Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Scroll down for answers to these questions, or email us below if your question isn't listed:

1. Does this stuff really work?
2. Is there a money-back guarantee?
3. What should I order & what is the best product available?
4. I've tried some other scratch products like Brand-X, and big-name guitar polishes--isn't your stuff the same?
5. So how does it work & how can I fix scratches on my guitar?
6. Is it safe to use on my precious instrument, any harsh chemicals?
7. Lacquer, poly, nitrocellulose (nitro) finishes, thin nitro, all okay?
8. What's your best product, & how much product do I need?
9. Will my guitar's finish be altered or look worse after using this product?
10. How can I tell if my guitar has a high-gloss finish? Why can't I polish a matte or satin finish? 
11. Is it easy to use, and do I need anything special?
12. Will your polish remove every scratch and problem?
13. Can I use a towel or old t-shirt to polish my guitar, or a guitar cloth?
14. What kind of damage will this product fix/not fix? Will it help me play like Joe?
15. I damaged my finish with a competitor's product! Can yours help?
16. Can I use your products as well as a competitor's product together?
17. I've got a guitar that is almost 40 years old, can I expect it to look like new again?
18. I have an instrument worth tens of thousands of dollars, should I use your product?
19. Any instruments I can't use this on? What about some of the new "worn" or "faded" guitar finishes by Gibson and Fender?
20. Do you ship worldwide?
21. How fast will my order arrive? Do you offer any discounts?
22. What does it mean that you 'aren't affiliated with any guitar manufacturers'? Does this mean I shouldn't use the product?
23. What about the polishes the big guitar companies make?
24. Silicone or silicone-free...I've heard various things about polishes with silicone. Does your polish contain silicone?
25. Is this okay to use on nitro (nitrocellulose lacquer) finishes?
26. Why haven't I heard about this product before?

1. Does this stuff really work? The answer is YES! Check our Reviews page above for actual customer comments and real-time web blogs. Or just Google us and see many customer reviews on the web. This product works to remove surface scratches on your high gloss (gloss) guitar finish. It also removes other surface blemishes and brings your finish back to life.  Your satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back (details below). Safe to use, too. Player's Kits are recommended & the best product we offer.
2. Is there a money-back guarantee? Yes, refunds or exchanges are no problem if you wish to return the product. Just return the product to us within 30 days for a full refund of the item purchase price (less S/H fees). Email us for return instructions. Note--we almost never get returns because the product does work, but your satisfaction is guaranteed anyway!
   
3. What should I order & what is the best product available? We highly recommend any of our Player's Kits. It's the best all-around product  whether you own just one guitar or many guitars. See below for more info.
4. I've tried some other scratch products like Brand-X, and big-name guitar polishes--isn't your stuff the same? No. Our ingredients and processes are different. Our product is more gentle than typical scratch removers so you won't wreck your surface. According to our tests and customer feedback, better results are seen. Customers say our product out-performs the others in a big way. See what they are blogging about those other products and ours on the web, and on our Testimonials page. This is an entirely new concept in polishing guitars using the latest technology and ingredients.
   
5. So how does it work & how can I fix scratches on my guitar? Your polish will include full instructions and tips. The process is easy, done without tools and simple enough for a child to understand. The polish functions on high gloss finishes by working & resurfacing those trouble areas at the microscopic level--so small that all you see is improvement. The scratches are smoothed out becoming less visible with each polishing motion. In the past any polish that attempted this would scratch your finish because it had to be strong enough to work out the scratch. And getting good-sized scratches out usually required sanding & buffing. Not anymore! Thanks to the latest micro-technology and break-through ingredients, this polish will amaze you by removing many scratches and blemishes before your eyes. Think of it like drawing a line in the sand with your finger, and then the seashore coming in and smoothing it out. The sand remains virtually unchanged, but the surface becomes smooth again.
   
6. Is it safe to use on my precious instrument, any harsh chemicals? Absolutely safe & no harsh chemicals or fumes; our polishes are environmentally "green" friendly & silicone-free. Follow the detailed directions and you will never, ever damage your finish with GuitarScratchRemover polishes! It is safe even on a $5000 high-end acoustic dreadnought, or vintage electrics. Works on classical & bass guitars, too.  Not for non-gloss or satin finishes.  Please tell us at checkout what brand, model, and color of instrument you have.
   
7. Lacquer, poly, nitrocellulose (nitro) finishes, thin nitro, all okay?  These high gloss guitar & bass finishes are safe to polish and it's ok to use any of our products. Even thin nitro finishes are fine to polish (keep in mind thin finishes are a bit more delicate than a standard finish). Just follow the separate instruction sheet included with each order and you'll be all set! For more info see question: "Any guitars I can't use this on?"
   
