylic finish, so some specific recommendations on products that will work well with this finish would be great, thanks.
Shaun
Thanks I see they have a Swirl Remover which will probably do the job. As far as polishing and putting back the shine and protective coat, would something like the Preservation Polish be the answer? Only thing is, it says they can't ship outside of the US. Do you know of any local source for a good protective polish?
AlanRatcliffe
Meguirs is pretty commonly used in the guitar finishing world. Otherwise the Colortone polishes are great - I find they don't dry out as quickly with a buffer as some of the automotive polishes.
I wouldn't use a swirl remover unless you have swirls from a rotary electric buffer. Start with the fine or, if the scratches are deeper, the medium and then fine are great. It's possible to get a pretty high gloss with medium if you know what you are doing - they break down into finer abrasives as you use them. Remember though, the higher gloss you polish, the smoother and flatter the finish has to be before you start polishing.
needleshy
i saw a buffing compound that they use to descratch DVD's at vee's videos and i managed to smooth talk the lady into giving me some of the product which i have used and dude this stuff is awsome...... but u have to use a buffing wheel which can be aquired from a local hardware store.... well this stuff works so well it has revoved all the scratches from my dvd's and left them in absolute perfect nick..... i used it on a piece of my guitar and it worked real well i removed all the swirls and scratches althought u have to watch as the wheel does tend to get warm so u gotta buff then let it cool down for 5 sec.....
the product is called REBUFF..... i haven't seen it anywhere else but i'm sure u can order some or do as i did....
this is probably the best compound i have used and its pretty gentle.....
Shaun
So, I got hold of some Meguiars Scratch X 2.0, as well as some Meguiars Gold Class wax. Polished up a small section on the back of the guitar with the Scratch X just to test the effect on the finish. When I saw it didn't do anything unexpected, I expanded the area a little larger, and worked the Scratch X nicely with a micro-fibre cloth. Once I was satisfied, I waxed the same area with some Gold Class. The results are absolutely unbelievable. Swirl marks on the polished section are gone, and the shine is something to behold.
I am extremely impressed, and can't wait to get going on the rest of the guitar.
MikeM
So I wasn't that far off ?
Shaun
Nope, you were right on! Thanks for the advice. I'd used Meguiars Swirl Remover polish in the past on my vehicle, and it was quite abrasive, hence my initial wariness. I chatted to the Meguiars guys yesterday before buying, and they explained that Swirl Remover 2.0 is the new version of the product and is far milder than the older generation of the product, so I decided to give it a go. ?
