Hey y’all,
Just got a new, very nice bass last week (momose MJ-five) and just a few days later found that the headstock is smudged with a dark blob where it contacts the bass stand.
I assume that it kinda reacted with the rubber on the stand and left a dark mark.
Any ideas on how to clean it? I tried wiping it with Clorox (might be a dumb move, I know) but it didn’t budge. Should I try one of those professional guitar cleaners?
Sorry can’t help but you’re not alone - my mapleglo has two black smudges from the stand…
Pls help anyone
Luthiers use naphtha (lighter fluid) to clean even the most delicate vintage acoustic guitars. It cleans all sorts of gunk and grime, and won’t harm the finish of a bass neck at all.
I would think that a mild solution of warm water and dish soap might work…
…or just leave it if unless it really bothers you.
I’d leave it. Your bass is now a relic and worth twice the price. 
Listen to the pros: naphtha is the way to clean fretted instruments.
Thanks! I’ll try a tiny bit with a cotton wool bud and see how it goes
I’d use a clean rag @Ed like an old cotton t shirt. That way the rag won’t break down and potentially leave any fibers on the surface of what you’re cleaning.
Cotton buds can sometimes do this.
Magic sponge (Mr Clean) and Naphtha for me.
Oh and @Ed make sure it’s naptha and not something like acetone or your day might get bad real quick. As me how I know 
Regardless of the smudge, congrats on the new Momose. Super high quality instruments.
Noted ! 
I got tired of dealing with those little black marks thanks to my Fender folding guitar stands, so I spent the money on a 5-guitar König & Meyer 17525 folding stand with flexible translucent supports. Now I have 3 of them, all full.
Careful with those, they’re a mild abrasive.
True. A clean, soft rag and naphtha should be the first line of attack.
Also, for users of stands with black rubber padding that caused the staining in the first place, it would be a great idea to cover the area that comes in contact with the bass neck with felt tape.
This stuff:
Check it out here:
