After removing the strings and bridge cover, we taped off the pickups and pickup covers, and went to work on the frets with some #0000 steel wool to remove the corrosive buildup.

Covering the pickups is important because the steel wool sheds, and the pickups being magnetic…well, you can see below that the steel wool bits collected around the pickups. The tape keeps the pickups free of the steel wool lint, and facilitates easy cleanup after that part of the job. We used pieces of this same tape to protect the fingerboard around each fret while we removed the corrosion.

As you can see, the steel wool removed the corrosive build up, and the frets were then ready to be polished with the Micro Fine Fret Polishing Cloth.

Meanwhile, we noticed that the tuning machines and other chromed parts had corrosion as well.

We removed those marks by going over them a couple of times with a Miracle Cloth, noticing a huge difference after just one pass.

We also removed the various chrome pieces—bridge hardware, pickup covers, output jack plate—and used the Miracle Cloth on them until they shined like new. Then we moved on to the body, which didn’t appear as damaged as the frets and chromed bits, but it had a film over most of it.

We used Formula 65 Polish & Cleaner applied to our Guitar Finish Cloth (5430) to cut through the film, then applied some Formula 65 Cream of Carnauba to buff out the shine and create a moisture- and stain-resistant barrier.

Finally, we conditioned the fingerboard with Formula 65 Fingerboard Deep Conditioner, reattached the clean chrome pieces, and restrung the instrument with Dunlop Electric Nickel 10-46 guitar strings. The final result is a gorgeous dark cherry burst guitar that looks and plays like new.

This particular process was specific to this guitar; in most cases, the damage will not be this extreme, and you will generally not need to go such lengths when caring for an instrument that is played regularly or properly stored.

We encourage you to get to know your instruments, and cleaning and care is a great, relatively easy way to become familiar with the basics. It’s also important to keep your guitar looking good, which is a part of staying healthy and playing well. Natural wear is good, but dirt, grime and neglect are not.

Formula 65 products are made to be easy to use, and while they’re powerful cleaning and finishing products, they’re easy on your instrument. Be sure to follow the instructions, and use all cleaning products in small, incremental amounts until you achieve the desired results. If you’re ever in doubt, please take your instrument to a professional tech or someone more experienced, and ask them if you can watch while they work.