In this article we will try to dispel the fog of uncertainty about what cannot be done with an electric guitar, what is possible, and what must be done. We're talking about caring for your musical instrument. And caring for an electric guitar is necessary, like all other musical instruments or household devices.
How to care for the body of an electric guitar?
Polyurethane varnish is the most common wood finish on modern electric guitars, making life easier for today's guitarists. Of course! After all, it is quite convenient to remove fingerprints, dust and dirt using a regular rag soaked in a soapy solution. The final touch is a special guitar polish, which can be purchased at almost any music store. Simply apply the polish to the body of the guitar and wipe it dry with a non-rough cloth. If the guitar is covered with wax, you should first make sure that it does not contain alcohol. Otherwise, everything will become worse than before you started this event.
How to care for the neck of an electric guitar?
Caring for the neck of an electric guitar is also simple and straightforward. There's not much to polish here other than the fretboard. And then - entertainment is for perfectionists. During use, dirt accumulates on the frets, which can be conveniently removed with a not too hard brush or rag. A toothbrush works great. A little hint: before cleaning the frets you need to remove the strings. We have already written about how to remove the strings. It is usually recommended to treat the fretboard with a small amount of essential oil. It is not expensive and is sold in pharmacies.
How to care for electric guitar accessories?
A dirty bridge or floyd rose typewriter stupefies those guitarists who with all their nature resist contemplating dirt on their instrument. How to clean this part of the guitar, where there are so many hard-to-reach places even for such an unsightly instrument as a toothbrush. Everything is simpler than it seems. We remove the typewriter or bridge and rinse it in a soapy solution until it shines with its former light. Just don’t rub the piece of iron with rough materials - scratches will remain! We washed it, now wipe it and leave it aside to dry thoroughly. After this, lubricate the friction points and contacts with machine oil. The main thing here is not to overdo it!
How to care for the electronics on an electric guitar?
Electronics, if they are in adequate condition, do not require special care. Therefore, if everything is soldered normally and does not rustle, skip this step. Otherwise, it's easier to take the guitar to a luthier. Although if you are a soldering master, then you know what to do without these tips.
How to transport a guitar?
These tips apply to all types of guitars. Both electrical and acoustic guitars. The electric guitar is made of wood and therefore does not like sudden changes in temperature. It is not recommended to take it outside in bitter frost. However, if this cannot be avoided, then it is recommended to buy an insulated cover for it. When you enter a room with a guitar, do not rush to uncover it. It won't hurt if it stays in the case for a while. This way you minimize the inevitable condensation that will damage wiring and metal parts. IN ideal It is best to transport and store the guitar in a special case. But the pleasure is not cheap.
Caring for your musical instrument is simple and unpretentious, so take care of your guitar and it will delight you for a long time!
Today we'll talk about how to clean a guitar fretboard.
If you have a polysander or ebony pickguard (and in my case this is the case), then dirt on it is a common thing, unless, of course, you play the guitar and do not keep it in a case. ;)
Those who have it made of maple are luckier, since it is usually covered with a layer of varnish and requires less maintenance.
This sticky substance, which accumulates near the frets and consists of hand grease, dirt and just pieces of skin, even received a special name on English, – “gunk”.
This thing prevents clean people from playing simply from an aesthetic point of view, but there are also those who simply don’t care.
If you take care of your instrument, then most likely you have the habit (a good habit, by the way) of wiping the fretboard every time after, which (I hope!) you change at least once a month. Well, and at least once every six months, a more extensive cleaning of the lining should be carried out.
If your guitar is overgrown with a layer of dirt (this very “gank”), then this article is definitely for you. ;)
But before you begin this extensive procedure, make sure to stock up on a special conditioner for your extensions, such as lemon oil. Because It is with this conditioner that you need to treat the pad after cleaning.
1. Preparing the pad
- First, we need a clean cloth, bandage or cotton wool - something to wipe with.
- Then, we need a glass with a solution of soapy water. To do this, you can use liquid soap, or use regular soap, which of course takes a little longer.
- If you suffer from perfectionism, you can prepare a little alcohol or vodka. This is for complete degreasing.
- Place the guitar on a flat surface, such as a table. You can put some kind of rag under the guitar so as not to damage the coating.
- To hold the guitar horizontally, you should place a small pillow or simply a rolled-up piece of cloth under the feather.
- Check whether the guitar is stable and does not move on the table.
- Ideally, the strings should be removed, but, in principle, they can be left.
2. Cleaning
- If you still decide to leave the strings on the guitar, then you should loosen them to such an extent that they move easily.
