Meg's #7 on guitars!

[gpteitz]

I was at a guitar repair shop today; they also have a high-end custom builder in their shop space (thousands of dollars for a six-string acoustic). Both the repair shop and the builder use #7 Show Car Glaze as a polish on guitars! The repair person said they've been using it for *years*...

Not sure if this is commonly known in the wooden instrument world, or to Meguiar's, but I thought I'd share anyway.

[FRS]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

wow, that's interesting, I've got an old strat.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

We used to make the Fender Guitar maintenance kits and, while rebranded, it essentially consisted of M09 Swirl Remover 2.0, M07 Show Car Glaze and M34 Final Inspection. This has been a long standing process for maintaining nitrocellulose lacquer finishes because it works so well.

[alseic]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

We used to make the Fender Guitar maintenance kits and, while rebranded, it essentially consisted of M09 Swirl Remover 2.0, M07 Show Car Glaze and M34 Final Inspection. This has been a long standing process for maintaining nitrocellulose lacquer finishes because it works so well.

Sorry for hijacking thread

I have two additional questions for mentioned products, especially for M07:
1) Does it leave permanent coat? (Sorry for lack of words, English is not my first language).
I used some other brand compound in tube, polished by hand, got almost no scratches, swirls etc, but after some days (guitar was just hanging on stand) it dried... and some scratches were visible again, probably it had some wax or something.

2) Could it work in open-grain finishes?
I guess a lot depends on technique, I know that wax leaves white spots in this case if not done properly. I just want to add some shine and a little protection.

This one is shiny, mine is satin and its very easy to scratch it, with fingernail for example.
Normally I would use wax, which worked for me on satin-poly finish, but this is nitro, and I've already learned it doesn't work so well with wax, at least for me.

[alseic]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

I'm sorry for Meguiars, but I didn't have luck with your products, if it comes to that particular finish (faded, matte, open grain)

I've bought Meguiars because I always had problems with "restoring" nitro polish.

Most products from other companies left some clouding/hazy spots and the others only/just cleaned the surface (Gibson Pump Polish).

Update:
- bought Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0 #9 and Show Car Glaze #7
used yellow application pad, microfiber cloth, by hand

Faded/matte finish:
Probably I did something wrong, but I would definitely not recommend these products for faded/matte nitro open-grain finish on Gibson SG guitars.
After polishing/buffing it left some matte film, it was hard to clean it up. I guess it was due to pores in wood (I think that cloth was picking some compound from pores).

But even when I used it on headstock, which is some matte paint (no wood grain/pores), it also left some film, was a little sticky.
I had much better results when I used K2 turbo polishing paste on headstock(I let it dry, then I buff it out). Notice: I said headstock, as this paste doesn't work too well for nitro bodies. Though it's superb for poly-finishes.

So I tried #9 on glossy finish on my Gibson LP Standard which had scratches anyway and some day probably will end up in luthiers workshop.

#9 removed some scratches but only a little. It's definitely good for refreshing your finish. I think mostly due to consistency and usage - if I'm not wrong you are not supposed to let it dry, so if you use it this way it won't make "cloudy" spots.

Anyway I think K2 polishing paste is better at hiding scratches than #9. I say hiding because I think it has some wax or something in it, and after some days scratches are visible again. Not sure about #9.
But to get good results with K2 I have to let it dry, and that can lead to clouding (after you work paste "in" it can left some cloudy spots on the edges of polishiing spot).

BTW. The cut on #9 is really low, which is not bad, but just letting you know, it does not remove light scratches.


I'm not good at polishing, but here are my results witk K2 on poly guitar:
Before https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lmmeatzjs...TFVrbXcza?dl=0
Sanded/polished-matte https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5isncr5j9...msdNk5Kha?dl=0
Final polishing: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kx2ii4qyv...8r_RDvfYa?dl=0

SG faded with Meguiars:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6b0bkj9vgt795km/AADyQtWYlBZr82v-V0SFkisza?dl=0

First pass was ok, added little shine, but so does polishing with cloth.
2nd pass - it was ok, I wiped it but it seems after some hours some cloudy spots/white film appeared. I'm not sure if it's because or wood or what. Also open grain was filled with white spots too.

Couldn't get rid of these white spots in open grain wood so I sanded it down and I'm going to refinish it.

[Neilsson]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

We used to make the Fender Guitar maintenance kits and, while rebranded, it essentially consisted of M09 Swirl Remover 2.0, M07 Show Car Glaze and M34 Final Inspection. This has been a long standing process for maintaining nitrocellulose lacquer finishes because it works so well.

I may well receive criticism for raising the dead, however…

Ten years later, (were a damn good band btw!), and have things changed?

We can't get M09 Swirl Remover 2.0 from Meguiars UK, or the M07 Show Car Glaze for that matter. Even though the UK member of staff with whom I spoke has a Fender Maintenance Kit sat on his desk, (which I have about as much chance of getting my hands on as I have rocking horse manure!), he suggested Mirror Glaze 205 Ultra-Finishing Polish as an alternative, but is it equally as suitable for guitar, and in my case polyurethane finish?

That said, a Meguiars US member of staff said both Mirror Glazes were too ‘mild’ and that I should look to Ultimate Compound. Though I’m a little reluctant to try it due to the “Cuts as fast as harsh abrasives” remark in its description.

All I have are swirl marks and a few light scratches, and I’d just like to remove or diminish them as best I can, but it’s an ordeal trying to find the right product for the job, and any advice would be most welcome.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

I may well receive criticism for raising the dead, however…

Ten years later, (were a damn good band btw!), and have things changed?

We can't get M09 Swirl Remover 2.0 from Meguiars UK, or the M07 Show Car Glaze for that matter. Even though the UK member of staff with whom I spoke has a Fender Maintenance Kit sat on his desk, (which I have about as much chance of getting my hands on as I have rocking horse manure!), he suggested Mirror Glaze 205 Ultra-Finishing Polish as an alternative, but is it equally as suitable for guitar, and in my case polyurethane finish?

That said, a Meguiars US member of staff said both Mirror Glazes were too ‘mild’ and that I should look to Ultimate Compound. Though I’m a little reluctant to try it due to the “Cuts as fast as harsh abrasives” remark in its description.

All I have are swirl marks and a few light scratches, and I’d just like to remove or diminish them as best I can, but it’s an ordeal trying to find the right product for the job, and any advice would be most welcome.

M205 should work just fine on your guitar.... in fact, it may prove even more effective than M09 since the abrasives are far more advanced and tend to leave a much nicer finish because of that. As for not being able to find M07 in the UK any longer, a quick double check of their website shows that they carry Deep Crystal Polish in the consumer line. It is essentially the same stuff so it's the perfect substitute for M07.

[Neilsson]

Re: Meg's #7 on guitars!

M205 should work just fine on your guitar.... in fact, it may prove even more effective than M09 since the abrasives are far more advanced and tend to leave a much nicer finish because of that. As for not being able to find M07 in the UK any longer, a quick double check of their website shows that they carry Deep Crystal Polish in the consumer line. It is essentially the same stuff so it's the perfect substitute for M07.

Thank you, much appreciated. I've spent the last couple of days looking up information on how best to apply it and with what. Just have to order some now and give it a go.