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Cleaning 1974 Les Paul custom treated with 10000 cigarettes

Mick_7

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
84
Hi there, recently aquired a black 1974 20th anniversary Les Paul custom which has around 1500 gigs on its back (original frets! but they will be changed to normal height ones). My Question: how do I get all the nicotine stains better layers off the laquer without damaging it?
In my country the virtuoso is not available and I don´t thing it is enough to get the stuff off.
Thanks a lot
MIck
 

DutchRay

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Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
872
Air it out, be careful with polish, you might soften the paint and make it sticky. The clear coat is likely yellowed and there's no easy fix for that. Try Naphta on a spot you don't see to test how it cleans the nicotine.
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
Is that the headstock in your avatar?
If so, I think the 10,000 cigarettes may be underestimating it...
The problem is, if the nicotine has gotten into the lacquer itself, I don't know that it will come out, no matter how much elbow grease you put in or how many cleaners you try. Stuff on the surface is another matter - a very slightly damp cloth will get most of that gunge off.
 

latestarter

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Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
My 74 was like this...super dirty and yellow. Spit n polish did most of the heavy lifting.
 

Triplet

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Mar 13, 2006
Messages
1,675
Naptha should be fine. It's never hurt any of my nitro guitars.
 

rockabilly69

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Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,872
as said above, spit and microfiber cloth works wonders. and naptha is totally safe on nitro!
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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5,657
I love mojo and therefore I leave the headstock but the rest I will clean. The smell is like goin in a club in the morning after a gig in the 70ies.....
Man I know that smell all to well . When I was a kid going to grade school , the bus stop was outside of the gin mill down the street from my house and I smelled that rancid smell 5 days a week .
 

LyleGorch

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
180
Saturday night at Moose Hall for wrestling back in the ‘50’s, mom would give a big PU when we got home.
 

Mick_7

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
84
Had good experience with premium car products like Meguiars before i bought Vituoso. It was called Meguiars Multipurpose Cleaner
Thanks man, spit and microfiber did not work, I guess if you have a light smoked area. I just made a milky surface. But I will try everything and will keep you guys updated
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
I would say that if you've tried everything so far, those stains probably aren't coming out. As long as the surface is clean, |I would say to just ride with it.
Does it smell like cigarette smoke? If so, keep it out of the case, maybe even outside in the sun, as long as the temperature isn't extreme, and it should fade out.
Similar with the case, sprinkle some odor absorber in there, and keep it open and in the sun, it should clear out.
 
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