Lesson Learned in Cleaning

[rake_pueblo]

I'm loving my recently purchased Juliet/V-B and as usual the first thing I do when receiving a guitar is to change the strings. Without the strings on I always clean the headstock using my usual light cleaning product. This resulted in the finish (varnish) clouding. Fortunately, the clouding subsided and being a relic'd guitar there's been no visual issues. From now on it will be only a soft cloth. I can see another varnish finished Eastman in the future.

[Archizing]

Antique varnish- the really thin varnish on any Eastman is made from a mixture which includes French Polish. If your guitar has the /v code at the end it will be one with this thin, soft, lovely finish. All French Polishes have an alcohol solvent. So do not use anything that has alcohol in it, for example Meths, vinegar, etc. Hope that helps. You can touch up with more French Polish. The cloudy appearance is a good way of finding out whether French Polish is present on antique furniture.
[i][b]Methylated spirit UK is commonly known as denatured alcohol US.[/i][/b]

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oh but lighter fluid is ok! I removed the pick-guard from my lovely E20 00SS/v guitar with lighter fluid only-no heat, but a lot of patience.