About a year ago one of the luthiers here recommended a fairly expensive cleaner or polish that is very effective in removing small strum scratches on the top of a uke. I can't find that post and would like to try it. Does anyone remember the name of the product? Thanks.
Scratch Removing Cleaner/Polish?
- Thread starter bariukish
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I just purchased Stewmac polishing compounds....fine and swirl remover. Many here also use products intended for automobile finishes. I also have a bottle of Flitz that worked fairly well, but I just thought I'd get some stuff intended for musical instruments.
Steveperrywriter
Well-known member
Could be this: Virtuoso Premium Instrument Polish & Cleaner Combo.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
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Yeah, I think it could've been me who mentioned it. The Virtuoso Premium Instrument Polish & Cleaner is really wonderful stuff. I really haven't found anything short of professional buffing equipment that does such a good job. Apply it with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Amazon seems to have the best price on it:
http://www.amazon.com/Virtuoso-Premium-Instrument-Polish-Cleaner/dp/B0088Q50BM
jcalkin
Well-known member
Chuck, I totally destroyed the shine on my first guitar by regularly polishing with paper towels and Martin polish. Paper towels are amazingly abrasive. I couldn't figure out why my guitar got duller the more I polished. I cut my polishing material out of used flannel sheets these days. The flannel isn't magic, but one sheet goes a L-O-N-G way.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
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Exactly. Good point John. Not all paper towels are alike. I use only Bounty paper towels as it has a very low percentage of recycled materials in it.
blue_knight_usa
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My buddy (vintage uke collector) and I have used Mequires Clear Plastic Polish#17 on 80-100 year old instruments and custom instruments and it's been fantastic. I recently used it on my custom Pohaku which has a Nitro finish and the scratches are gone. It's not abrasive and so far has not caused any problems on any of my ukes. Readily available, no small. Just use a soft terry cloth to rub small circles and then finish it off with a clean microfiber towel.
I then use "ONE" cleaner/polish every month or so to keep them clean and finger print free or sweat free from that forearm area that always seems to need cleaning after playing a few hours. Designed for instrument finishes.
I then use "ONE" cleaner/polish every month or so to keep them clean and finger print free or sweat free from that forearm area that always seems to need cleaning after playing a few hours. Designed for instrument finishes.
CTurner
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I bought some Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner on Chuck's recommendation a while back. Both compounds do a wonderful job on all my ukes.
Doc_J
Well-known member
I don' believe Virtuoso Polish removes scratches. It makes them less noticeable. It is very safe to use on nitro or poly finishes.
To remove light finish scratches some micro-abrasive is needed to remove finish. I've had good results lightly using Meguiars Scratch-X as well as using 8000-12000 micromesh pads, but you can go through a finish. So, I wouldn't use them repeatedly. YMMV
To remove light finish scratches some micro-abrasive is needed to remove finish. I've had good results lightly using Meguiars Scratch-X as well as using 8000-12000 micromesh pads, but you can go through a finish. So, I wouldn't use them repeatedly. YMMV
Kanaka916
Well-known member
Most polishes are abrasive in nature. Car Care manufacturers developed polishes with a diminishing abrasive because it breaks down as you use it. I would assume the makers of instrument polishes use the same concept?
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
You're correct Doc, the polish will not remove scratches but the "cleaner" does, which comes before the polish. Most people buy the kit which contains one bottle of cleaner and a bottle of polish. Let me mention though that some people tend to be overly concerned about fine scratches or strumming marks on their ukes. Any of these abrasive products should be used "occasionally". If you're removing scratches every month you'll soon be left with no finish! A couple of times a year should be plenty.
Yeah, and polishing away your finish ain't covered by the warranty! 
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Yes for a more abrasive with good results with the deeper scatches, I use Nu finish scratch doctor.. with todays finish, most auto polish works well and great
I think they might be a bit stronger in abrasive than guitar polishes for the tougher jobs. and do a great job. I been using regular nu finish for over 4 years with good results
stay away from waxes though...yes Chuckie is right, I wouldn't use it regularly... maybe once or twice a year ... I mainly use it for older ukes or used ukes I buy to bring them back to
a gloss finish and remove scratches...
I think they might be a bit stronger in abrasive than guitar polishes for the tougher jobs. and do a great job. I been using regular nu finish for over 4 years with good results
stay away from waxes though...yes Chuckie is right, I wouldn't use it regularly... maybe once or twice a year ... I mainly use it for older ukes or used ukes I buy to bring them back to
a gloss finish and remove scratches...
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drmosser
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I've recently used the Stew Mac Colortone polishing compounds along with the 3M Flexible Polishing papers for removal of some strum marks from a few of my ukuleles.
http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...Polishing_Compounds_Set_of_4_small_sizes.html
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Sanding/3M_Flexible_Polishing_Papers.html
I used this on two satin finished ukuleles and tested the process on the less expensive one first. I used the finer grits of the polishing paper 4000 and 6000 grit) before applying the polishing compounds in Fine and Swirl Remover. I used a Stew Mac Polishing cloth to apply the polishing compounds and then a 3M microfiber cloth for the final buff out by hand. This gave me a result that was a little more shiny than the original satin finishes, but I was happy with the results. I view this as a one time treatment on these ukuleles. One was scratched before I really perfected a more careful strumming technique and the other was scratched while I was strumming intoxicated. I now know that I will need to carry a beater/drinking ukulele to ukulele events.
http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...Polishing_Compounds_Set_of_4_small_sizes.html
http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Sanding/3M_Flexible_Polishing_Papers.html
I used this on two satin finished ukuleles and tested the process on the less expensive one first. I used the finer grits of the polishing paper 4000 and 6000 grit) before applying the polishing compounds in Fine and Swirl Remover. I used a Stew Mac Polishing cloth to apply the polishing compounds and then a 3M microfiber cloth for the final buff out by hand. This gave me a result that was a little more shiny than the original satin finishes, but I was happy with the results. I view this as a one time treatment on these ukuleles. One was scratched before I really perfected a more careful strumming technique and the other was scratched while I was strumming intoxicated. I now know that I will need to carry a beater/drinking ukulele to ukulele events.
Tigershark
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I use Virtuoso Cleaner all the time, and it does not remove scratches. The cleaner is not an abrasive. It just cleans off the buildup of grease and sweat and other gunk on top of the finish. You don't really need polish after that.
Are you sure you use this stuff? Paper towels are a great way to ruin an instrument. They have a tooth to them that will scratch up and ruin a finish.
To answer the actual queston of the OP, removing strum scratches may not be possible if they are deep. You could try some Meguiars Swirl X which is designed to polish out fine scratches. Or better yet, just leave them.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
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I, too, have used the Virtuoso products for many years and for me it does remove fine scratches. I've also recommended it to many of my customers who report the same thing. I've only recommended Bouny paper towels, other brands do not work as well. I use these paper towels as part of my final buffing process and I am able to maintain a mirror finish on the instruments I build. As you've suggested, others may not have he same success with hese products as I do.
coolkayaker1
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Can any of these products bring a satin instrument to a gloss-like finish?
Doc_J
Well-known member
I think Stan used NuFinish (auto polish) in several applications to do that.
There's a thread on that.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com...lishing-finish&highlight=Gloss+matte+NuFinish
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dustartist
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The softest, most scratch-free paper towels are Viva brand. I use them all the time for repairs and I buy them in bulk. For polishing I use 3M Perfect-It followed by 3m Finesse-It. It works like a charm on lacquer. I buy the 3M products at my local automotive paint supply store.
