Hey everyone, new to the lounge and this is my first Strat so I have a couple questions about polishing. I have an all black 2010 Strat, a real fingerprint magnet as you can imagine. I use Dunlop 65 polish and a microfiber cloth after each use, is this the right polish to be using and is the Dunlop 65 carnauba wax safe to use? If so, how often should I use it? Any other polishes anyone suggests over the Dunlop 65? Thanks.

2010 FSR "Ebony" American Standard Stratocaster
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One thing that I have been using for awhile to clean the guitar bodies is non alcohol lens cleaner and a micro cloth (or regular bath towel).

Gets rid of most of the dust and fingerprints and does not leave a residue.

Got a big spray bottle for $3 at local Wal Mart and it was actually MADE IN THE USA!!!

I found with guitars and polishing that less is more...just seems that any contact with the finish will leave swirl marks. At least the Fender's have the poly finish, so easier to deal with then Gibson's nitro.

Likely Dunlop 65 products are fine, but I have never tried them. For 'major' cleaning & waxing on poly I like Zymol car cleaner/wax, which also does well for removing swirl marks. I use a light touch and as soft and clean a rag as possible.

For 'daily' cleaning I using Fender Mist and Wipe, again with a soft rag and a very light touch. (Gibson's get the Gibson Luthier's Choice polish)

For those times when I thought I would prefer not to have a waxy feel, I would polish with the Zymol, then wipe down with naptha, and use the Fender Mist/Wipe to keep clean.

Thanks for the tips. I saw on the Taylor website where they recommend Turtle Wax Express Shine due to it NOT containing any silicone and no abbrasive qualities. That will be for when she gets a full spa treatment. I just ordered some Gibson polish in the orange bottle for a daily cleaner since I read that Dunlop 65 does have silicone in it. Thanks for the advice, all is appreciated.

Anyone here use the Virtuoso polish/cleaner? I picked some up and it definitely does not leave any "swirl" marks on my nitro finished guitars.

I have - good stuff also, especially on older guitars. I bought a nice, but used, Gibson Blueshawk and a bit of that stuff cleaned up pretty well.

I use both the Virtuoso Cleaner and the Virtuoso Polish on both my Les Paul and my Strat. It is great stuff. Works great. No swirls marks, fingerprints, nothing.

Hi. i use meguiars care kit on all my strats nito and ploy finishes.a little goes a long way. and the mist and wipe is the bees nees for every day use.

I bought a small bottle of Gibson's Pump Polish years ago and that's all I use on my guitars(26)and there's still enough left for a few more years. You only need to use a mininum amount.BTW I have that no matter how good the wax,over time they build up a residue that's hard to buff out.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I used to use Virtuoso Polish; now I use Mothers Gold Pure Carnuba Wax. I think it's the same stuff.

Between waxing, I use Meguiars Quick Detail (I think it's the same as Fender Mist), with my Planet Wave Micro Fiber towel.

Just like a black car, its going to show everything. Beautiful guitar though. All I'd change is the hardware. Make it all gold! Classy!!!

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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hi try useing a little less polish on your strat i have a black 89 strat and have the same thing. but fender mist and wipe leaves your guitar clean .takes all the old polish off ready for a lite drop or to of your fav polish. hope this helps.Cheers

I've always used Martin Guitar polish and a cotton T-shirt. Always been happy.

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne

I have both gibson and Martin polish and cleaner and to be honest I have not found any difference in either product for the way they remove fingerprints, smudges, and smears. Both leave a nice shine and I fell into a box load deal off of ebay years ago, So I have enough polish/cleaner with brand new cleaning rags to last me and several generations of my family for about 75 years to come!

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So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!

I would be concerned about "buildup" whatever is used to clean it.

What does Fender recommend on Nitro?