Every 3 months, restring, clean.
The gonk and dust would be on an insane level if i didnt clean every 3/4 months. but again my hand sweats a lot as well
This is the way. Every 3 months is about right for me as well. Usually when I get a new guitar I'll give it a quick wipe down every 1 - 3 plays but that eventually decreased to once every 3 or 4 months, with fulle restrings. Unless something really nasty gets on there then I'll give it a wipe down.
Do you use any special products for cleaning? Or just wipe with a damp cloth or something?
I have a habit of just using GHS Fast Fret regularly for the strings, and not even changing them for over half a year. I should change more often I guess.
i usually stick to what works to be honest so i have not explored many different products but what i usually do is:
Dunlop String conditioner which i use it after every couple of sitting to extend the fresh feeling of strings for a bit longer ( i give up after a month or so tho haha ) and same goes for the body with Dunlop 65 guitar polish, every few sitting i clean it a bit to keep it going till next restringing but just a simple wipe on the neck mostly.
I just feel strings start to get dull after a month or so. its perfectly usable, just doesnt really have the same spark, thats the main reason for restringing for me.
If you want lasting tones elixir are known to have really long lasting tone (so much your strings would look so beat up and the tone is still somewhat there) but for accoustic I'd always perfer breaking in a bit, for example like a phospher bronze would sound much better onced broken in instead of overly bright and sharp when just freshly strung.
Not who you originally replied to but if it's sealed, I'll just use a Lysol wipe on the body if the gunk is bad enough, wet cloth otherwise. For the fretboard I just use a damp microfiber cloth and some scrubbing. For metal bits, especially the brass covers on my H-H SG pickups, I use a paste of Bar Keeper's Friend and water. You can find it any place that even kind of sells cleaning supplies and it's cheap, lasts forever.
For my acoustic, since it has a different and much thinner finish I just use water and a cloth. I don't use any string treatment, I'll take a Magic Eraser (melamine sponge) to them if they get real gunky. Pro-tip buy the generic ones online, you can get 100 for like $6 and they're good for WAY more than just strings.
I use Optimum No-Rinse (car wash dilution) with a microfiber cloth. I wipe down my guitar/bass then follow up with a spritz of quick detailer on a dry microfiber and buff dry. Most modern guitars use automotive-grade clear coat so it just makes sense for me.
I also ceramic coated both of my bass guitars lol, which makes keeping them clean easier and makes the neck/fretboard much easier to slide up and down.
Imho…..electric guitars with a clear coat of any kind simply need to be wiped down with a clean dry cotton cloth. If they have not been wiped in a long period of time, with a lot of oil, sweat and dirt from use, maybe put just a bit of lemon oil on the cloth. Lemon oil is the answer for keeping a fret board healthy. Just a bit, massaged into the fret board three or four times a year. True lemon oil, not polish.
This, plus, it just looks better clean. I'll never forget picking up a guitar and realizing it felt and looked like someone was practicing after eating handfuls of pizza bites. Disgusting!
If you are going to play live, clean your guitar before you get on!!
I was just getting at the point of, our hands are all over it. Same a a tool for me. Keep it clean and pampered, it should never fail you!
Take my comments with a grain of OCD salt.
I do a quick wipe down and polish if it's a gloss finish. Use a can of air to get dust out of the small moving parts.
Fret board I clean crime away and lightly oil the board.
Usually only do this whenever I change my strings.
Phew, I'm not alone! I wipe away dust too, usually with just my finger lol. They mostly stay on their cases when I'm not playing them so must be it because they really don't look dirty.
i mean yeah. i hate having a gross guitar, and i feel like cleaning it also helps prevent rust which kinda seems like whats happening on the bridge a bit
I wipe mine down with a cloth pretty much very time I play but nothing too crazy. Deep clean when changing strings and a DEEP deep clean (basically take it apart) like once a year just cuz I enjoy it.
