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Virtuoso cleaner and Polish on open grain studio?

Fishybob

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Feb 22, 2017
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Hi all!

I'm after a little advice on how to add a nice sheen to my 2007 Les Paul Studio. Various sites have said that the best option is to use virtuoso cleaner and polish however I'm concerned about the open grain of the mahogany body and how the Polish will sit. I'm not after a glassy finish just a little less dry looking. What would you folks do?

big%20gibson%20les%20paul%20studio%20vintage%20mahoganyDSCN1309.jpg

Cheers
Joe
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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With the open grain, paste/liquid polish can and will clog the pores after a while..I'd use Gibson Pump Polish.
 

B Ingram

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Jan 3, 2016
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I'm after a little advice on how to add a nice sheen to my 2007 Les Paul Studio. ... I'm not after a glassy finish just a little less dry looking. What would you folks do?

I wouldn't do anything.

That Studio has that satin finish with no pore filler on purpose. It is what it is. I wouldn't polish it any sooner than I'd polish the same kind of satin back on my GS Mini.

If it bothers you, maybe sell it and get an older Studio that has a gloss finish.
 

Fishybob

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Feb 22, 2017
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Thanks guys,

I'm not too keen on getting a new one as it's one of those guitars 'with a story' so not really replaceable. I was just hoping I could get a little more vintage worn sheen on it before upgrading a few bits so my 'story guitar' can also be something I still love to play.

With regards to the Gibson polish, is this just a subtle spruce it up kinda polish or will it add a little something something?

All opinions welcome :)
 

B Ingram

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... With regards to the Gibson polish, is this just a subtle spruce it up kinda polish or will it add a little something something?

Gibson polish is just a liquid carnuba wax-type product. If you have a smooth surface with faint swirl marks due to normal handling wear, it will restore a sheen.

My (perhaps flawed) understanding is the Virtuoso product has a very fine abrasive in the formulation, in the same manner as products like 3M FinesseIt, that are used to get a final polish (in lieu of buffing) after sanding the finish with very fine wet/dry paper. The idea here is the ultrafine abrasive levels the surface to enable the glossy look.

Have you ever shined shoes? Shoes made with a very smooth leather surface can be shined with little (relative) effort. Shoes using a very porous leather than was not processed in manufacturing to have the same smooth beginning surface almost never take on the same glass-like shine (the rough surface due to the pores defeats the smooth look, but filling those pores with polish doesn't work very well).

Same with your guitar's finish vs. a typical gloss finish. Mahogany guitar with gloss finishes have pore filler applied to the wood prior to finishing to level the surface; now the outer finish can be applied over a smooth surface, and the finish leveled to create a mirror shine. With the "Faded" type guitars, the pore filler was skipped, and I presume a different finish formulation was applied. The resulting guitar is not buffed, because it was never intended to have a smooth, shiny appearance.

The above is why I suggested just leaving the guitar as-is. Maybe I'm out of the norm, but I don't polish any of my guitars. I only use a slightly-damp cloth occasionally (like once in 10-15 years) to remove a little surface dirt, if present. Even so, I have an acoustic made in '95 that still looks like a new guitar.
 

Fishybob

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Feb 22, 2017
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B Ingram, thanks for the further info. You've made some fair points there that I'm glad I know now rather than after trying too many methods and getting disappointed. I found a link on YouTube to some fella who managed to get a near perfect shine from a fade studio using virtuoso.. However I now realise mine isn't the faded model but a similar one Gibson launched around the same time. The faded has had the grain filled, mine sadly doesn't.

I'll pick up some of the pump polish for this one. You never know I might learn to love it the way it is (which is infinitely better than hating how I ruined it!!).

All the best folks. Pics to follow once I'm finally satisfied :)
 

Vortexx

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Dec 27, 2011
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The pump polish will likely get into the grain too. You could have it buffed on a buffing wheel to a brilliant shine. Some of the buffing compound might get into the grain, but you can clean that up with Naphtha. Another thing you can try which requires quite a bit of elbow grease is the StewMac buffing sheets of paper.
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
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Al lot of Les Paul Standard Faded (2005-2008) owners did the virtuoso treatment. Being one of them, so did I.

Works great on the maple tops, but as you know maple is a very tight grained wood. I did the virtuoso treatment (cleaner and polish) twice over a period of 6 months and that was that. From then on I do the usual lemon oil and/or just the virtuoso wax once every year or two on the top. In person the maple top looks like a cool old guitar.

On the mahogany back and sides it added a slight sheen, but I wasn't going for the wet look. I only did the full virtuoso treatment once on the back and sides. I'd say it was worth doing once, maybe twice tops. After that go to something less obtrusive, as the cleaner is a little more aggressive than you might think and could possibly take too much of the finish off the guitar. The treatment helps lessen that "not quite finished" finish look on faded mahogany guitars, which imo is a good thing. Overdoing it will give you that "wet" look which I'm not a fan of. Obviously the treatment is going to be sucked up into the wood (partly the reason for doing it) but I wouldn't worry about pasty white residue sitting in the pores if you buff it out. Although Mahogany is porous, it is also a pretty forgiving wood.
 

Kris Ford

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On non faded guitars, I have even used all 3 (Virtuoso Cleaner/Polish/Gibson Pump)...in fact, the pump polish is always my last step..being a Navy guy..it's kinda like a "spit shine"..where it works with the Virtuoso for a SERIOUS wet look. (great analogy on the shoe shine BIngram..I've seen guys lightly sand the tips of their boots and get killer shines..but mine were 100% filled in by HOURS of shining...and looked deeper and glossier:jim)

However, for years, I have speculated that Virtuoso may be a re-branded automotive finish compound, like Meguiar's, or Mothers...:hmm
 

Bluespower

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Feb 26, 2003
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Just tried it on my older 06 faded mahogany top Studio .
The cleaner left white residue streaks in the open grain of the mahogany. Not happy, but no big problem, since this my number 3 back up guitar and it is a rustic kind of thing any way.
My goal was to shin it up a little....

So,..
I am wondering how to get that stuff out of the grain without removing the cherry stain?
 

T.Allen

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Sep 11, 2014
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Sure, it is just linseed oil which is good for wood. Wipe on a thin coat and let it soak in for an hour or so. Then, just wipe off the remaining oil.

I am not very familiar with the finish on the Studio. If it has been sealed, BLO will not work. If the grain is open, it will. BLO has been used for decades on wood furniture and even old gun stocks.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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I have one of those and love it. It is a SATIN finish with no pore filler. That diliberate antiqued hand rubbed look is a lot of the charm. If you just can't appreciate it for what it is and just have to have a glossy smooth shiny finish without pores, strip, fill and refinish. You could rub it out but gloss with open grain is a dumb look.
 

Bluespower

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Feb 26, 2003
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:)
I have one of those and love it. It is a SATIN finish with no pore filler. That diliberate antiqued hand rubbed look is a lot of the charm. If you just can't appreciate it for what it is and just have to have a glossy smooth shiny finish without pores, strip, fill and refinish. You could rub it out but gloss with open grain is a dumb look.


I get that.
I don't want glossy / shiny, just a slight reflective sheen, just so it's not too dull.
Best part of this LP is that it's 7.1 Pounds and very, very lively... I wouldn't want to encase it in thick poly or even 20 coats of polish.
 
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