- Then wrap the previously prepared bandage around your index finger and dip it in soapy water. Do not overdo it, there should not be too much water, because... this can be bad for the tree. Those. the fabric should be damp, but not wet.
- Start at the first fret, wipe off the dirt lightly. You will see the dirt rub off in small whitish pieces before dissolving into milky liquids.
- Wipe the wood dry to prevent moisture from being absorbed into the trim. Well, on a dry tree you could see whether all the dirt was washed away or not.
- Continue further down the neck, working one fret at a time. Depending on what part of the fretboard you prefer to play on, you may encounter clean frets (usually in high positions), but in principle there is no need to clean them.
- When you're done with this, it's a good idea to go over the fretboard with a clean, dry cloth to remove any residue.
In principle, you can immediately use alcohol. It seems to me (personally) that this is even better, because... alcohol is a volatile thing, evaporates quickly and does not tend to be absorbed into the pad, and it also removes fat better than soap. But in any case, the neck needs to be wiped dry, and do not forget about lemon oil.
3. Conditioning the fretboard
The purpose of cleaning the fretboard was to remove dirt and grease, but the side effect was some dryness of the fingerboard. This is especially noticeable if you used alcohol.To slightly moisturize and further protect the fretboard, it is recommended to use lemon oil.
- Apply a little oil to the fret.
- Then, using a clean cloth, rub it into each fret, in much the same way as described above.
- When finished, leave the fretboard alone for a few minutes to allow the lemon oil to soak into the wood.
- And then, use a dry cloth to remove excess oil, if any.
Ready!
Do you feel how pleasant lemon smells? =)
Prevention is better than cure<
What's really good is to get into the habit of wiping down your strings and fingerboard every time before and after playing. This, of course, may seem like a chore, but the benefits are obvious - cleaning the fretboard, removing dirt, grease and moisture from your hands. In addition, the strings do not rust and retain their sound longer.By the way, many companies sell lemon oil, for example,
Any musical instrument, including the guitar, needs proper and timely care. Otherwise, cracks may appear on the body and the neck may delaminate. With prolonged use, the tuning pegs and strings wear out and the sound of the instrument deteriorates. Cheap guitars are more resistant to environmental changes. The production of expensive instruments takes place under certain conditions to preserve all the nuances of the wood. And these conditions must be maintained throughout the entire period of use of the guitar.
Acoustic Guitar Care
Electric Guitar Care
General tips are the same as for caring for acoustics. also does not like temperature changes, so it is better to keep it in a case or case. The body can be wiped with a damp cloth, then wiped dry and wiped with a special polish. The main thing is that the polish should not contain alcohol!Accessories
If the bridge (tailpiece) is very dirty, it should be removed and placed in soapy water. Rinse until clean. Rinse in warm clean water and wipe dry. It is better not to use iron wool or powder, otherwise scratches may occur. Lubricate all areas subject to friction with machine oil, with the exception of the potentiometer knobs. Time or time to clean the sills. Accumulated dirt muffles the strings. The screws on the pegs need to be tightened periodically, because as a result of shaking, they unwind and rattle appears.
Majority guitars are now coated with polyurethane varnish, which is not afraid of abrasion or light impacts on the corner, as a result of which the body can be washed with a damp cloth dipped in soapy water. And no hysterics about “the wood will become wet”, etc. After this, wipe it dry with Pronto polish.
If your guitar is covered with oil, then the moisture will need to be removed very quickly, and after cleaning it will need to be treated, for example, with Dunlop fretboard conditioner.
If your guitar is coated with wax or shellac, then in the first case, just like with an oil coating, in the second - one thing - the polish must be ALCOHOL-FREE, otherwise you will burn through the coating.
Grif. The same as with the body. Let me remind you that the rag is WET, and not swollen with water. You can use a toothbrush to remove dirt from the frets. Be sure to treat the dry, cleaned neck with oil (here, for example, a little lemon essential oil, but not sunflower oil in any case).
We clean the frets with the same cloth, then polish them with thick paper (for example, printer paper).
Accessories. If the bridge is very dirty, we take it apart (does not apply to the pegs) and put it in soapy water. Rinse until clean. Do not use powder or steel wool - there will be scratches. Then rinse in clean warm water and wipe dry.
When it dries, lubricate with machine oil all those places where there is friction - in the bridges these are the holes for the tuning screws and tremolo knives, in the pegs there are gears and worm shafts. Potentiometer knobs should not be lubricated. Lubricate it carefully - do not pour it, if you mess up - quickly wipe it dry with white spirit and then dry with a clean rag.
This is worth doing because moisture inevitably causes the metal to rust. In extreme cases, when adjusting the height of the saddle, you can tear off the edges of the screw head. They are not sold individually.
