This Les Paul (1980’s) was the “workhorse” guitar of a friend of mine.  Having used it for years in a variety of sweaty pubs, the lacquer had become rather dull and clouded.

I proudly proclaimed that a “dose of Smudge Off” would do the trick – and took it home to refinish.

How wrong could I be!

The dullness was not actually the result of an accumulation of grease and dirt, but rather the result of years of abrasion of sweat and grit on the surface.

I ended up using a little Colortone polishing compund (from Stewart MacDonald) – I used the medium grade first by hand to remove the worst of the wear, then the fine grade with a buffing wheel – taking GREAT CARE to avoid burning the surface and wearing through the lacquer, and using “Guitar Honey” as a lubricant for all this.  I then finished off with the Colortone “swirl remover” by hand.

Then an application of “Smudge off” to clean, and “Nº1 Carnauba wax” to protect – and check the result….

I guess “Smudge Off” is not the answer to everything, but it does help…..

Tags: cleaning, guitar maintenance