I was told about a guitar specific cleaner and polish that was said to do a great job cleaning the grime we get on our axes over years of playing in all sorts of environs. Has anyone used this product made by Virtuoso and did it really remove the grime and polish out the minor scratches we all get on the surfaces of our guitars? Before I try it myself I'd like to hear from others that have used it or other similar products.

I am into the second bottle of Virtuoso cleaner and polish and I like them a lot! I did remove surface scratches and remove grime quite well on both the wood and the pickguard by using the cleaner alone. The polish is to add an extra layer for bring it to high shine and some protection.

I only use it probably 2-3 times a year.

Goat,

I myself never use polish or cleaner, except on scratches. The bottom line is every time you use a cleaner, you're removing a fine layer of the finish. Frank Ford recommends no cleaner or polish, and I believe he's right on this one. He recommends wiping the guitar w/ 100% cotton cloth and "huffing" every time you play. I do that religously and have not found the need for cleaners.

Brett

After using a lot of polishes, I settled on Virtuoso a couple of years ago. Simply, it is an awesome product that does exactly what it's supposed to do! The cleaner cleans, and the polish shines.

I bought a 30's mandolin recently, and it had a layer of grime from the original owner, who had played it like crazy for decades. I first tried Petros Finish Restorer. It went on okay, but was a bear to get off. I tried Virtuoso next, and it went on like a dream, came off easily, and the mandolin now looks as good as a 70 year old mandolin can look.

I've heard the arguments too, that you don't need any polishes whatsoever. All I know is that when I play while wearing short sleeve shirts, there is an area of crud afterwards where my forearm rests on the lower bout of the guitar. And yes, I bathe weekly!

Trying to get that off with a rag and mere water isn't always easy. Using Virtuoso every few months makes it MUCH easier to remove.

Of course, there's always the Dugas Protective Arm Sock to keep that from happening!

Bottom line on the original question, though, is that YES, Virtuoso products are excellent!

Gary
Atlanta

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett:
Goat,

I myself never use polish or cleaner, except on scratches. The bottom line is every time you use a cleaner, you're removing a fine layer of the finish. Frank Ford recommends no cleaner or polish, and I believe he's right on this one. He recommends wiping the guitar w/ 100% cotton cloth and "huffing" every time you play. I do that religously and have not found the need for cleaners.

Brett

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As quoted from the Virtuoso website, they are not abrasive and will not harm the finish at all. The claim the remove dirts by chemical reaction..

Not sure if its true but I try use cleaner and polish only once a while but not too frequently.