Taking Care Of Your Guitar

[Eddie Van Halen]

Can someone give me some info on taking care of your guitar (just external values like the finish, not the hardware) All I really do is use Ernie Ball Guitar Cleaner/Polish...

 

[tommyindelaware]

i can tell you one thing NOT to do......don't set your guitar on a chair that it can slide easily off of..............onto a CONCRETE FLOOR !!!!!!! (yep .....i did it this weekend in a hurry in my garage....... one nice little chunk missin....and a few chips too.........)

 

[blackspy]

Don't lean them against stuff either, amps, walls... they have a tendancy to fall, in slow motion, or so it seemed.

 

[jongitarz]

Never take them swimming....I have not done this, but it needed to be said.

 

[tommyindelaware]

i can tell you one thing NOT to do......don't set your guitar on a chair that it can slide easily off of..............onto a CONCRETE FLOOR !!!!!!! (yep .....i did it this weekend in a hurry in my garage....... one nice little chunk missin....and a few chips too.........)

he he....might as well strip it now.......put a thin flamed maple top on it.....and paint it purple sunset.......

( i'm only 1/2 serious)

 

[Alvesang]

Come on, a real answer would be nice. I personally use a Gibson cleaning set, that's it. Maybe one should do more?!

 

[tommyindelaware]

Come on, a real answer would be nice. I personally use a Gibson cleaning set, that's it. Maybe one should do more?!

sorry......
the ernie ball polish is all you should need for the body & body typically....
mabey once or twice a year clean & the neck w/ 0000 steel wool & birchwood/casey tru oil.....& wax...depending on how much grim accumulates....
washing my hands good EVERY time before i play helps ALOT.....
i take a bar of lava to every gig........

 

[NorM]

Gibson and Martin guitars use a finish that never completly cures. Therefore their polish is different then what you should use on EBMM guitars. Hardware aside, clean hands, EBMM polish and elbow grease is all you need for everyday stuff. Lube the Bridge saddles, tremelo knife edges and nut slots when you think they need it. (4th or 5th string change)

Buy a good guitar stand. Unplug your guitar when you are not playing it. People can trip on cables. When you close your case, close the latches every time. Finally 3 words: Schaller Strap locks.

 

[Norrin Radd]

I like to treat the neck a little more than others. With each string change I lubricate teh fretboard with GHS Fastfret ot some other kind of Lem Oil product. Put a coat on. let it sit for 5 minutes, wipe it off. I think the neck is the mos susceptible to getting real grimy quickly. And about 2-3 times a year I steel wool the frets. For caution, I place scotch magic tape on either side of the fret before using the steel wool and then move the two pieces up the fretboard as I go. Sounds tedious, but it works.

As for the body, man, the finish is sooo hard. NorM was right. Use something designed for your guitar. Personally, I like and use GHS Guitar Gloss, whenever it needs it. Which is always after a sweaty night of playing!

Hope this helps, but ask if you've got more specific concerns

 

[nobozos]

I use Lizard Spit guitar polish and citrus oil.

Really, the best thing you can do is to not let grime accumulate on the guitar anywhere. You don't have to be fanatical about cleaning it, just keep it free of dirt. A good wipe-down with a dry guitar polishing cloth after each use should keep it in good shape.

I oil the neck at every string change, or at least once a month.

 

[koogie2k]

Lemon Oil the fretboard as needed.

I use Meguiar's car wax on the body. Apply it real thin and wipes off real nice.

I have a tendency to drool when I play...you should see it bead up! hehehhehe

 

[francric]

Never take them swimming....I have not done this, but it needed to be said.

That's what they all say...........

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

what are good products for the neck, i already use guitar polish and wipe down the guitar after each use so thats all good

 

[nobozos]

Dr. Stringfellow Lemon Oil.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Dr. Stringfellow Lemon Oil.

+1!

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

Can you use the EBMM Cleaner/Polish on the neck too?

 

[tommyindelaware]

i love ebmm polish.......very effective.....mist & wipe.......cleans well......dries quick.....smells great.....
a lot of polishes really do smell funny...some cases...even bad......

 

[Bassplyr]

There's one stuff called Powerchord that works real well. We use it at the store. But I would prolly use something different on the chrome. It has a tendency to haze up.

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

well will EBMM guitar polish work on the neck and fretboard? Cause it's all I have right now

 

[NorM]

I use the polish to clean my maple fretboard and it works well. Get a spot on the polish cloth wet and apply with lots of elbow grease. Clean the board before you change the strings.