Guitar Mantainence Thread!

[Monster]

ok how does everyone here keep there guitars in top shape and performance, also how do you store your guitar when not in use, etc etc...

thanks Monster

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I give my guitars a polish at each string change, and always keep them in the case when not in use. I do all the setup adjustments myself. Easy when you know how!

 

[lameduck]

Always put on the kid gloves before picking up the Silo

Before playing
1. Wash hands
2. Fast fret
3. No shirt with buttons or zippers

After playing
1. Clean the strings
2. Polish the body
3. Wipe down all metal hardware
4. Fast fret
5. Guitar in case

I also change the strings once a week, do a proper setup on the floyd, and lemon oil the fretboard. Even though I wipe down the floyd, the saddle mounting screws are slowly starting to rust. It's giving me anxiety attacks. What should I do? (about the rust not the anxiety)

 

[SteveB]

I always use some Fast Fret to clean my strings before and after playing. Sometimes even in the middle of a jam, if I'm shedding a lot of flesh onto the strings, I'll clean 'em again with Fast Fret.

When done playing I also wipe down the guitar body and the metal hardware with a polishing cloth. I use Ernie Ball guitar polish on the wood. I keep the guitar in the case whenever it's not being played.

I wipe the guitar neck down with a polishing cloth, too. But a separate one that I do not use with the guitar polish.

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

I do think a guitar should look played but I do change strings regularilly, do set ups myself and clean the dirt off of the fretboard when it builds up

 

[Colin]

I get my guitars professionally setup twice a year. Going from a hot climate to a cold climate and vice-versa.

Colin

 

[jeffrey]

I do all my own setups, always have for about the last 20 years.

I go through 2-3 sets of strings a week as I play a lot, have band rehearsal a lot and am pretty aggressive on strings (I can completely kill a set of strings in one rehearsal ).

Every time I change strings I clean the whole guitar very thoroughly and the fingerboard with lemon oil.

It's worked fine for me all this time.

 

[blackspy]

I do the wipedown when finished playing. Keep my hands clean before I start.
When I change strings fully, I'll usually wipe down the neck, and clean up any dirt there, I use lemon oil for that. I've done the oil/wax treatment twice now with great results, makes the neck feel brand new.

Occasionally I spray some non-chemical polish on the guitar (Martin/EB) and clean it up if it's looking particularily smudged up. Maybe once a year I lube the bridge and posts, about as often as the oil/wax should be done I guess.

In general, the guitar is quite clean, if its dirty it gets clean, otherwise it gets played. I don't usually keep it in the case. Out of sight, out of mind, and I play another guitar. So I leave it out.

 

[Luiz Gustavo]

I do myself the adjustments.

Wash hands before play.

Clean every string and hardar after play.

1 set of string each 20 day, cuz I pratically dont sweat in my hands, so everything stay clean.

But I have 4 guitars now, so, I only change strings on the guitar that I'm using.

They stay in case. Got one of those lite SKB guitar shape cases and only trasport them in non original case to keep them in good conditions with no cracks or broken latchs.

 

[Monster]

wow thanks for all the reply's i am getting a hard case this weekend, right now i have it stored in gig bag, but once hard case comes i will do like most of ya keep it in there, i got some cleaners for the body and frets etc....

anyone else have some neat tricks to cleaning feel free to share

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Dont get me started on gig bags... I would never use a gig bag!