Gibson SB finish is sticky

Have a new Gibson Advanced Jumbo i traded for the other day. I notice the neck gets real sticky after awhile. And where i lay my arm gets sticky too. Ive wiped it down with martin guitar polish a few times with no luck. The previouse owner used some sorta wax on it, and i can actually smell it ughh. Could this be the reasom for the stickyness?? Ive never used wax on my guitars, and prob never will. Any ideas on how to tackle this minor problem? Ive heard on other forums that a gibson SB finish does feel sticky for awhile. Why and what do u do about?

Depending how old the guitar is the nitro may still be curing. I had this same problem on my J-45 when I first got it. Seemed to fix itself after a few months.

Welcome to the wonderful world of nitro. Sometimes it's great, sometimes not so much... Part of the big reason I like the faded and satin Gibson finishes is that they are never sticky. Gibson isn't the only culprit though. I had '57RI Fender strat that never got unsticky. After a year and a half of dealing with it, I traded it off. My Martin was never sticky, neither was my J-200. It's kind of a hit and miss thing.

You might want to contact Gibson customer service. if the revious owner really did wax it up, ther emight be something you can use to strip that off or at least negate it's effect without harming the finish. Gibson would know best.

Good luck, that's a nice guitar. I hope it works out for you.

Play that beautiful guitar as much and as often as possible. That will unsticky that neck!

Yea its a 2010 model. Its nothin to make me get rid of it. I may wipe it down with some warm watar and let it air out real good. I suppose time and some wear and tear will help as well :). I also read about the nitro finishs not curing well from staying in the case too much. Im gonna leave it in the open for awhile and see what happens. Thanks yall

Johnny, thats what my comment was about in the other thread...

The neck on my J-30 never was or got sticky, however I accumulted arm "schmoo" on the upper bout where your arm lays that I could not get all off. Eventually, when she went to a luthier for a partial refret, he polished it out for me with a cloth wheel, like they use on new guitars..and she looked just like new.

One Spring day in a t-shirt and a sweaty arm and it was back, not to be moved once again :sad:

I would have thought in your case, after 16 years Gibson would have learned how to cure the finish. In any event contact Sauve Guitars in North Adams, MA as he has some proprietary stuff of his that may work for you if the schmoo isn't too thick. It looks like the Novel #2 Polycarbonate Scratch Remover but it is much milder and designed for guitar finishes...its what he uses with "the wheel."

"Not the wheel?..."

"Even the Royal House of Hanover had the wheel, sir..."

Wipe it down with some Naphtha.

The wax could be the culprit, or the nitro itself.

I will echo the a few comments here.

1. Thoroughly clean all the old wax off using naptha and microfiber cloth. See if the problem persists.
2. Give it a coat of quality car wax - I like turtlewax hardshell wax. The real trick to waxing is to wipe it on the guitar, let it sit a bit, then really buff the hell out of it. If you can build up a little heat when buffing the wax gets harder and slicker in my opinion. If that doesn't work....
3. You can actually take some 0000 steel wool or synthetic, and buff the back of the neck. This adds surface area and prevents the stickyness feel.

Great info here fellas. I think im gonna let Richard Starky give it a look over here soon. Hes a top notch luthier for Martin in Nashville. I might as well get a setup and have him give it a professional cleaning. As far as wax goes, i dont really like the idea of it at all. Ive always used martin cleaner polish and served me well. Leaves a clean slick, non sticky surface. Just something about using car wax on a guitar just rubs me wrong. No offense to anybodies preference or advice intended. I can tell this one has been waxed and dont like the feel or smell of it at all. I wanna smell the rosewood, not the wax lol. Definitly love the guitar. Im gonna see what MR Starky can do and go from there. Thanks for the advice fellas

Great info here fellas. I think im gonna let Richard Starky give it a look over here soon. Hes a top notch luthier for Martin in Nashville. I might as well get a setup and have him give it a professional cleaning. As far as wax goes, i dont really like the idea of it at all. Ive always used martin cleaner polish and served me well. Leaves a clean slick, non sticky surface. Just something about using car wax on a guitar just rubs me wrong. No offense to anybodies preference or advice intended. I can tell this one has been waxed and dont like the feel or smell of it at all. I wanna smell the rosewood, not the wax lol. Definitly love the guitar. Im gonna see what MR Starky can do and go from there. Thanks for the advice fellas

IMHO Martin polish is the absolute worst polish around and may be what is causing it to be sticky. I have never put polish of any kind on my D-18, I wipe it it down with a warm moist cloth when it gets grungy.

Please dont ever put Car wax on a guitar!!! IMO.