How to clean: Swirling areas on aluminum necks

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

I've got an Emmons LeGrande that was stored in it's case for quite a while. In my start to clean it up, I see that dirt is embedded in the swirling/rough areas on the aluminum necks. I've never had this problem before on my other guitars, because my iron-clad rule was to thoroughly clean the whole guitar when strings were changed. Anyway, it makes me wonder if I should clean & polish--or just clean? To clean, my thoughts are to use mild dish soap & a tooth brush. I've never polished that swirling area on my other guitars--just cleaned--thinking that polish would get embedded in all those swirls.

Can anybody give me their thoughts on this?

Dave Ristrim · From: Whites Creek, TN

I'm curious as well.

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

If it was mine, I'd probably start with a little Windex and cloth. A toothbrush can splatter. And if that didn't work I'd move up to ammonia and if that didn't work acetone. Scotchbrite "green" is a good start for an abrasive "cloth", "maroon" is coarser and "brown" is coarser yet.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Don't use Windex. It contains ammonia. Not a good mix with aluminum. Just ask Jim Sliff, he knows all about it. I would not use polish. That area has been "textured" to get rid of the shine. Don't use anything that leaves a black residue, as you'll be no better off than when you started.

If you use something like Flitz or Simichrome, you will eventually remove the textured surface, as they contain mild rubbing compounds.

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

150 lbs air pressure Very Happy

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Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

I use this: http://www.nevrdull.com/page6.html

Jack Ritter · From: Enid, Oklahoma, USA

I have used this Neverdull for quite some time and have good results . However I do not use it on the non glare swirls on the necks. Every time I come in from a gig I blow my steel off with an air hose with about 40 lbs psi air and it keeps it very clean and dust free. JR
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I don't think I'd use Nevrdull on any textured surface. I would be afraid it would have the same result as polish and have the effect of putting an undesirable shine on that surface. However, I would defer to those that have actually used it on textured areas and say it works well there.

You can use Glass Plus for minor clean ups. It is ammonia free. If it needs more aggressive cleaning, I would agree with Chas on the acetone. Be careful with it around lacquered areas though. It is what auto painters use to clean the surface before painting. Possibly, although I have no personal experience with it, a product referred to as automotive pre-clean...a cleaner and degreaser. Just be sure to neutralize it with a water wet rag after use.

Jeff Newman recommended lighter fluid, naphtha for cleaning the changer, etc. Said it wouldn't hurt your guitar. It might work also.

Once the surfaced area is worn or diminished, you can't do anything to renew it except have it resanded, resurfaced, jeweled, etc.

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Lacquer thinner will remove the dirt, polish etc from a jeweled neck. Never apply polish, even the aluminum polishes to a jeweled neck. But if you do. Lacquer thinner will clean the black gunk left behind. Do not get it on the fret boards.

Tip courtesy of Jerry Roller.

Doug Palmer · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Bobby's right. Lacquer thinner or Varsol is what I use.

Doug
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Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

The picture shows what the neck areas look like after using Glass Plus, then lacquer thinner--rubbing until my fingers hurt. Some of the dark areas were removed, but a lot remain. Someone suggested using Scotchbrite--it sounds good, but I'm almost terrified that I might ruin those neck areas.

Is acetone stronger than lacquer thinner? Should I keep going over & over the areas with lacquer thinner? Should I go & get these others--lighter fluid, naphtha, automotive pre-clean, or varsol?

I'm stumped.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I wouldn't use Scotchbrite. They are abrasive and will damage the jeweling. Did you try using an old toothbrush to scrub the chemicals in?

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Being one that has given you suggestions, I am disappointed for you that none of the methods have performed to your satisfaction. I know it must be frustrating.

The only actual experience I've had, besides mild detergent, water and a brush, is with the Glass Plus for minor stuff and also acetone recommended to me by someone who has both built guitars and done automotive body and painting. I can only say it removed some black residue that the glass plus did not. My guitar was not nearly as bad as yours though. I don't know how it compares to lacquer thinner.

Not do I know if the other chemicals mentioned will give better results.

We used the pre-clean in the auto glass repair field to remove black urethane ooze out when setting a new windshield, from glass, vinyl trim, painted metal surfaces and sometimes fabrics. Never tried it on alum.

I hope someone will contact you that has had experience refurbishing necks and can save you lots of trial and error as well as expense buying more products that don't work.

