How to care.

A guitar, like any other device, is subject to wear and aging:
- strings become deformed and even sometimes break;
- wooden parts may warp due to sudden changes in climatic conditions; moving parts wear out, etc.
All of these unpleasant changes can interfere with your ability to express yourself through playing an instrument and increase the likelihood of expressing yourself through other, less printable methods. Therefore, if you want your guitar to always be in good working order and ready to go, you need to master the rules of caring for it and simple repairs.

As your performance level increases, you will begin to have a better feel for the instrument, so if there are subtle changes in the response of the strings or mechanics, you will notice them immediately. Your hearing will also develop in the same way: in some cases, the guitar's response and appearance will not change, but its sound may become slightly different from what you are used to. This will already be a signal to devote time to the tool and find out what the problem is. The better you get to know your guitar, the less afraid you will be to experiment with it. Gaining experience and knowledge as you master the instrument is a natural process. But, on the other hand, unforeseen situations can always happen (for example, a guitar breaking down on the road), so you should be prepared to carry out minor repairs on your own. In doing so, you will not only save money and time, but also better understand how the guitar works. So put down your pick and grab your repair tools! Next, you will learn exactly what tools, materials and devices you will need, as well as how to use them correctly.

Guitar care
You may not like it, but the most destructive forces that can damage your guitar are related to you. Your hands sweat, transferring moisture, oils, corrosive liquids and dirt to strings, wood and metal parts. Add to this "natural phenomena: dust, beer, cigarette smoke (even if you are a proponent of a healthy lifestyle, performing in clubs, you are unlikely to be able to avoid this) and beads of sweat from the bassist's hair. Fortunately, cleaning a guitar is a A fairly simple and quick procedure. In most cases, in a matter of minutes your guitar will shine like new.
To minimize the chance of your guitar becoming contaminated by dust or any other drops, try to place it in a case or case as soon as possible.

Strings
After each performance or rehearsal, clean the strings with a soft cloth. At the same time, pay attention to the cleanliness of the top sill and stand. Wipe the strings one at a time - this will extend their service life.
Body, neck face and guitar mechanics
With the guitar still stringed, pour guitar polish onto a piece of cloth and wipe down the body, back, and face of the neck (you can run the cloth under slightly loose strings for better contact with the wood surface). Then use a dry cloth to rub the guitar until it shines. Likewise, using a soft cloth, you can wipe down all the metal parts. To reach hard-to-reach areas such as string sockets and areas under string tails, you can use wiping sticks. Be careful not to get the cleaning liquid on the strings - they can become slippery, like the handshake of a seasoned politician.

Thresholds
To properly clean the frets, you need to remove the strings. First, wipe the thresholds with a clean cloth. To remove dirt, you can lightly walk with fine-grained sandpaper (the so-called “zero”) along the surface of the sills, moving the paper parallel to the fingerboard. The force should be very light so that the emery along with the dirt does not remove the metal of the threshold. Be especially careful that the sanding does not damage the face of the fingerboard. Always move the sandpaper in one direction very slowly to avoid your hand slipping and hitting the wood of the fret.

Check the surface of the sills for burrs and nicks. Small burrs can be removed yourself using the same “zero”, but it is better to entrust the removal of deeper burrs to a qualified specialist. Due to the fact that the strings are constantly pressed against the saddles, small indentations form on the saddles after prolonged use of the guitar. While the surface of the nut is smooth, the string is pressed against it in different places (albeit in a rather narrow strip), thereby evenly distributing the “damage”. However, as soon as a depression begins to form on the saddle, the string will be pressed against the saddle more and more often in this very place, thereby “breaking” the saddle like heavy trucks on a country road. Therefore, timely grinding of the recesses (before they become “grooves”) can significantly extend the service life of the thresholds.

Electronics
Contamination of the contact surfaces of switches, connectors and potentiometers can cause any music you play to be accompanied by crackles, clicks and acoustic shocks. But getting rid of such undesirable phenomena is quite simple - you just need to do a “general cleaning of the electronics.”
Cleaning potentiometers (volume controls, guitar tone controls)

By performing the simple operations described below, you will protect yourself from troubles associated with dirt getting on the contact surfaces of the potentiometers or corrosion occurring on them.

