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Post subject: Caring for a guitar?
Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:33 pm
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Hey all,

So, I was finally able to replace the Fender Strat that I stupidly sold years ago. It is an 05/06 Hwy 1 in great shape. It had a bit of a curve in the neck and the frets were sticking out a bit, but I knew that it was not really anything that wasn't fixable. So I took it into the local guitar repair store to have these issues mended. While I was there, I found out that the reason this had happened was because the neck had shrunk due to lack of moisture. I had never heard of that. I was told there are products to moisturise the guitar to prevent this from happening in the future.

So, what do you guys do to prevent your guitars from drying out? What other things do you guys do for your guitars to maintain them? I was a dumb kid when I learned to play, taking care of stuff was never something I cared about. I really care now.

Thanks in advance!

Steve

P.S. Here is a picture of my new lady "Butterscotch"

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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:58 pm
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Try lemon oil on the Rosewood whenever you change your strings ...don't foget to remove the excess. :)

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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:13 am
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keep a humidifier in the room with it, that helps also


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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:35 am
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I keep my Strat polished, there`s numerous products on the market available at your local dealer. Besides cleaning the guitar it helps protect the finish and even allows your hand to slide easier on the neck.


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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:29 am
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I highly recommend the use of a product called Guitar Honey on your fretboard Its made by a company called Gerlitz, its top shelf. As far as the body is concerned, I use a micro fiber cloth. Make sure to check the thread count, get the highest you can. (You can find them cheap on eBay). Since it looks new, I wouldn’t use anything on the body until you have to. You have to understand that wax is an abrasive. The more you use it, the more finish your cutting into.
Once a year I take my bridge apart (warning unless you know how to set your intonation do not do this) clean it with mothers and put a light coat of wax on the base as well as the saddles. I also once a year I have it already down for the bridge, I like to take the pickguard off and take the volume and tone knobs off and shoot the pots with TV tuner spray. (can get at Radio Shack) to keep them clean and static free. Also I clean down the pickguard while its off with whatever, 409,etc.. If vintage tuners I hit them with 3 in1.

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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:45 pm
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guitar honey is a great product. it cleans up rosewood excellent. i dont know if it would be good for maple fretboards, because it is tinted red. but it works wonderfully on rosewood.

i recommend using fretboard conditioner, some cleaner on the body, and some polishing wax on the body. you dont have to use the wax every day. maybe once every 2 weeks or so. otherwise it will build up on the guitar finish. musicians friend sells a Dunlop body care pack. it has a bottle of cleaner and a bottle of wax, plus a microfiber cloth.


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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:22 pm
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I do use it (the Guitar Honey) on all my maple necks as well with no adverse effect to it color or otherwise. Hope that helps out some


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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:21 pm
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Humidifiers are popular for acoustic guitars, but I've never heard of problems with necks shrinking on electrics - did you keep it next to the radiator?

Lemon oil is good for rosewood fretboards though.

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Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:23 pm
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Red Paul wrote:
Humidifiers are popular for acoustic guitars, but I've never heard of problems with necks shrinking on electrics - did you keep it next to the radiator?

Lemon oil is good for rosewood fretboards though.


I just got it. No idea where/how it was stored before me. Thank you all so much for the ideas and input. I was told by the guy at the store that you can get case humidifiers as well. Anybody use those?


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Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:44 pm
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Unless you live someplace in the desert or at altitude where the humidity is low you shouldn't have to use a humidifier with a solid body, and too much moisture will make it go dead. Why do you think manufacturers take the time to dry and cure the wood? Acoustics have a 1/8 inch thick piece of wood that resonds to moisture in the air but a solid body won't unless it's exposed to low humidity (under 20% or so) for a very long time (years). Keep it out of the sun, not near heater or air conditioner outlet and it should be fine. The general rule of thumb is that if you're comfortable, so is your guitar. FWIW, optimum humidity for an acoustic is 46% so that would be the ideal.


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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:45 am
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Keep the guitar in it's case at all times when not in your hands. I keep my guitars polished, and use fretboard conditioner about once a year. Don't store it in your attic or trunk of your car. Avoid really hot and really cold environments, and you should have good luck.

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Post subject: Re: Caring for a guitar?
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:23 pm
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Sabre_bandit wrote:
Hey all,

So, I was finally able to replace the Fender Strat that I stupidly sold years ago. It is an 05/06 Hwy 1 in great shape. It had a bit of a curve in the neck and the frets were sticking out a bit, but I knew that it was not really anything that wasn't fixable. So I took it into the local guitar repair store to have these issues mended. While I was there, I found out that the reason this had happened was because the neck had shrunk due to lack of moisture. I had never heard of that. I was told there are products to moisturise the guitar to prevent this from happening in the future.

So, what do you guys do to prevent your guitars from drying out? What other things do you guys do for your guitars to maintain them? I was a dumb kid when I learned to play, taking care of stuff was never something I cared about. I really care now.

Thanks in advance!

Steve

P.S. Here is a picture of my new lady "Butterscotch"

Image


I have to agree with the person who said lemon oil on the fretboard. So far, this has worked for me on my guitars for many years.


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:32 pm
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I treat my fretboards every 3 - 4 months with Gerlitz Guitar Honey.

I highly recommend it!

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:13 am
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Thank you for all the input guys! The local shops didn't have the products that were recommended so all ordered from e-bay.


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