Official Luthiers Forum!

I have an old 62" Melody Maker and the finish on the neck is kinda "crusty" or "sticky"... I guess from years of hand sweat. I try to wipe off my guitar when I'm through playing... Is there something I can use to clean or restore the finish?
Thanks

_________________
Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

naphtha is considered a safe solvent in most cases

Sounds like the lacquer finish is breaking down. Once that starts there is not much you can do other than strip and refinish. But naphtha or mineral spirits may clean off the sticky stuff temporarily.

I use alternating treatments of naptha (mineral spirits) and denatured alcohol. Any stuff not removed by these I might attack with a rag with almost no water on it (although spit takes things off faster than water) (don't tell anyone I said that). Be sure the neck is totally dry before you take any finish to it.
If you are down to bare wood you may or may not want to sand it just enough with 320 or 400 to take just a bit of the nastiest dirty wood off. You can't get all the dirt out without harming the neck shape.
Bare wood ought to have something on it. I start with clear (not orange) shellac. It is easy to sand and add more thin layers to. After I am satisfied with the shellac I eventually put some clear nitro on it for the best feel and longevity. I use an airbrush. With careful spraying over a truly smooth surface you can wait a couple weeks, then with rubbing compound and wax the lines between old and new finish will disappear.