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hi,

what is the best way to clean up an unfinished (no clearcoat) sitka spruce top wood? it's dirty, finger smudges, lacks luster, etc. it's not too bad visually other than it kind of looks lifeless. i can post a pic if necessary.

thanks,
shad


update:
here is a pic of the guitar.

p.s. in researching on fingerboard oils, cleaners and other things, i found people talking about formby's build-up remover ( http://www.formbys.com/products/buildup_remover.cfm? ) for cleaning nasty old fingerboards. do you think this product is gentle enough for an unfinished top as well?

I wouldn't use the Formby's or any other wood cleaner on bare wood. They are meant for finished woods. If you put that on bare wood, finish may not adhere properly. I'll let the knowledgeable suggest what would be best to use.

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Is that a baby Taylor?
I'm just not so sure that the finish is not supposed to be like that....

Yeah, is that not a matte/satin finish?

yes, it's a baby taylor.

Type/Shape: 6-String 15/16 Size Dreadnought
Back & Sides: Sapele
Top: Sitka Spruce
Neck: Tropical American Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony

actually, i couldn't find it on taylor's website, but found some [more] info here:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/taylor-big-baby-taylor-acoustic-guitar



most likely, nick.

For unfinished spruce, I'd first try a soft rubber eraser. For an unknown but intact finish, I'd experiment with naphtha or deionized water. For a contemporary synthetic matte finish, I'd be tempted to try a soft rag slightly damp with water mixed with a little dish detergent.

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

I got a bit of lemon oil on a Baby Taylor once and the thing is still shiny as... Careful with what you choose.

First off that Baby T suppose to have a mat varnish finish...so in theory a damp cloth and mild soap should clean it.

However...best hear it from the horses mouth instead of our end.

Taylor Service and Support/Maintenance Vids
Care & Feeding...
http://www.taylorguitars.com/see-hear/default.aspx?id=1004


Oh and by the way...why you letting grubbly dirty fingers manhandle yer ax? Hmmm?

_________________
.

Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


.

thanks for the replies, everyone!

a damp cloth with warm water did the trick. thanks, "the padma". also, i don't play with dirty and grubby hands. however, my friend who has played this guitar since he was in high school may not have used such guidelines.

i have succinctly documented the entire process here in this blog for you all: http://jimistaylor.blogspot.com

so this concludes the thread and again, i appreciate everyone's input and support. jimi stopped by this evening excitedly to pick up his guitar and was quite satisfied with the results. happy customers are a wonderful thing.

cheers!
shad

I can sit and watch that all day

well, i guess that's the one aspect of the servicing that i didn't document, filippo. while the strings were still off, (i didn't remove the bridge) i just damp-wiped the guitar top and then immediately dried it. that was all it need, so i guess it was pretty minimal grime in that case.