8. What's the best product & how much product do I need?   The Player's Kit is our most popular product. We highly recommend it whether you have one or many guitars. We also offer single blends called Guitar Finish Restore, these are good light-duty polishes. See Product page. If you are unsure how severe your scratches are & want the best possible treatment, we recommend the Player's Kit.  Most people will have enough product with a standard size order. If you have many guitars or want to do lots of polishing, then get a larger size. For spot treating small areas, you can get up to 50 applications out of just one standard size order! Some scratches & blemishes will only require 1-2 applications. Other moderate ones may require more applications as they gradually lift with each treatment. As an example, if you are polishing an entire guitar body, we estimate you'll get up to 15-25 full applications front to back, that's one guitar 15-25 times or you can spread that out over several instruments.
9. Will my guitar's finish be altered or look worse after using this product? It will actually look better, many people report a "like new again" appearance. Be sure to visit our Reviews/Testimonials page!  It is not a filler, a cover up, or a temporary fix and nothing is left behind. Safe even on high-end instruments, expect great results. In many cases people are able to get their guitars back to near-brand new condition.  Just like brushing your teeth is beneficial, use of this polish actually helps your guitar's finish.
10. How can I tell if my guitar has a high-gloss finish? Why can't I polish a matte or satin finish? Most guitars are high gloss. Finishes that are glossy or high gloss show very sharp, crisp reflections and have a nice shine--see the Video & photo section for examples of a high gloss finish in the photos & videos. Matte, satin, or semi-gloss won't show crisp reflections and no polishing products should be used on these finishes because they are often too thin and fragile (Our spray detailer is okay on these finishes for cleaning). Please be sure of your finish type before usage. We estimate about 95% of guitars on the market today are high-gloss finishes and therefore compatible with our polishes. Expect great results! 
11. Is it easy to use, and do I need anything special? The product is easy to use. The entire process is done by hand. Just firmly rub it on and wipe it off. No special knowledge or tools required. Some guitars and scratches will require more firm rubbing and repeated applications.  Full instructions are included. Always use a microfiber towel (included in kits and extras available).
    
12. Will your polish remove every scratch and problem? It depends on the condition of your instrument. Currently we are experiencing about a 97% success rate, so 97 of 100 people that use the product get good visible results. Basically if your finish looks better after you used the product, then it worked. Many report total 100% results getting out all scratches. Yet not all scratches come out every time. Some scratches are deeper than they appear and may not improve much. Newer guitars with minimal scratches usually clean up nicely. If your guitar is badly scratched all over, it may not look like new again. However we get emails all the time from customers who say their 30-year old guitar looks like new again!  We have seen many nasty scratches, some we thought would never come out, utterly disappear with repeated applications. Brand new instruments that picked up scratches we thought would have to be sold as discounted models, are usually completely cleaned up to scratch-free condition!
    