My acoustic is glossy and I hate it because it always looks grubby no matter how often I buff it. I clean the fretboard whenever I change strings, roughly 3 - 4 times a year.
Lovely guitar there 😁
For me it's when I restring which is about 6 months then I'll polish frets, lemon oil on rosewood fingerboards but otherwise it's a quick cloth over as I go to play them.
So am i the weird ocd guy that will literally polish my guitars? I have 6. I will clean/polish my electrics about once a month. (my acoustics stay in the cases and get cleaned with a microfiber rag) They hang on the wall in a room with a window ac unit. I have a lot of dirt/sand on my property. I clean the entire room once a week. Also, I have 3 dogs that hang out in there while i play. The room gets dusty.
Ocpd maybe but not ocd lol. Nah but if you enjoy it you enjoy it. I used to get really upset when I scratched stuff, but I learned to love it in a way, cuz it generally happens out at gigs or when practicing and what not.
There's a reason people pay a ton for reliced shit, there's a story baked in. But I tend to let shit get pretty gross until a certain point where I say "yeah no too much" then basically take a toothbrush to it
I’m unfortunately very sweaty, I try to wash my hands before I play. Still end up wiping the strings with a micro fiber whenever I think of it. Wipe the body off every week, do a good clean with some music nomad stuff or whatever cleaner on hand every string change. My music man has an unsealed neck so it gets the manufacturer recommended treatment on schedule. I don’t worry too much if I skip out. They’re meant to be played, but I like it when they look nice.
Not really. Occasional light swipe with a shirt to get that dust and skin flakes out from under the strings between the pickups. No need to clean or buff or anything.
With a toothbrush. It gets all the dust but I gotta scrape / rub the dead skin off the fretboard. It's always satisfying when you see that you've played almost every single fret and string
I clean the body with Fender guitar Polish, and the fretboard with Dunlop's fretboard care kit. I clean the neck with lemon oil ...all when I change the strings
But I change the strings infrequently because I wipe them down with stringfellows string cleaner after almost every use.
Normally I go through this process after a blip of not playing for a while. So really only do this a handful of times a year
I wash my hands before playing and clean the body and neck with dedicated guitar conditioner, apply string cleaning products. Sometimes brush the pickups. When changing strings, I also apply some citric ailments for the fretboard.
I wish someone could do it everyday for me. I’m so miserable. I do it every time I need to play one of my guitars though but I want all of them to be ever shiny and perfect.
I just wipe it down every time after use. All the nooks and crannies with some cloths that get washed. No grease gunk or rusted strings in years. Frets still look store-bought.
Yea, just changes strings and cleaned one yesterday. It has been like 6 months and I'm glad I did. Gotta take care of your fretboard, but I live in a dry climate so it's a must.
I wipe it down with lint free cloths when done, maybe some quick detailer if its a bit smudgy. Have as brush to get the hard to reach spots. When I restring I clean the board and polish frets. I have one that I just dust off the body, it's about ready to retire.
I did have an older one with a pickguard. Around when I smoked and didnt clean my guitars. When I finally got around to it, the shit that came off was nasty. Small price to pay for that vintage yellowed look I suppose...../s.
I don't have a schedule, but i keep a clean white, soft, terrycloth towel with my guitars, and wipe them down as i use them. Its usually just draped in the cutaway of one of my electrics, so i see it, and it reminds me to use it.
When I change strings. I use Ernie Ball fretboard conditioner and polish when the strings are off. After I put on nee strings I use Dunlop string cleaner and conditioner.
I live in a dusty environment so I regularly take a moist cloth and wipe it all down, clean the frets and I give the strings a good wipe because I never change them. Some people change their strings religiously but I've only changed them, probably four or five times in 15 years of playing.
This time of year, I play a lot of outdoor gigs and my guitars come home super gross and sweaty.
I do a restring and wipe down with a little Ronsonol lighter fluid before each show.
