Finish Deteriorating - Please Help

[selfconstruct]

Hello projectguitarists (I tried a few searches first but couldn't find any information),

My guitar is about 20 years old and finished with nitrocellulose. The finish has become very tacky in places. The neck is uncomfortably sticky. I have been told that silicone based polishes are to blame. It is possible that the case is the problem. Last time I took it out, some of the case material (black hairy stuff) was stuck to the neck at the contact points (I haven't put it back in).

I don't really want to refinish it (though I understand this to be the best solution). I can clean it back until the tackiness is gone, but my main question: Is it possible to put a new coat of lacquer over this to preserve its appearance? I know nothing about Nitrocellulose and imagine it can only be sprayed on. Will shellac hold to nitro - I'm reasonably adept at french polishing. I imagine oils such as tung would not hold on lacquer.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

An additional question - I've read enough to believe that silicone is evil. Is there a list of silicone free polishes? For example, is the old D'Addario Guitar Polish (Blue Label on white bottle) free of silicone?

Edited August 2, 2006 by selfconstruct

[al heeley]

Sorry can't answer about your nc deterioration, but if you want a really good cleaner/polish, it's silicone and abrasive free and Patrick Eggle swears by it, it does a great job: 3M imperial hand glaze

[selfconstruct]

Sorry can't answer about your nc deterioration, but if you want a really good cleaner/polish, it's silicone and abrasive free and Patrick Eggle swears by it, it does a great job: 3M imperial hand glaze

http://www.niw-files.com/alheeley/music/setup/3mglaze.jpg

Thanks!