55 year old nitro.

jimmyguitar

Definitely don’t strip it before you’ve tried everything else as it does look like the original finish. 

musteatbrain

I’m not sure what it is. I think maybe someone put something over the original finish many years ago. 
I used carnauba wax just now after testing on a small patch

https://imgur.com/a/dKte0XX

It turned really oily straight away and most of it seems to have come off with a rough old cloth

Now wondering if it was some polish from before I owned it that had reacted with the nitro and remained on

IvisonGuitars

jimmyguitar said:

Are you sure it’s not just grime you’re scratching off? I think if you used a decent guitar cleaning product like Virtuoso cleaner and polish you’d get it all off with a bit of elbow grease and back to the original finish.

As Jimmy says, have you tried cleaning a small patch with lighter fluid/‘naptha’. I’d definitely be trying that first before anything else more drastic.

musteatbrain

Thanks. Have done that too now.
seems much better

IvisonGuitars

musteatbrain said:

Thanks. Have done that too now.
seems much better

Good stuff!

Henrytwang

Interesting.. I’ve got a 70s Les Paul Deluxe that always seems to have a slightly sticky feel to the Back of the neck that I’ve never been able to get rid of. Maybe I’ll give the lighter fuel a try.

Kittyfrisk

^ Just remember not to use the Hendrix technique.

Henrytwang

Kittyfrisk said:

^ Just remember not to use the Hendrix technique.

I’ve been tempted with this guitar. It’s a typical 70s Les Paul, maple neck,  ugly volute at headstock, body made out of several pieces of wood and weighs a ton.

Kittyfrisk

Be more positive. Maple necks are supposed to be 'snappy & responsive'.
The volute gives strength to a fragile joint.
Weighty multi piece bodies give strength & sustain.
Everyone knows these truths to be self evident   

Besides, it is a product of its time, that's how they were built, so it has 'original vintage qualities'.
Learn to appreciate it, or get rid of it