Removing Adhesive Residue - 1930s Regal 'Custom Built'

[BradKlein]

Guitar question for the builders and repair folks here at the Cafe.



I recently acquired this lovely 1930s Regal. It's an example of their 'Custom Built' line which is not really custom, but rather their high end instruments, with carved tops, solid woods, et c. This model #9 is essentially a 12-fret 00 Martin-sized mahogany body, with a 14-fret slot-head neck and ebony bar-fret fingerboard.

This instrument bore the name of it's long-time owner John J. Calleo on a Dymo label stuck to the front of the headstock, just below the pearl Regal inlay. Calleo gigged with it in Lodi, NJ fitted with a DeArmond pickup, by the way.

The label has come off leaving some residue on what I believe is a VARNISH finish. The overall level of materials and finish is very fine.

MY QUESTION: I'd like to remove the residue that remains, and I'm looking for informed opinions on a safe means of doing that. I imagine that nominees include things like mineral spirits, acetone, naptha, 'goo gone' and lighter fluid. Maybe trying something like an organic oil? I can try a sample spot beneath the site of the tailpiece for safety, of course. (PS This is a replacement tail-piece that I will eventually swap with a vintage Grover trapeze when I can find one)

[Denis Kearns]

Hi Brad -

If you can wait a couple of weeks until I get back home, I can send you some unused dynamo label material to test and see what works best to remove the glue. Once you know that, you can then test the solvent on your finish. PM me if this would be useful.

- Denis

PS: cool guitar, by the way!

[MikeEdgerton]

I know people are going to lose their stuff over this but If that was mine I'd be using WD-40 on a soft cloth.

[Steve Mead]

As being a beekeeper and honey producer a lot of people use mayonnaise to remove the adhesive from returned bottles before sterilizing them. Seems harmless enough but I am no expert.

[rcc56]

Mineral spirits or naptha are my number one choice.
You can also try mineral oil.
Do not use acetone. It is too agressive, and will eat lacquer, shellac, and spirit varnish.

[rickbella]

I like rubbing kerosene on offending adhesive residue. Kerosene is a relatively gentle solvent and hasn't harmed any of my instruments. If you get your car detailed, the "lotion" they use to remove road tar is kerosene.

[Tavy]

+1 on keeping it mild: if it's a varnish finish, then not many glues will stick to it too well anyway, so the residue should sloth off with a bit of polishing, maybe even a fingernail, and then what's left can be polished up.

[BradKlein]

Thanks for the advice all. As a side note, as I was comparing it to Gibson and Martin body sizes that I know of, it made me all the more impressed at how Martin modified their existing body shapes to accomodate the 14 clear fret neck, and after all these decades, I would say to great success.

As far as I know, they never took this... somewhat simpler approach of keeping the 12-fret body shape, and just changing neck, bridge and brace placements.

[sgosnell]

Naphtha IS lighter fluid, and should be safe. DO NOT use acetone, don't even get it near an instrument unless it has a poly finish, in which case anything should be fine.

[Jeff Mando]

I remember the Dymo craze. Everybody labeled everything back then. Be thankful it wasn't the dreaded "engrave your Social Security number" on everything craze -- a lot of things got ruined with those engraving tools....

[Mark Gunter]

I generally prefer naphtha. BTW you can drop lighter fluid from your list, lighter fluid is naphtha.