Article: Dan Erlewine's Mod Squad.(GEAR)(Brief Article)(Column)

Recently, I asked the Mod Squad's Max Feldman to clean this '59 Gibson Les Paul "Black Beauty." A hazy film of dirt, sweat, food, drink, barroom smoke, and guitar polish besmirched the beauty of this rare guitar.

"My first pass at the dirt was with a rag dampened with warm tap water," says Max. "The water softened the haze some, but it didn't remove the dirt. I wanted to keep scrubbing, but Dan made me stop and use saliva, which softened the dirt so fast that I was able to pick up the dirt with the rag."

The water and saliva dissolved most of the haze quickly--excepting a grey stripe near the upper-bout strap-holding pin.

"Dan had me try a bit ...

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