Clean the threshold. There is a little bit of slag in the nut, but it dampens the string.
Electronics guitars also require care. When setting up a marathon, do not forget to look into the tone block. Inspect all the soldering, lightly tug the wires. If anything, it will be better if they come off now than start doing weird things at the moment when you are carving out enchanting passages, winking at the chicks in the audience.
If the wires look like crap, for example, plaque or are simply fraying, take the guitar to a mechanic, or change the wires yourself. Such crap will definitely fail you at the most inopportune moment.
Contents of the guitar. In harsh racial conditions, even people get sick, but there is no question of guitars. Store the guitar in a case or case (at least cover it with a cloth) away from children, hot batteries and drafts. For an acoustic guitar, it makes sense to put some kind of humidifier in the case (for example, hang a damp cloth on the neck, just so that it doesn’t touch the pegs or pickguard). If you happen to carry your guitar around in winter, when you come indoors from the cold, let it sit in its case for at least five minutes. Condensation on a guitar that is immediately taken out is not very unpleasant; it also harms the wiring and hardware.
Finally, do not forget to tighten all the fasteners (bushings and mounting screws on the tuners, pickguard fastening, screws that secure the neck, etc.). A guitar with everything hanging around won't give you a good sound. That's basically all.
Creative Uzbeks, cool sound and more girls guitars, good and different. See you.
The shape of a guitar is often compared to the curves of a woman's body. Indeed, this is a beautiful musical instrument from which a master can extract amazing sounds. But caring for your guitar should be as careful as your attitude towards the woman you love. We will tell you about the main secrets later in the article.
How to care for a guitar and what details to pay special attention to?
The guitar consists of several components, and each of them “suffers” in its own way during use:
- Strings. Of course, the easiest way is to replace them with new ones after N hours of play, but this is not at all necessary.
- Neck and frets. A musician's hands inevitably sweat while playing, which means that sweat and sebum will contaminate these elements. Hence the poor sound (sweat gradually corrodes the frets, a process similar to corrosion occurs) and the unaesthetic appearance of the instrument (the wood of the fingerboard will darken and look oily).
- Other metal parts of the guitar. The problem here is the same as with fret saddles - the destructive effect of sweat getting on the metal.
- Tool body. During use, cracks and chips may appear on the case, the varnish will fade and become stained. The reason for this is very often improper storage. You need to look after your guitar extremely carefully if you want the instrument to serve you faithfully for a long time.
Now that we have found out what problems may affect certain elements of the guitar, let’s move on directly to the intricacies of caring for your pet.
Care in detail
How to care for your guitar in terms of cleaning the strings? To prevent the formation of deposits consisting of dust, sweat and particles from the skin of your hands, after each playing session, use a dry, clean cotton cloth, such as a regular handkerchief.
How to store a guitar so that its neck is always in perfect condition? Regularly cleanse it of sweat and sebum. Important: cleaning the neck is carried out only when the strings are removed, for example, when you decide to change them. By the way, good strings, as well as complete guitar sets, can be bought in the online store at gitaraist.ru. There you can also consult about the features of caring for the instrument.
So, varnished necks are cleaned with special products for varnish surfaces. But to care for unvarnished ones, use lemon or gun oil. Simply spread a few drops of the product over the fingerboard and rub the surface with a soft cotton cloth.
The metal parts of the guitar are cleaned with regular machine oil. A soft toothbrush will help you get to the grooves. Be careful not to let oil come into contact with the wooden body of the instrument!
Finally, let's talk about caring for your guitar body. If it is varnished, then first wipe it with a cloth soaked in a weak detergent solution. When the body is dry, treat it with polish. It will help smooth out small cracks and scratches on the varnish and make the surface shiny. Rub the polish in a circular motion using the same cotton cloth.
If the body is not varnished, then dry cleaning and treatment with special oils and waxes are used.
How to properly store a guitar?
The guitar is mainly made of wood, and it is very sensitive to changes in humidity and air temperature. Hence the requirements for tool storage. So, how to store a guitar at home?
- Requirements for temperature - plus 10-25 ° C, for humidity - 50-60%. If these values are exceeded, the varnish layer may begin to soften, and the wood may swell and warp.
- Keep the guitar away from windows and heating devices (at least 1.5 meters).
- The instrument should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
- It is a misconception that a soft case will protect the guitar if it is hit or dropped. A hard case will do a much better job of this.
- Do not think that by locking your guitar in a sealed case (box, bag, etc.) you will protect it from dust and other aggressive environmental factors. She can literally suffocate, so the cover must be slightly open for proper air circulation.
- Do not forget to loosen the strings if you leave the guitar for long-term storage (more than 1 month).
