Hi...

New to this forum...great site. I'm just starting out learning to play the guitar and I got a new (2007) Highway 1 HSS guitar (Dauphen blue...black hardware...love it). I noticed what looks like bits of "rust" on some of the strings...so I'm guessing the strings need changed. Also I noticed the fretboard is a little "cloudy" in spots. I'd like to do the string change and fretbord / fret clean up and polish myself. I'm pretty good with a wrench so I'm sure I can do it...but i've read that it's bad to remove all 6 strings at once. Is there trus rod adjustments that would be needed as well? This is getting a little out of my comfort zone. Any feed back is appreciated.

PB

Take it to your local shop, or ask them to recommend a luthier- a fret job wont cost much, and it sounds like the fretboard needs an oil rubbed over it to bring the lustre back... be careful not to use too much, just a few drops on a soft cloth. Mask off your frets, and rub a little Brasso over the frets taking care not to let it seep into the rosewood. this will make them gleam!!!. I also use a linseed based furniture oil- you can buy something to that effect from any supermarket- its cheap and good for ephasising grain on pourous wood. or you can buy the real deal from your local music shop. Maybe they could teach you how to change your strings if you ask nicely and adjust your trussrod:) as for the truss rod adjustment- if your uncomfortable, then dont touch it.

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Hi pbenson1167, welcome to the Forum.

To begin with, if trussrod adjustments are needed and are, as you say, out of your comfort zone then take that guitar to a well recommended tech for a proper setup. Money very well spent, and he'll probably let you watch if you ask him and then you'll be off on that particular road.

Frankly, a high proportion of the threads round here are from people who don't know how to do setups but have tried anyway and got into difficulties and now need bailing out. I'm all in favor of people learning to do this stuff for themselves, but take it slow and steady. No rush. A professional setup will last for a long time and give you breathing space for learning.

Last thing: yes, it sounds like those strings definitely need changing. And now the bad news. Changing the full set of strings is really something you should be doing regularly, ideally, every 25 - 50 playing hours - or more frequently. When we are starting out most of us make our strings last a lot longer than that. But bear it in mind...

Oh, and it's fine to take all the strings off at once. Your neck can handle it easy.

Good luck - C

hi

from my experience, i take out all of the strings at the same time, i clean my fretboard with either wd-40 or armour-all. this helps keep the fretboard clean and prevents the build up of molds. on the strings part, after restringing, make sure to clean the strings not just on top, but under the strings as well. Strings can pickup sweat and dead skin cells from your finger tips and rust. so its very important to clean your strings before and after you play.

Hope this helps!
=D

hi

from my experience, i take out all of the strings at the same time, i clean my fretboard with either wd-40 or armour-all. this helps keep the fretboard clean and prevents the build up of molds. on the strings part, after restringing, make sure to clean the strings not just on top, but under the strings as well. Strings can pickup sweat and dead skin cells from your finger tips and rust. so its very important to clean your strings before and after you play.

Hope this helps!
=D

Thanks Blertles and Ceri for the replies...much appreciated.

What are the signs that a truss rod needs adjusting? Is this something that needs done regularly at string changes? I'll have to check that out in the manual.

PB

oh...and one more thing...if I do clean and condition my fretboard...I plan to us the Dunlop 65 maint kit solutions.

Not on the fingerboard if it is a rosewood one. Everywhere else on the guitar, but rosewood is bare of finish and needs to be treated with a drop or two of lemon oil wiped well in. Available from guitar shops for the purpose.

And go sparingly with that lemon oil. A drop or two, once or twice a year is all.

Cheers - C

Hi ceri...

It is rosewood...and I also got a bottle of the Dunlop Ultimite lemon oil. Will this work...using only a few drop as you suggested?

thanks...PB

That's the puppy. And quite literally one or two drops will do the whole 'board, unless it is exceptionally dried out. Wipe it on well, leave for a while and then wipe off any surplus. And obviously do this with all the strings off. Don't really want that oil on your strings.

And regarding your previous question: it depends a lot on how stable your climate is, but I find my guitars can go for years without needing their trussrods adjusted. To be fair, they hardly ever leave the house these days, so they are not subjected much to changes in temperature and humidity. If you're gigging then it needs looking at more often.

But it ain't a daily worry. Get it set, then forget about it for a while. By the time you need to think about it again you'll have learnt a lot more about that stuff - especially by reading this Forum!

Cheers - C

Truss rod adjustments are typically done very seldomly. The only time it should be messed with is when there is a setup issue or problem. If you are unsure how well your guitar is setup, take it in for a "full setup". This is really worth doing because a nicely setup guitar makes all the difference in how nicely it plays. Then leave the truss rod alone for a verrrry long time (again, unless there is some sort of problem).

Okay, on to strings. Rust, eh? Strings have a life to them. They only sound good for a while, then they go "dead". They go dead wayyyyy before you'll ever see rust. If you have been playing with rusty strings, a string change will make it sound like a whole new guitar. Also, there is nothing wrong with removing all the strings at once. Even a seldomly used guitar should get new strings two or three times a year. If you pick it up quite often, then definitely more frequent than that ... say, every three months. If you play alot, then every month.

As for cleaning ... I don't like chemicals on my guitar in general. Further, I would stay away from Brasso and (especially) WD-40. I just use a damp cloth with the strings all off, and clean it really good. This is contradictory to some of the above comments, so consider this only one opinion...

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Right.

Nothing I'd say would contradict that, for sure. Hot breath, a clean cloth and careful wiping are the number one tools for the job.

+1.

Cheers - C

You guys Rock ...thanks a bunch...

I think I'll give it a stab. Your input has been very much appreciated.

PB

wd 40 is Not made for guitars use lemon oil or ghs fast fret to condition the fret board

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As most of my guitarshave rosewwod fretboards here is I have been doing it for 30 yars .Take of all the strings at once ,I have never had a problem although for a while I would do E and D A and B G and E as it was supposed to keep tension ,Nonsense then take a rag with just a dab of warm water and rub all your neck clean buy the time you get to the top the neck should be dry.Dont SOAK the neck just a lil moisture .Then get a polishing cloth and put 2 drops of lemon oil and rub it into the fret board let it soak in then wipe the excess off good.WHEN you restring remember to wipe off your strings with a plain polishing cloth everytime after you play,pinch the string with the cloth and go up and down so you clean the bottom of the string also and this will make your strings last long .All it takes is one extended sweaty session to kill a new set of strings without wiping them down.As far as your truss rod if you are happy with the way your ax is playing there is no need to have any adjustments made, KEEP ON ROCKING