Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner
Easy on, easy off, UV protection

Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner, prominent features at vintage guitar shows a few years ago, were recently reintroduced after a not-so-brief hiatus.

Virtuoso’s bragging rights come from the fact it uses neither Carnauba wax or silicone, which the company claims contribute to the hazy finish that develops where skin contacts the surface of an instrument.

“Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner are designed to attack any organic or silicone-based substance found on your finish, and remove it,” says company literature.

And while the cleaner takes care of grime, the polish is designed to protect an instrument’s finish by sealing it from oxidation. Plus, the wood and/or finish are protected by its UV-filtering qualities.

Another unique element to Virtuoso – prior to being filled, the bottles are fluorinated, which the company says “…creates an invisible barrier between the PVC bottle interior wall and the chemicals in bottle…” to prevent leeching, and thus changing the chemical composition of the polish.

We grabbed the two bottles and a couple of our grungier instruments, and went to work. Immediately, we took a liking to the wipe on/buff off (almost automotive) type of application. This means that, unlike certain other polishes, you don’t have to apply the polish, then wait a day to wipe off the haze. Nope, it’s like doing the car – you put it on, wait for it to haze over, then buff it off. Gone are those nasty dulling fingerprints, smudges, and dust.

And the polish really shined (ha!) on dull, old finishes, where it restored some of the original luster and deepened the color. All this and UV protection, too!