Got milk?

[chattachef]

I JUST BOUGHT A 1970 SOMETHING ALVAREZ A-800. THE F5 STYLE MADE IN JAPAN. GREAT VOLUME AND FEEL, BUT THE FINISH HAS TURNED MILKY IN AREAS http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif WAS THIS MANDO EXPOSED TO THE HEAT AT SOMETIME, OR IS THIS NO UNUSUAL FOR A 70'S JAPANESE MANDO? IS THERE ANY REMEDY FOR THIS, OR IS IT THE MILK COW BLUES FOR ME? I AM LACTOSE INTOLLERENT!!!!

[Bill Snyder]

Why do shout in all of your posts? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[chattachef]

SHOUTING? THAT WAS SINGING.

[dochardee]

Unless your vision is impaired and you need the caps to type your own posts ... typing in all capitals ("shouting") has always been considered rude behavior on the internet. Like using email with those silly dancing emoticons, you won't be taken seriously.

[chattachef]

Learn something new every day. This is my first time at this. I was not trying to be rude, just lazy. My fingers work better on a fretboard, than a keyboard.

[mangorockfish]

I read, I think in Hints From Heloise, that to remove water spots on furniture, like the circles that glasses leave, use water and a rag. Maybe your mando got water on it and was never wiped off. Just an idea. Good luck.

[markishandsome]

There have been studies done that show that it's much more difficult for people to read text in paragraph form if it is in caps or sans-serif.

As for your original question, I don't really know much about it, but I have an old Epiphone archtop guitar with milky finish all around the neck joint. My suspiscion is that these imports are power-buffed and sanded and that difficult to reach areas (of which there are many on an F5), are, excuse the pun, glossed over, and end up "imperfect".

The only solution that springs to my mind is a little random hippie sanding. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Jim Rowland]

I was a news and spot reader in commercial radio for years and years..and all of it was in CAPs because it was supposed to be easier to read. Dang! No wonder I booted so many easy words.
Jim

[Jim Gallaher]

It could be the result of sweat accumulating on the surface. I faced a similar clouding from my arm's contact on the face of my mandolin.

It was removed by polishing with Meguiar's No. 7 automobile polish, which I continue to use.

[Smyers]

While not an expert on mandolin finishing, I used to work with coatings some years ago for a military contractor. #This included epoxy, catalysed polymers, lacquer, and quite a number of others. #I can tell you that there are several finishes that become cloudy due to the natural tendency to absorb moisture from the air as the are hydrophyllic, to use a 25 cent word. #Some types of epoxies seemed to be the worst for this. #I can't say if there are others that do this. #Certainly a french polished instrument would (shellac) or certain varnishes, but it would not be from moisture in the air, unless you happened to live in some place extremely humid, like the Louisiana Bayou in July. #I doubt if your Alvarez falls into the latter catagory.

If the milky areas are areas you touch often, then the milkyness is most likley from the oils/moisture from your hands. #If in other areas, then its most likely a air moisture problem.

Another thing that can happen to a finish is what we called "bloom". #In many finishes during the curing process under certain atmospheric conditions, a whitish film rises to the surface, casing a milky appearance that can be rubbed out with a soft cloth with automotive buffing compound being required sometimes. #But I doubt this is your problem as the finish is 36 years old.

There are some finishes which are sensitive to UV that will deteriorate when exposed to the sun. #A Milkyness would be one of the first signs. #Any finish on a musical instrument would certainly be subject to damage from the sun if left in it a lot. #However, even the glass in your home will filter a high percentage of UV from the sunlight, so it would take A LOT of sunlight exposure through glass. #Still, I would not recommend storing the instrument on a stand where the sun could hit it a high percentage ofthe day.

[chattachef]

I think I will try the Meguiars no. 7. Is this a wax with a cleaner in it, or just straight carnuba?

The milky surface is aroung the F scroll, the sides, the neck, but not the front of back. I tried the gibson polish, but it didn't work. I will let you know how the car polish works.

[chattachef]

Meguiars didn't help this, but the rest of the mando looks great. I think the problem starts at the wood and goes up through the finish:(