Guitar maintenance?

[Cognition]

I just ordered a Schecter Hellraiser C-1 as an upgrade from my old entry level Ibanez.

Obviously I want to take good care of the guitar, and am ordering a hard case as soon as I can find out what case the guitar would fit into.

However, I don't really know much about things like humidifiers, polish, and fretboard conditioners. Is this something I need to worry about?

What is needed in order to maintain the guitar in pristine condition for years to come?

 

[Wolfeman]

Just keep it clean and dust free, use a string cleaner after you are done playing(to make them last longer), and wipe off any sweat on the metal parts asap. I have used these products since I started playing 20 years ago, and still use them today.

 

[Jind]

^^^^^ This ^^^^^ The Dunlop products are the best thing you can do for your guitar - I go through this stuff like addict with crack.

 

[beyond dead]

Interesting...

I always wash my hands prior to playing guitar, and demand that anyone who plays my guitars wash before playing. Some people think im a prick, but I doubt they care or notice if guitar strings are fresh or not...

anyways, I never knew there was a cleaner for strings! I will definitely check
that out!

I have also used brazilian nut oil (i think thats what its called) to polish and clean the fret board.

 

[MetalJonesy]

i used to be anal and wash me hands, but as long as they aint greasy then thats fine

plus those dunlop products are great at removing it!

as for strings, i have used ghs Fast Fret for years, as i go thru stings in days if i dont, have terribly acidic sweat it seems! but yeah that stuff if used after you play and are leaving your guitar for an hour to 5 days works wonders, keeps your strings like new for alot longer both in tone wise and playability!

 

[MetalJonesy]

oh i always have a silica gel pack in my cases too!

 

[beyond dead]

oh i always have a silica gel pack in my cases too!

I always use these if im packing something up for a bit (mics, guitars, electronics, pedals )

 

[Notuern]

^^^^^ This ^^^^^ The Dunlop products are the best thing you can do for your guitar - I go through this stuff like addict with crack.

No, their not, but they are good for the average Joe thats not too interested in mixing chemicals to create their own stuff.

At work we have a shelf of chemicals, oils and whatnot, and another shelf with various mixes that are used for cleaning metals, clear-coated guitars, wooden parts, oil-blends and other glorious stuff.

But tbh, all you need for a guitar is:

1) Lemon Oil, its probably the most important thing of them all! Unless you like dried, cracked fretboards!

2) Denatured Alcohol, its a great string cleaner, its great for cleaning all parts of your guitar(As it dissolves all the grit, and vaporizes quickly.), its great for maintaining the moving parts as it dissolves the oil and all the grit thats collected with in it(Soaking the stuff in it.).
DO NOT soak/clean any oiled/waxed/lubricated parts without having anything to replace the previous treatment with.

3) Sewing machine oil, its used for reapplying the oil in the moving parts(Tuners, saddles, pots etc.).

4) Furniture cream polish, my personal favorite is Centurio.. but im not sure if its available outside of Sweden.

Edit:

5) Autosol Metal Polish, polishes all your metal parts.
IF you are going to polish the frets, mask of the wood.. or suffer the consequences!

http://www.jettadam.dk/brokemi_uk.htm
If you guys want to try out Centurio, try to email them!
Im going to try and order some of their Rosewood Oil on Friday!

 

[motomoto]

So if ya don't use a guitar, and keep it in a case, do you use a silica gel pack or will it dry the fretboard as fuck?

What else do you have to do if you wanna store a guitar for a long time?
(except from a good cleaning first?)

 

[Nebulous]

Lemon oil for frett board, cloth for body and strings and silica gel pack in all cases is what I do. Seems to work well.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Fast fret - get some.

 

[Notuern]

So if ya don't use a guitar, and keep it in a case, do you use a silica gel pack or will it dry the fretboard as fuck?

What else do you have to do if you wanna store a guitar for a long time?
(except from a good cleaning first?)

Silica Gel will just keep the case dry enough.
Fretboards will dry out with time, so even if you dont play on the guitar, pull it out once every 6 months or so and spray down the fretboard with Lemon Oil.

 

[motomoto]

Silica Gel will just keep the case dry enough.
Fretboards will dry out with time, so even if you dont play on the guitar, pull it out once every 6 months or so and spray down the fretboard with Lemon Oil.

Thanks.

Will do that

 

[plague_rider]

Lemon Oil

and make sure the guitar is stored in a not-too-dry-not-too-moist area... In a case is preferrable as it prolongs string life

 

[Nebulous]

So if ya don't use a guitar, and keep it in a case, do you use a silica gel pack or will it dry the fretboard as fuck?

What else do you have to do if you wanna store a guitar for a long time?
(except from a good cleaning first?)

I have 1-2 silica packs in each case for my electrics and keep my acoustic out in the open.

The acoustic needed 4 coats of lemon oil the other day, because it was that dry. The electrics haven't needed a coat at all yet.