Maybe call Del or Mike at Mullen, or some of the other builders and people that restore steels and alum. necks. Maybe Mike Cass, Bobbe Seymour, Dave Robbins, Lynn Stafford et al.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I do a lot of things that I do not recommend to others because sometimes a little slip up can cause damage. I personally use automotive mag wheel cleaner on the jewelled neck. Many of the suggestions including what I do can damage pickups, fretboards and lacquer very easily. You just have to be extremely careful to protect the parts you don't want damaged. Lacquer thinner in a pickup can melt away the very thin insulation on the hair size wire and ruin a pickup and I suspect that Acetone can do the same thing. Fretboards are easily damaged by any chemical. Naptha is pretty safe but not very strong. The mag wheel cleaner does a good job of bleaching the jewelled surface and I have never damaged a fretboard or any other part of a guitar using it but I carefully brush it on and let it set then wipe if off with a damp cloth.
Jerry

Per Berner · From: Skovde, Sweden

This is why I ordered my Zum with a polished neck. Cool

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

Guys, thanks so much for your comments. I contacted Lynn Stafford & he seems to feel if the cleaning & chemical use didn't work--the necks should be re-jeweled. He gave me tips on how to do it right, but I'm extremely concerned that it's out of my area of expertise. My last resort would be to take the necks off & have an expert restorer do it. However, the use of Mag Wheel Cleaner--recommended by Jerry R.--really interests me. He says it has a BLEACHING action & I wonder if that would do the trick! This sounds more caustic than lacquer thinner & Jerry R., believe me, I will be very very careful using it. The 2 fret boards are in new/mint condition--what type of tape should I cover them with? I'd like to use duct tape, but I'm wondering if that super sticky action would be bad for the paint on the fret boards?
Per Berner--I understand what you're saying about not wanting jeweled necks. However, this particular guitar is a classic example of very poor cleaning maintenance by the previous owner/owners. As I said before, my iron-clad rule is to clean the whole guitar(including the jeweled areas) when strings are changed. You have to stay on top of cleaning, so this problem won't come up!

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I looked around for some scrap alum with dark spots, to see if a product I use would remove them. Couldn't find any. The product I referring to is from California Custom, and is called Aluminum Deoxidizer. If you have aluminum that is grey and dull-looking, you use it as the first step before using polish. It works really, really well, and is a super time saver. The label says;

"Aluminum Deoxidizer (Step 1) has been specially designed to clean and deoxidize all metal surfaces without streaking, hazing,burning or etching the surface. It also removes scale, road film, most acid stains, tarnish or even rust on chrome."

I'm wondering about those dark spots???? Acid??

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I would not put tape on the fretboards. I would use a small perhaps 1/2" brush and "paint" the cleaner on just where you want it, let it set and wash off with very damp cloth.
Jerry

Brendan Mitchell · From: Melbourne Australia

I could be totally wrong here but I thought those areas on Emmons necks were actually painted .

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Brendan, the jewelling is done by touching an orbital sander in one spot not allowing it to move, raise it up and move over and touch down again and again until all the area is jewelled. If the sander moves any side to side it makes a squiggly pattern.
Jerry

Butch Pytko · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

Jerry R.,
Well, I just got through applying the Mag Wheel Cleaner & it's just not working. I even dared to apply it 2 more times--it just doesn't look right! I can see that it worked some, but it's not getting all of the dark areas. I hate doing these things when I'm so nervous about possible damage, but it turned out great, as far as nothing being damaged!

I picked out Lynn Stafford to get some advice on this. I've seen his work on restoration of some steels, & I'm impressed. I have a few other names--Leon Roberts, Jeff at Show Pro Guitars, James Moorehead, & Mullen Guitars. I don't know if I should even consider Emmons Guitars? Anyway, since I'm throwing in the towel & I believe it's beyond my expertise to try to re-jewel the necks myself, I'd like to ask one of the people I mentioned, if they would do it.

Any comments on the people I mentioned?
Thanks,
Butch

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Butch, ya might want to try that stuff I suggested. Those black marks may be acid stains, and they may go below the surface. The Deoxidizer says it removes "most acid stains." California Custom makes that stuff, and the famous (and great!) Purple Polish. If you like to keep your guitars, and other stuff, shiny and clean, you won't regret these time-saving products, even if the Deoxidizer doesn't work in this particular case. Much less labor intensive than Flitz, Simichrome, or cotton wadding.

As for jeweling, it's not that hard to do. Used to do it at the steel guitar company I worked for. Orbital sander for most guitars. Don't know about Emmons. You could pick up a piece of aluminum scrap somewhere, and experiment.

PS: I used to work with a guitar player that had very acid sweat. He had to restring every couple of days. Had to replace the saddle adjustment screws a few times before he actually rotted away the chrome on the saddles of his Strat, and had to replace them. So,,, just sweat can do it.

Elton Smith · From: Texas, USA

Check out bon ami.We used it on aircraft parts

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Whatever cleaner you use you might try using a stiff toothbrush because the black is down in the swirls and needs something that will reach it. You could try toothpaste and toothbrush or the Bon Ami with a toothbrush might do the trick.
Jerry

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