CE-24 Polish?

[Rob Friedman]

What polish can I use on CE-24? Want to get swirl marks out cause the thing is a work of art and deserves to be swirl free

 

[Fram]

I use PRS’s own polish, which is very good, in fact I recommend the PRS care kit, I got it for Christmas and it’s brilliant, includes a polish, a cleaner and fretboard conditioner along with some cloths (one for each bottle).

cheers
Fram

 

[Rob Friedman]

I use PRS’s own polish, which is very good, in fact I recommend the PRS care kit, I got it for Christmas and it’s brilliant, includes a polish, a cleaner and fretboard conditioner along with some cloths (one for each bottle).

cheers
Fram

Thanks, and that's ok to use on that finish? I know some have Nitro which they don't recommend using it with....not sure what the finish is on the CE-24

 

[Fram]

That’s a very good point, erm....I don’t know the answer sorry, but I am sure someone will.

what year is your CE ?

 

[Rob Friedman]

2020

 

[Fram]

I think yours is nitro, so no it’s not suitable, I think PRS recommends using furniture polish, though I am not sure it will remove swirl marks.

 

[László]

I think yours is nitro, so no it’s not suitable, I think PRS recommends using furniture polish, though I am not sure it will remove swirl marks.

PRS only recommends furniture polish for unfinished rosewood necks. Don't use it on the body of your guitar.

PRS' new polish formula is OK for nitro, but that's as of their 2020 product, so to be safe, order it from the PRS accessory store. Dealer stock may or may not be the newer stuff.

Before PRS came out with their nitro-safe stuff, I started using Virtuoso Polish, because it's nitro-safe and my PS guitars (pre-2020) are all nitro. It's an excellent polish. Be aware of a couple of things about polishes:

Polishes are abrasive. They remove finish in order to erase swirl marks. The grit of the abrasive ingredients determines how fine the polish will be, just as with sandpaper and steel wool.

For example, Virtuoso offers two polishes, one for heavier scratches and swirl marks, and a second one for final polishing. Based on experience, the fine polish does well only on very light swirl marks. However, some polishes are heavy enough that they actually create their own polishing marks. If you want that "dipped in glass" look, a balance has to be struck. The two-step polish idea is a good one.

Keep in mind that to get that glassy look, you actually have to know what you're doing. The secret is lots of very light rubbing and polishing with a cloth or product that doesn't create its own scratches (if you have a CD case lying around, try rubbing it with even pure cotton, and you'll see that it will actually scratch the CD case). I use quality microfiber towels for this, and a good source has been Griot's Garage, who make them for lacquered show car finishes. A high quality microfiber towel won't scratch that CD case, and is easier on your guitar's paint, too (beware the crappy microfiber towels some vendors offer, however).

PRS makes a "cleaner" that has the side benefit of making the guitar shiny. It's not abrasive. It might be smarter to just shine the guitar up (which also fills in swirl marks a little bit) than to monkey around with an abrasive polish, unless the swirl marks are deep. That choice, of course, depends on your polishing skills.

 

[Fram]

Thanks for clarifying, and the comprehensive reply. I will file this post for future use as there is so much good info.

cheers

Fram