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How To Polish A Guitar Correctly

Polishing your guitar will bring out that deep shine and color in the paint that you see in brand new guitars. It is an essential part of your guitar maintenance. Polishing provides a protective layer against dust and fingerprints. You only need to polish your guitar every few months, depending on how often it is played and where it is stored of course.

When polishing a guitar, always make sure it is already clean first! this is a common mistake that people often make. If its not clean, you will actually be rubbing course dirt particles and grit into the paintwork, causing permanent scratches.

Wipe the guitar over with a damp cloth, be careful not to wet the strings or any controls. Squirt a tiny bit of polish on a clean, soft cotton cloth and gently rub it in circular motions. Repeat this in small areas all over your guitars body. Gently rub back all polish residue with the other side of the cloth. – Never pour the polish straight on the guitar, this will eventually cause blotchy marks in the paint as the polish will directly penetrate the guitars paintwork in these areas.

If you have an acoustic guitar NEVER USE WAX-BASED PRODUCTS! – Or any non-drying oils for that matter. You will find that these products will sink into the protective layers of your guitar, and eventually get into the wood and cause all sorts of problems.

So what polish should you get?

Here are some of the best. Click them to buy or read reviews.

An important tip in purchasing polishing products. – If you don’t get the above proven products, you need to look out for warning signs and application instructions. This will give you a clear guide as to whether it is safe for your guitar.

Please note, If your guitar has a ‘matte’ or non-glossy finish, it should not be polished. A damp cloth is enough to clean these guitars.

You will need a clean polishing cloth for spreading the product. Although a specific ‘polishing cloth’ is recommended, you can also use most clean, soft cloths. You just need to make sure there are no small labels or build-up of any kind that could scratch the guitars surface.

I recommend this Ernie Ball cloth (left) as it is treated with a velva-sheen product in the cotton-flannel which further prevents small scratches and reduces dust.

So that’s the basics to polishing your guitar. To recap, ensure you are starting with a clean guitar, if it is not clean use a damp cloth or chamois to gently clean is and get rid of all loose grit and dusk. Next, use a safe guitar polish for your guitar and put a small amount (see bottle for details) on a clean cloth. Rub this all over the paintwork of the guitar in gentle, circular motions until hazy. Use a new or clean side of the cloth to gently wipe the polish residue from the guitar.

And it’s that simple! your shiny new guitar is ready for show! Remember to follow my previous steps on cleaning the rest of the guitar. If you missed these, they are right here at the guitar maintenance page.