>I don't recommend trying to clean a lute soundboard - my philosophy is you just >accept that as an instrument ages it acquires >a bit of dirt, a few scratches, etc.
The amount of dirt that builds up seems to be highly dependent on the quirks of your personal biochemistry and the oils in your skin. Some people (like me) get a lot of build up on the top no matter how careful they are about washing their hands before playing. This can get way beyond "a bit of dirt". As Ken Be has pointed out a number of times, the solvent of choice among museum conservators (at least for a first try) is saliva. While not the most aesthetically pleasing of passtimes, gentle rubbing with a soft cotton ball wet with saliva does wonders. (Actually licking the instrument is probably best left to the piercing and electric guitar crowd.) This comes up periodically, perhaps it should go on one of the web pages. ....Bob ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Replies: (remove the "ZZZZ") Ekko Jennings: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bob Clair: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
