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How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
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Author:  Goodin [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:59 am ]
Post subject:  How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
I just adopted a very well worn 1954 Martin D-28. It has a grimy, dirty spot in the upper bout, treble side next to the fretboard (see pic). It's in an area worn down to bare wood after years of strumming wearing off the finish. Most of the grime is in the bare wood but some of it in the finish. Any idea if and how I can properly clean this without adversely affecting the finish or bare wood, or causing structural issues? Or should I just leave it alone? Thanks for any advice.
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Author:  bluescreek [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Naphtha will get most of the crud off. Warm water and avoid pledge , old english polish etc . When I get a real grimy guitar in the shop I will lay a paper towel over the area and put a good layer of naphtha on that and cover with plastic wrap and let soak for about 10 to 15 minutes and then wipe up with a terry towel .
It may take a few applications. I would love to see how others handle this . I don't think a trip through the dish washer would work to well.
Author:  Casey Cochran [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
I think it looks awesome.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
I remember that Don Teeter used to recommend a plain old pencil eraser for getting crud off spruce.
Go with the grain.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Deionized water. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Data/Materials/DeionizedWater/deionized.html
Author:  Fred Tellier [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 1:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Why mess with the natural look of its age and use, being cleaner will not make it look much better or newer. That guitar has lots of stories to tell
Author:  AlBDarned [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
One of these with some 50 grit outta do the trick:

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Author:  Corky Long [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Fred Tellier wrote:
Why mess with the natural look of its age and use, being cleaner will not make it look much better or newer. That guitar has lots of stories to tell


+1!!

Better yet, send it to me and I'll apply my patented two year cleaning process... laughing6-hehe
Author:  ChuckH [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Corky Long wrote:
Fred Tellier wrote:
Why mess with the natural look of its age and use, being cleaner will not make it look much better or newer. That guitar has lots of stories to tell


+1!!

Better yet, send it to me and I'll apply my patented two year cleaning process... laughing6-hehe


No Corky, you can't spray it with Easy Off oven cleaner at bake it for two years. You should send it to me and I'll see that Corky don't abuse it........lol
Author:  nyazzip [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 5:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
i don't like bare wood, it likes to drink up sweat and beer! if it were mine, and i was going to use it, i would at least give it a little wax or thin shellac once in awhile to keep out more crud
whoever played it had a weird style; who strums way up there???
Author:  Ed Haney [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
nyazzip wrote:
whoever played it had a weird style; who strums way up there???


Many vintage guitars from the 30's, 40's and 50's show that wear. In those days a strap was typically tied to the headstock. The weight balance then shifts towards the headstock when standing with the strap. In other words, the guitar tends to move under the strumming hand. This part of the reason for that wear.
Author:  Jim_H [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
One man's grime is another man's MOJO! =)
Author:  alan stassforth [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
If it were mine,
I'd leave it.
If you go washing it and all that,
it's gonna mess up da bear wood next to it,
unless yer really careful.
I was born in '54,
and I look a little like that geetar.
Author:  WudWerkr [ Fri Nov 11, 2011 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
ChuckH wrote:
Corky Long wrote:
Fred Tellier wrote:
Why mess with the natural look of its age and use, being cleaner will not make it look much better or newer. That guitar has lots of stories to tell


+1!!

Better yet, send it to me and I'll apply my patented two year cleaning process... laughing6-hehe


No Corky, you can't spray it with Easy Off oven cleaner at bake it for two years. You should send it to me and I'll see that Corky don't abuse it........lol


No No No , dont listen to these guys ... send it to me . you will never see it again and it will be loved and care for . ............. well at least IM BEING HONEST about it . laughing6-hehe
Author:  nickton [ Sun Nov 13, 2011 12:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
I think you should get rid of it. Send me your email and I'l give you a good address to send it to. :mrgreen:
Author:  Goodin [ Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Yeah it's in pretty rough shape, all worn out and dirty. I think I'll just give it away. Haha!!!

Thanks for all the great replies. I will give them a shot in the next few days and post pics.

I LOVE the extensive playing wear because I have noticed that the most well played guitars are always the ones that sound the best. I still wonder about the theory of this phenomenon (more vibrations excite the wood and bring it to life?). Whenever I buy a vintage instrument I always go for the most beat up one I can find, it's less desirable amongst collectors and sounds better. That being said, I don't like the grime so off it goes.

I am thinking of how it could have such extensive wear in different areas. I think it was owned by at least two professional musicians or regular playing musicians. One person strummed way up the neck and the other strummed in the more normal position at the lower part of the sound hole. It was probably used for Bluegrass rhythm I would think, due to the heavy strumming wear.
Author:  LanceK [ Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Casey Cochran wrote:
I think it looks awesome.


What Casey said!!!
It looks awesome! I would not touch it!
Author:  Goodin [ Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Ok, here is a few before and after pics. I tried the eraser trick first and it did nothing but get small bits of eraser gummed up. I tried Naptha on the bare wood... soaked in on a paper towel for a few minutes then wiped it off. Then repeated twice. It got most of the grime out. There is still some grime so deep I don't think anything will get it out, but the Naptha did a great job on the bare wood. It dulled the finish on the laquer in a test spot so I wont use it on the finish (also the can says it reacts with laquer). Any thoughts on getting crud out of laquer finish?
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Author:  klooker [ Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How Do I Get This Grime Off My Old Martin?
Have you tried one of those Mr. Clean magic sponges? They work sort of like an eraser but don't crumble.

I'm sure they're marketed under other generic names also.

Kevin Looker
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