Hello people,
I've been searching around for a while trying to find the best way to look after my new ukulele and have been lucky to find some information about how to protect and keep a Nitrocellulose finish before I damaged it without knowing. I've read that a lot of guitar stands can cause damage to the finish so I now keep it in it's case after play (foam is bad). Resting a ukulele agasint amps is bad and textured surfaces. Vinyl, insect repellant, cologne can affect the finish. Even having a leather strap, I've read the color can run into the finish from the leather. I'm now worried about playing the ukulele on blue jeans which are notorious for rubbing blue on to anything it rubs against. I've read it will naturally age and turn yellow and craze causing spider web cracks in the finish. Frequent or sudden temperature changes can cause cracking in the finish. It's highly flammable. Please let me know if I've missed anything. I think there should have been a little booklet informing me about these warnings and part of how to care for the instrument and what to expect over time. I've heard silicon is not good for the finish too.
As I get on to the main topic I'd like feedback on, how to polish and protect this seemingly high maintenance finish. I have a Gibson polishing cloth and restorative cream that specifies it's ok on nitro finish. I've read polish that contains wax shouldn't be used. I'm just using the dry polishing cloth for now after every play session I have on the ukulele. I tend to only finger pick but have recently decided to strum harder on it to hear how it changes in sound. I've caused some very very faint hairline scratches which can not be noticed unless you really look. I know some of you may think that they are love marks and that it adds to the character but after watching some video's of Spanish guitar players and how there is just patches of wood color where they have been hitting their guitar, I can't see how this outcome would look ok on the ukulele.
I see Jake, Kalei, Aldrine and maybe others with a transparent scratch guard and thanks to Dominators link in another thread, I decided to purchase the Clear Mylar Pickguard from Stewart-MacDonald. However, I'm worried that Dominator applied this to ukulele's in his collection that were not nitro finish. Dominator, would you care to respond with more information on this for me (I would really appreciate that thanks)? I saw Aldrine had a clear pickgruard on his Kamaka but since he plays his Kanilea mostly now I'm not sure if Dominator was refering to Aldrine applying this Mylar to the Kanilea (Aldrine, could you shed some light on how the pick guard is on your Kamaka after all this time?) and Jake and Kalei also play Kamaka so I assume the finish should be Nitro but I don't know if they are using the same material I have ordered or if the Mylar or adhesive will bond or damage the nitro finish. Will I be able to take it off without damaging the Nitro finish if I really scratch up the Mylar? I've only just ordered the material so it will take 2-4 weeks to get to me so I still have the choice not to use it if it isn't the best choice. I will probably have to cut it to shape and apply and if I mess up the application and take it off to reapply, will I be taking off finish as well when I lift it up - if I can lift it up? I also read that the ipad screen protector might be a cheaper alternative but I have no idea what it will do to the Nitro finish. I'd like to be safe and use something that has been tried and tested. Pitty Kamaka don't offer a scratch guard.
A lot of the information I got were from the Gibson forums where they used Nitro finish for years and they seem to like the natural crazing look so I don't know if Kamaka are using exactly the same version of if they have adding anything to the Nitro.
Feedback from knowledgeable folk much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I've been searching around for a while trying to find the best way to look after my new ukulele and have been lucky to find some information about how to protect and keep a Nitrocellulose finish before I damaged it without knowing. I've read that a lot of guitar stands can cause damage to the finish so I now keep it in it's case after play (foam is bad). Resting a ukulele agasint amps is bad and textured surfaces. Vinyl, insect repellant, cologne can affect the finish. Even having a leather strap, I've read the color can run into the finish from the leather. I'm now worried about playing the ukulele on blue jeans which are notorious for rubbing blue on to anything it rubs against. I've read it will naturally age and turn yellow and craze causing spider web cracks in the finish. Frequent or sudden temperature changes can cause cracking in the finish. It's highly flammable. Please let me know if I've missed anything. I think there should have been a little booklet informing me about these warnings and part of how to care for the instrument and what to expect over time. I've heard silicon is not good for the finish too.
As I get on to the main topic I'd like feedback on, how to polish and protect this seemingly high maintenance finish. I have a Gibson polishing cloth and restorative cream that specifies it's ok on nitro finish. I've read polish that contains wax shouldn't be used. I'm just using the dry polishing cloth for now after every play session I have on the ukulele. I tend to only finger pick but have recently decided to strum harder on it to hear how it changes in sound. I've caused some very very faint hairline scratches which can not be noticed unless you really look. I know some of you may think that they are love marks and that it adds to the character but after watching some video's of Spanish guitar players and how there is just patches of wood color where they have been hitting their guitar, I can't see how this outcome would look ok on the ukulele.
I see Jake, Kalei, Aldrine and maybe others with a transparent scratch guard and thanks to Dominators link in another thread, I decided to purchase the Clear Mylar Pickguard from Stewart-MacDonald. However, I'm worried that Dominator applied this to ukulele's in his collection that were not nitro finish. Dominator, would you care to respond with more information on this for me (I would really appreciate that thanks)? I saw Aldrine had a clear pickgruard on his Kamaka but since he plays his Kanilea mostly now I'm not sure if Dominator was refering to Aldrine applying this Mylar to the Kanilea (Aldrine, could you shed some light on how the pick guard is on your Kamaka after all this time?) and Jake and Kalei also play Kamaka so I assume the finish should be Nitro but I don't know if they are using the same material I have ordered or if the Mylar or adhesive will bond or damage the nitro finish. Will I be able to take it off without damaging the Nitro finish if I really scratch up the Mylar? I've only just ordered the material so it will take 2-4 weeks to get to me so I still have the choice not to use it if it isn't the best choice. I will probably have to cut it to shape and apply and if I mess up the application and take it off to reapply, will I be taking off finish as well when I lift it up - if I can lift it up? I also read that the ipad screen protector might be a cheaper alternative but I have no idea what it will do to the Nitro finish. I'd like to be safe and use something that has been tried and tested. Pitty Kamaka don't offer a scratch guard.
A lot of the information I got were from the Gibson forums where they used Nitro finish for years and they seem to like the natural crazing look so I don't know if Kamaka are using exactly the same version of if they have adding anything to the Nitro.
Feedback from knowledgeable folk much appreciated. Thanks in advance.