What is the best thing I can use to clean and polish my Stratocaster?
Is there a certain kind of polish and cloth I should be using?

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.

Hi, Ive been using Dunlop 65 and a microfiber cloth. seems to work great for me

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

I use an old t shirt and lemon oil. Seems to work well unless you get some really stubborn grime in which case I use Windex. I know... I know... spare me the lecture about Windex... It works well on a cloth or end of a q-tip for the subborn stuff but don't spray it directly onto your instrument or let it come in direct contact with bare wood (like a rosewood fretboard). In fact, don't use it at all. Forget I said that.
I use "Fast Fret" on my strings. The strings last longer between changes and it also makes position shifting smoother. A little on the back of the neck is nice too.
Oh, by the way, a feather duster is awesome for just getting under the strings on the headstock and pickguard. Great for cleaning the dust off your effects pedals too as it will get between the knobs and not rotate them.

from what I heard too windex is not bad at all to clean a guitar... its cheap and can be found nearly everywhere. Its funny you mention that we were talking about it the other day...

no hate here...

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Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
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(former user jimbo612)

Well, I still wouldn't recomend putting it on bare wood... Good to hear I'm not the only one.

http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?di ... rticle=393
Someone posted a video by TK of the CS the other day but I can't put my hands on it now. Basically a good cloth and guitar polish not lemon oil etc.

TRICK GUITAR POLISH Works Great On A Nitro Finish As It Wont Cloud It. Then I Just Use Cut Up Sweatshirts To Apply It. Super Shiny And Slick. Great Stuff.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

Lemon oil is great for treating your rosewood (or whatever kind of bare wood) fret board. If you've ever applied it to a dried out fretboard you know what I mean. Good stuff. Let it soak into the wood...
As far as for cleaning finished surfaces there are probably better things out there, I just use the lemon oil for everything though because it's within reach and is adequate... and I know it won't do any damage...

I've used lemon oil for years on rosewood fretboards.....lately I've been using Dunlop 65 polish on the body,I like it....and also started using Fast Fret last year.
I just like cleaning my guitars.

I've used Dunlop 65 for years and think its great, I also use the Dunlop lemon oil and Fretboard conditioner, But I recently did a guitar trade deal with my brother, and he got me a Fender care kit with the Meguiar's polishes, and when I changed strings I used it, and that made my Strat Shine like glass. Good Stuff, I don't think I would have bought the kit if I didn't get it as part of the deal, But I like the stuff.

There is a Dunlop 65 kit that includes cleaner,polish,string conditioner,fingerboard cleaner and prep.a micro fine polishing cloth for the frets, 2 cotton cleaning cloths and fingerboard deep conditioner (lemon oil). Add an old tee shirt and some Q-tips to the mix and you're good to go.
The only place I'm comfortable using windex is on a strip of tee shirt or a Q tip when cleaning chrome plate. Bridge, tuner posts etc.

Cheers,
John.E

I use the same cloth and you can get a spray polish in any guitar store.

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This cool tin contains Fender mist and wipe made by Meguiar's with a Microfibre cloth. I use it on poly, nitro, bare wood, plastic and metal parts. No worries. You also get 12 Mojo Oil picks . I'm not sure if they are still available but you can get the spray polish still.
....Mark.

On my poly finishes I use what I use on my Vette, good old McGuires spray and shine and a micro fiber cloth, both readily available and have been using it for years with no ill affects to either one

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I use Virtuoso Polish on my Strats and Les Pauls and it really brings out a deep shine. It also helps make them resistant to finger prints and smudges.

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American Standard Strat, Sienna Sunburst
Gibson Les Paul, Desert Burst
Gibson SG '61 Reissue, Heritage Cherry