Cleaning cruddy maple

[Cameronj279]

Hi folks.

 

NBD of sorts for me here having repurchased a Dingwall NG2. It's in dire need of a proper setup and a proper deep clean. Neck feels like an old cars dirty steering wheel at the moment. 

 

Some .170 Payson strings on the way but looking for advice on what's the best way to give the maple neck/fretboard a proper cleaning to get rid of all the built up crud? 

 

Keep seeing mixed things about using lighter fluid? Not sure I'm keen on the idea of that but if it works I'm all for it. 

 

Thanks in advance folks. Obligatory NBD photo also attached 😀

[Burns-bass]

This is why I’m friends with my local guitar tech. Not only is he a lovely man but he enjoys working on such instruments. 
 

He’s got two kids and works hard. I would see the £50 spent on this as representing amazing value.

 

Good luck with the new bass. It looks amazing.

[casapete]

On a maple board that has a finish applied then just a damp cloth does the job.

For unfinished boards I think Ernie Ball does a product that is suitable ( for Stingrays etc),

but never used it on mine. 

[Lozz196]

I’ve never had a bass with that much gunk on it but I’ve always used lemon oil, either on rosewood or maple boards, and it’s always worked nicely.

[Burns-bass]

I’m sure it’s not a good idea on delicate finishes but one bass I got I used antibacterial wipes as it genuinely was rank.

[Reggaebass]

I’ve used alcohol wipes before and they came out well, I’m not sure about lighter fluid, that sounds a bit scary to me 

[PaulThePlug]

Isopropyl Alcohol, try and get 90 proof... esp for maple, 70 proof is ok and has mineral oil, ala lemon oil.

 

Alcohol First Aid Wipes, lighter fluid, like naptha highly refined...

 

I'd try a spot some where, just in case of nitro, may move the lacquer like acetone.

[Burns-bass]

12 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Isopropyl Alcohol, try and get 90 proof... esp for maple, 70 proof is ok and has mineral oil, ala lemon oil.

 

Alcohol First Aid Wipes, lighter fluid, like naptha highly refined...

 

I'd try a spot some where, just in case of nitro, may move the lacquer like acetone.

Sorry, this is what I used. I think you recommended this to me before and it worked wonderfully well.

 

Got them on Amazon. I still keep them in my gig box.

[Dad3353]

A few drops of Dr Duck's Ax Wax on a lint-free cloth ...

 

 

Use sparingly; a little goes a long way. Cleans anything on guitars and basses. Good Stuff, and very economical. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The gunk keeps the funk.

 

But if you really need to defunk it, napha aka lighter fluid is the way to go. Last time I bought some it was a quid from poundland.  It evaporates quickly so once you've wiped it off it won't leave any residue behind. Use it in a well ventilated area (or the garden), and ensure that any rags/kitchen towel is disposed of well away from anything that could set it alight.

 

If you have sticker residue you want to remove from an instrument or case it's also perfect for that.

[TimR]

Old soft toothbrush. I keep one in my case of bits and bobs and do it every time I change the strings (once every year or two 😉).

Edited November 1, 2024 by TimR

[snorkie635]

Believe it or not, the board on this Stingray was in a similar condition when I bought it. I used cymbal cleaner and a soft cloth - came out really well as shown below.

 

 

[Cameronj279]

Got it all cleaned up and the lighter fluid seemed to work a treat. Cheers folks. 

 

Frets shining now...they were absolutely manky. Needs a proper setup and nut filed to accommodate the .170 gauge strings

[Lozz196]

Major improvement