1. Remove the potentiometer knob. Plastic handles are usually held on the shanks only by friction. Insert the blade of the screwdriver under the handle and press lightly on the handle of the screwdriver to remove the handle from the shank. However, be careful - metal handles are often attached to the shank with a small screw. In this case, first remove this screw and then remove the handle.

2. Apply contact cleaner to the contact surfaces of the potentiometer visible through the hole.

3. Rotate the potentiometer shank in different directions several times to evenly wet the contact surfaces with the cleaning fluid.

Cleaning Switches and Connectors
The contact surfaces of switches and connectors are generally more difficult to reach than the contact surfaces of potentiometers. On some guitars, access to the switches requires you to remove either the switch cover or the switch bar. However, if you managed to gain access to the elements you are interested in in one way or another, the cleaning technique remains the same: pour as much liquid as possible onto the contact surfaces and operate the switch or plug until you get rid of the dirt.

Guitar storage
You can be very careful with your guitar while it is around you, but all your efforts will be in vain if you do not take care of proper storage. As noted in this chapter, wood is a very sensitive material to environmental factors, and some of these factors can cause quite serious problems for your guitar. Below are some simple rules for storing a guitar, the observance of which will save you from unnecessary headaches, and your wallet from the cost of guitar repairs. Always store your guitar in its case. Soft cases are good only for short-term storage - nothing protects the wood, mechanics and strings of a guitar better than a good, durable case. If the guitar is stored in such a case, you don’t have to worry about its neck “moving.” The case will reliably protect the instrument from dust and moisture.
And a few more tips:
Try to avoid sudden changes in temperature;
Store the instrument in conditions of constant humidity;
Inspect the instrument regularly for any damage.

Even though the guitar is made of wood, it should not be treated like furniture. It’s not for nothing that we hug the guitar when we play it. She is the exponent of our feelings and thoughts. She is our “vest,” our sedative. Therefore, if you are the owner of a good acoustic guitar, you must follow the rules for caring for the instrument. Proper storage, operation and regular minor repairs will preserve not only the appearance of your six-string friend, but also its pure, enchanting sound.

Tool storage

Once you buy a guitar, be prepared for new expenses. You have to purchase a case (or trunk). At worst, buy a cover, just keep in mind that it should be thick and have good insulation. Please note: Some guitar manufacturers produce cases specifically for their acoustics.
If you are going to use the instrument frequently and handling the case makes you uncomfortable, purchase a special acoustic stand with a holder under the neck. The holder stand will prevent the tool from falling if your child or pet becomes interested in it.
Remember that the guitar cannot withstand temperature changes! Therefore, do not place it next to a radiator or at the balcony door. If you have to walk with an acoustic in the cold, do not take it out and play it as soon as you enter the room. Let the instrument sit in its case for a while and warm up.
One more nuance: any musical instrument cannot tolerate too low air humidity. If the air is too dry, cracks may appear in the body, resulting in the sound not being the same. Keep the humidity in the room where the guitar is stored at around 50%. This rule is especially relevant during the heating season. The simplest solution to the problem is to buy an air humidifier, but if you cannot afford it, then place jars of water around the instrument or spread a damp cloth near the battery.

Caring for Strings and Body

If the sound quality of your acoustics is important to you, prepare for the fact that you will have to change the strings about 2-3 times a year. To avoid doing this too often, use the following tips:
Loosen the strings after each play by 1-2 tones;
Wipe the strings regularly with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth;
Remember that dirt and oil from our fingers clog the windings of the strings, causing the sound to become less bright, so always wash your hands before playing the instrument;
If you are inclined to save money, do not rush to throw away strings that have become unusable! Place them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. The dirt will be washed away, the grease will dissolve, and the strings will sound like new!
The tool must be regularly wiped clean from dust. For example, Yamaxa guitar bodies are distinguished from others by their exceptional reflective surface properties, and greasy hand stains are quite noticeable on them. To care for the body, get yourself a cloth with soft bristles. Never wipe the guitar with a damp cloth; it is better to apply a special product for caring for musical instruments onto the cloth.
Don’t forget to inquire about the specifics of caring for your guitar and storing it from the sales assistant at the guitar store where you intend to purchase the instrument. He will give you detailed instructions on how to care for each specific model.

