How to clean oiled/naturally finished guitars?

skunkwerx

Something that annoys me about them as unlike poly or nitro, my finger oil/sweat/whatever gets ingrained and feels nasty. 

Specifically creating a patch on the body just under the high e string inbetween the pickups, where my strumming hand anchors by the finger tips to the body. 

But also up the back of the neck, though weirdly not as much? More so around the 1-3 frets, presumably where the most palm contact occurs when chording. 

It feels kinda grimy and not very slick and its annoying. I worry the same thing will happen on the fretboard, as its probably finished in whatever the body and back of the neck is finished in. My fingertips do slightly touch the board when playing. I fear this will create a really grippy draggy feel when bending/sliding etc. 

Its hard to describe, but I've had the same thing happen on a chapman ml-2 and this current Ibanez. So its Not guitar specific, more finish specific/body chemistry perhaps. 

Thing is, what are these 'natural' guitars finished with to begin with? 

That would help in a way to know what to use to clean it with. 

I wash my hands before I play, but have really dry skin so have to moisturise using palmers shea butter stuff. I wait til my hands are 'dry' afterwards, but no doubt the moisturiser does still leave my skin and work into the guitar, but piss all I can do about that. 

I've tried dunlop and gibson polish, and plain old water (damp rag). Doesnt really remove it to be honest. 

But thinking about it, if its normal skin oils mixed with remnants of moisturiser, theres probably chemicals or whatever there that are gonna be stubborn to remove. 

This is the guitar anyway: 

Google turns nothing up about how these guitars are finished. 

I presume as its a maple board it would be sealed somehow (and I'd presume so would the body?)

Its an Ibanez Rgdix6mpb, which wasnt a high end one, so is it likely to be something like oil? 

Despite googling, I cant for the life of me find anyone or any pics of the same thing, though I doubt I'm alone in experiencing it. 

But here is a picture of a matte black guitar which shows up basically the same thing, but easier (Epically hard to photo it on the Ibanez). 

Only difference is, matte guitars (like my own matte black Ltd) will go glossy from finger marks but they are top coated at least. Maybe its the same thing for oiled guitars?

Whitecat

https://www.musicnomadcare.com/Products/The-Guitar-ONE-4-oz/

I contacted a builder who do oil/shellac finishes and asked for their recommendation, and this was it. They do market it for “gloss” but it’s safe and effective on anything. 

skunkwerx

Whitecat said:

https://www.musicnomadcare.com/Products/The-Guitar-ONE-4-oz/

I contacted a builder who do oil/shellac finishes and asked for their recommendation, and this was it. They do market it for “gloss” but it’s safe and effective on anything. 

Cheers man I'll have a looksee. 

Its weird I did see one of their other products when I was looking at stuff for my matte black guitar, and they have a specific cleaner for matte and satin finishes, but they also state it contains gloss enhancers, which is a no no for matte finishes (at least in the car world).. 

Universal8

I have really dry skin on my hands too. I always wash my hands before I play and wait around 10 mins for them to really dry properly. I moisturise after I’ve finished playing. Do you really need to do it before?

Winny_Pooh

Are you sure those are oil finishes? Polish is only going to move the grime around. Sound like you just have a build up of gunk/sweat/oil, start gently with lighter fluid on a rag and wipe it off.

JCA2550

Winny_Pooh said:

Are you sure those are oil finishes? Polish is only going to move the grime around. Sound like you just have a build up of gunk/sweat/oil, start gently with lighter fluid on a rag and wipe it off.

Yes I  agree with Mr Pooh.

Wipe down with a little lighter fluid, meths is also good and slightly less harsh.  Then buff dry with a cotton cloth, clean old tea towels are best. In my experience this will leave it feeling clean and slick.  Keep a dry clean clean cotton cloth to hand and give the neck another buff when you finish playing.

prlgmnr

Murphy's oil soap is the Music Man recommendation, worked well on an Axis neck for me.

skunkwerx

Winny_Pooh said:

Are you sure those are oil finishes? Polish is only going to move the grime around. Sound like you just have a build up of gunk/sweat/oil, start gently with lighter fluid on a rag and wipe it off.

Thats the thing, no idea, theres nothing online in the specs etc, and I've not handled a guitar that I've known to be oil finished to compare.  

I presume something is there on the wood and fretboard/neck etc but what is it thats used? 

I know my poly's and nitro's but when it comes to guitars that are finished in this way (what I know as the natural look) I'm not actually sure what is used. 

WezV

Whether it's sealed, lacquered or oiled... It will feel great after a rub down with very fine wire wool and briwax.

It may add a low gloss sheen, but that's patina and it will feel super sleek.. Nothing that's handled constantly should stay satin.