13. Can I use a towel or old t-shirt to polish my guitar, or a guitar cloth? Stick with microfiber. Cotton will scratch some guitar finishes. Even so-called guitar detail cloths will scratch. We have many customers that put fine scratches in their new guitar with a guitar polishing cloth from their local guitar shop. The best choice is a micro-fiber cloth. They are super-soft. Because of the micro "pockets" in our towels that actually store tiny parcels of polish during application, you will actually get better results using them.                                      
14. What kind of damage will this product fix/not fix? It WILL fix or improve light-to-medium surface scratches & blemishes, pick & swirl marks, sticker residue, ink or marker stains, & other chemical damage. Deep scratches may not improve. This product WILL NOT correct or repair cracks, chips, dings (dents), or any worn out or faded finishes. The good news is that most scratches reside on the surface.  More good news--pretty much any guitar or bass will see improvement, many are completely restored to scratch-free condition. Many deeper scratches "soften" in appearance & look better. Some customers have even reported success in removing buckle-rash and finish checking on their older guitars, although we do not officially claim this. We regularly take bad scratches out of $3000 hand-made Ramirez guitars, it's amazing. One other thing--this polish will not help you play like Jimmy, Eric, Eddie, Stevie Ray, or Joe...
15. I damaged my finish with a competitor's product! Can yours help? We get this question often! Usually, the answer is 'yes' our product will usually undo or completely correct finish damage done by other harsh products or abrasive polishes, depending on the severity. For this reason you should not use automotive products or compounds on your guitar! Email us with any questions. our products are safe, guaranteed! Your guitar will never look better!
16. Can I use your products as well as a competitor's product together?  You can use other products along with ours but do not mix them together in application. Also, if you have used other scratch remover products on your guitar, they may have damaged, hardened or chemically changed your finish making more polishing less effective. This is rare but can happen depending on the competitor and guitar. Some products, including wax, can make guitars resistant to future polishing. If you experience this with a competitor's product please get in touch for different options. Since we can not vouch for the safety of competitors products, we recommend you do not use our products in combination with other guitar polishes. Rest assured that Guitar Scratch Remover products will not damage your finish.
17. I've got a guitar that is almost 40 years old, can I expect it to look like new again? Probably not brand new but expect improvement. There are some amazing customer success stories on this site. Some customers have reported their forty-year-old Martin D-18 now looks like new, but of course we can't promise that will always happen. As guitar finishes age, the wood can shrink, dry out and sometimes an aging guitar finish "checks", cracks or turns yellow. This product may not do anything about that but it will clarify the surface & remove scratches. We get emails ALL THE TIME from people that got amazing results on their old Martins & Gibsons! (see the Review tab above)  Basically expect an improvement; how much depends on the condition of that old guitar of yours. 
18. I have an instrument worth tens of thousands of dollars, should I use your product? Any collector's instrument or valuable vintage guitar may possibly be worth more in its original condition than having the original finish treated or improved.  For that reason we suggest leaving it as is or getting the advice of a professional appraiser (a 1957 Chevy can be worth more with weathered original paint than a re-painted one).
19. Any instruments I can't use this on? What about some of the new "worn" or "faded" finishes by Gibson and Fender?  Some Rickenbacker models are not compatible with polishing.  Some violins should not be polished regardless of finish. Follow manufacturer instructions. A few guitar companies are making new models like guitars of yesteryear with a "soft gloss". This includes the Gibson VOS line. Some Gibson Les Paul "worn" finishes or Fender's Worn 50s Telecaster even have wear marks & missing finish straight from the factory to appear used. Because these are made to look worn or have no glossy finish, it is not recommended to polish them. You can however use the product on any other high gloss guitars by Fender & Gibson. If your "faded" finish has a high gloss finish, you can use the product no problem. Our detail cleaning sprays CAN be used on any guitar, or any hard surface. (Note that the vast majority of guitars are high gloss and can be polished regularly, about 95% of all guitars are high gloss.)
20. Do you ship worldwide? Almost everywhere! USA, Americas, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, Asia, and many other locations with just a few exceptions. We normally ship US Airmail. See below for transit time. 
21. How fast will my order arrive? Do you offer any discounts? We are located in Southern California, USA and transit normally takes about 2 - 5 business days in USA. Non-USA orders normally ship via Air and will arrive in your country in about 7 - 10 days. Add some time to that for your country to process the parcel through customs. (Discounts-Look around the site and especially our Facebook page to get the latest offers and promo discount coupon codes)                     
22. What does it mean that you aren't 'affiliated with any guitar manufacturers'? It just means we are not employed by or related to them. This doesn't mean you can't use the product, because you can! (e.g. - If we made great car covers for a BMW convertible, we would be required to mention that we aren't related to BMW motorcars.)  So while its safe to use these polishes on your Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Fender, etc...we are not affiliated with these companies or related to them. We simply make great polish that works wonders and is safe to use on these instruments!
23. What about the polishes the big guitar polish companies make? Most aren't bad general purpose polishes, but they are not made to remove scratches.  Some contain silicone which is generally to be avoided in the guitar community.  Most of these polishes just clean the surface & remove dust. Even swirl removers don't remove much else. The big guitar companies aren't primarily concerned about removing scratches from your instrument.  Our polish focuses on scratch & problem removal, and keeping your guitar looking new as long as possible. We use the best ingredients and design team in the world. The formulation of our polishes are also very expensive, a process the big companies aren't looking to take on.
24. Silicone or silicone-free? I've heard silicone should be avoided... Does your polish contain silicone? No silicone! Our polishes and Player's Kits do not contain silicone. Many guitar enthusiasts and repair shop avoid silicone. While it technically is not harmful for your finish (it is found in many polishes on the market), it is harder to remove and makes repair work and refinishing more difficult should you ever require that service. For these reasons we are happy to report our polishes are silicone-free.
    
25. Is this okay for "nitro" nitrocellulose lacquer finishes? Yes. Some high end guitars like Martin, Gibson Les Paul & Fender Stratocasters have a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Our products are completely safe to use on these high gloss finishes. If you have a thin-skin nitro finish, we do ask that you tell us in the order checkout comments.
26. Why haven't I heard about this product before?   Thanks to thousands of customers, if you do any kind of Google internet search about removing guitar scratches, you will find us at the top of the results. Also this might be the first time you've searched for a guitar scratch remover.  There are many good reviews about us on the internet, guitar blogs, & this site; about great results people are getting.  The technology behind our polishes is relatively new, so you would not have heard of this product ten years ago - this may sound like an advertising exaggeration but it's a fact. Although we are quickly gaining popularity and are not a brand new company, we haven't been around as long as some of the old-time polish companies you have heard of. These companies are mostly still using the same old formulas. Our polish is safe and advanced. The ingredients we use are high-tech and more expensive than our competitors.  We believe we offer the best product available for polishing guitars and removing scratches, especially our Player's Kits. We ship worldwide and have a dealer network in the US, Europe, and Pacific Rim. Compared to the other so called scratch & swirl removers out there or finish restorers, nothing comes close to our products.  Try them and see.
    

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