In the previous article we talked about. In this article we will describe the method fretboard cleaning. A person who has held a guitar in his hands for more than a couple of months will agree that the guitar collects dust a little worse than his grandmother’s Persian carpet. A dusty and dirty guitar does not look very aesthetically pleasing, and dirt on the fretboard can significantly worsen its sound. Cleaning the case is a simple matter. The process of cleaning the neck is much more complicated, and this is what will be discussed in this article.

First of all, you need to stock up on everything you need, namely: a flat surface where you can put the guitar so that it doesn’t fall, a cloth (preferably fluffy), a weak soap solution, lemon oil.

Having placed the guitar on a flat surface, you need to remove the strings from it, it is recommended not to remove them all at once so that the neck does not lose the load completely, but it is very inconvenient to clean the neck with strings, so I personally remove everything. Next, we soak a cloth in a soapy solution (no need to make a bucket, one mug of water + a little soap will be enough) and carefully go over the entire fretboard with this cloth, paying special attention to the first 3-5 frets since they are played most often.

We do this with a slightly wet rag, don’t forget we are working with wood and it tends to absorb moisture and swell. Particularly scrupulous guitarists can additionally wipe the neck with alcohol or vodka. I wouldn’t recommend doing either one because alcohol dries out the wood, which is not good.

After you have washed all the stain from the guitar, you need to cover the neck with lemon oil. This is done to better preserve the neck, since soap and especially alcohol dry out the wood greatly. A special lemon oil is sold for cleaning the fretboard, but you can use regular oil purchased at the pharmacy. After this, you can tighten the strings again.

Congratulations! Your neck is cleaned of dirt and also smells quite pleasantly of lemon) This procedure should be carried out at least once every six months. Well, in general, it’s clean not where they clean, but where they don’t litter. Wash your hands before playing the guitar and store it in a case and you will notice that there is much less dirt on it!)

Video. Very beautiful Flamenco

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 will talk 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. Still would! 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 in. 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 machine 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 - it will leave scratches! 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. For both electric 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. Ideally, 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!

Dear fellow musicians.

I am often asked how I take care of my guitars, a large number of concerts in different regions, flights, changes in temperature and humidity, and how I manage to maintain 100% performance of the instrument.

Maintenance is especially important in the winter, when it’s freezing outside, and in apartments it becomes very dry due to heating, even on “home” guitars the neck often bends, some frets begin to tinkle, and in extreme cases this happens - Cracks on the pickguard (a photo was recently sent by one of the WORLD OF STRINGS clients, the ESP guitar is completely new, it is only a few months old).

Usually I change strings several times a week, since any one and a half hour performance kills any strings, then I do the neck care procedure at least weekly, but now I’m on a short vacation and after a month of active home music playing, the neck on my Ash Faberge It became completely dirty, and the photos turned out to be as good as possible

visual.

Don't think that I don't wash my hands or that I specially treated the pad. Any non-varnished bar after 3-5 hours of practice is exactly the same. It's just not as noticeable on rosewood and regular ebony. Here, a piece of selected “Moon” Ebony (White Ebony) is installed on the pickguard, so the dirt is very noticeable.

Stage one
We remove the old strings. I don't fuss, I just loosen them and cut them off in the middle, it makes it much easier to pull the ends out of the Pegs and Stop Bars.

Stage Two

Now that the strings are out of the way, you need to clean off all that dirt from the fretboard. For these purposes we use the tool

This liquid is suitable for cleaning any NON LACQUERED Necks. Apply to the fingerboard and let the liquid work. Usually 1-2 minutes is enough. Then, using a clean circular motion with slight pressure, remove all the liquid along with the dirt. Before the next step, you need to wait a little until the remaining liquid dries.

We get this result

Stage three
In order for the neck to be more stable and better withstand changes in temperature and humidity, you must use a special one. There is no difference between them, except for the lemon flavor in the first version. Apply the oil to a clean fingerboard, evenly over the entire surface in a very thin layer, let it soak in for just a minute and remove the residue with a clean napkin. The oil creates a barrier that makes it more difficult for water to evaporate from the fretboard when the room humidity is low, the frets stop popping out and the fretboard becomes more stable. The oil also protects the guitar during periods of high humidity at concerts (Sweat) and during spring and autumn precipitation. So such a bottle simply must be in the arsenal of any musician.

Stage four (optional)
Despite the fact that cleaning the soundboard, as they say, does not affect the speed, it is still much more pleasant to hold a clean, shiny instrument, no matter how you look at it, and the guitar is the face of the musician.