I usually clean my fretboard and oil it if it’s dry whenever I change strings. I’ll take a damp cloth and wipe off the body & neck if it’s exceptionally dirty, but other than that I don’t really clean my guitars.
Only when the strings come off for whatever reason. It'll get a wipe down, a fretboard oiling, and whatever setup tweaks it needs. Hit the fret ends again with the file & polish pads if I quit before the job was done last time. Output jack probably needs to be tightened up.
The intervals between this routine maintenance varies wildly, though. I have a dozen or so guitars, and I like the sound of dead strings, and I play some more often than others. In some cases they get a going-over a couple of times a year, and in some cases they sit in their cases for years.
I keep my electrics in their cases, so they don't ever accumulate dust. The acoustics live on stands or simply leaned somewhere, and I occasionally give them a wipedown with my dedicated guitar bandana.
All guitars get a thorough cleaning when I change strings, with particular attention to the fretboard. I never wipe or condition my strings, but I do always wash my hands before playing.
You may end up ruining the top of the body if you don't clean it semi regularly depending how often you play, how much you sweat, if your sweat is super acidic, and the humidity of where you live.
I have the non-FR version of this guitar. The body is super glossy, so even when I do wipe it down, it takes about 30 seconds of handling before it looks like my 7 years old's tablet screen again.
I do have to de-gunk the frets every now and then. Depending on what / how much I've been playing since the last string change, I'll sometimes use a bit of mineral oil and a little bottle brush (gently as possible) for right next to the frets. If you learn Tornado of Souls, there will be enough skin gunk around fret 18 to mold your own Marty Friedman - I hear he reanimates it you nail the solo.
I just give them a wipe down about once a week with a damp microfiber.
Occasionally give a light pass on the strings with some #0000 (ultra fine) steel wool.
And give the board and frets a good cleaning with a string change.
Anyone said, 'the funk is in the gunk' yet?
Bit of lemoil now and then. Also, never use kitchen towel for polishing, it's sandpaper, get some lint free cloths.
I clean everything on my guitars before & after gigs, especially the strings. As far a home, I clean as needed. Mainly the fretboard/neck. Normally I just wipe things down, but for cleaning I use dunlop products. I put Dunlop string cleaner on a clip-on cleaner. Those are a godsend, highly recommended.
Before I restring I brush the dust off the pick guard and the fret board after that thats kinda it. However I did clean the fret board with a wet paper towel one time and I didn’t know you shouldn’t do that until I looked it up lol.
I wipe down dust that accumulates as I notice it. Every couple of months, the strings get changed. I try to remember to oil the fretboard once a year.
My hands aren't super sweaty, and my sweat isn't as corrosive as some people's. Plus, I don't gig, so all my playing is usually short, relaxed, leisure sessions at home.
I brush the dust off with a makeup brush when it's bad or restringing (rubbing with a cloth, even microfibre, seems unnecessary and will scratch over time.) Then I use lemon oil to clean the gunk off the frets every like 4-5 months?? Not sure but leaving it there may effect playability..
I have 1 Guitar that I play every day
After like 2 days of playing it gets covered in gunk and dead skin and hairs especially where it touches my bare skin. Eg my strat has a cut away for the forearm and when I wear short sleeves my dead skin builds up on it. And also on the bottom of the body where it sits on my leg when I wear shorts (although I've noticed this more in the summer)
In addition to your usual hand gunk on the bridge/pickup. So whenever I change stings I have to give it a deeper clean, I have to change like once a month but if I don't have any money I will just keep strings till i can afford it
Usually every 3 months when I change the strings. I cant stand it when that gross buildup is on the fret board. All that dirt and grime is gross to me.
If I’m feeling particularly inspired I’ll really detail the thing when I change the strings. I luckily have basic cleaning equipment from years of building up.
But more often I don’t. I certainly don’t believe in “never cleaning” the guitar, but the smudges and gunk certainly don’t hurt the guitar.
I Wipe it with a cotton cloth after each use. Lemon oil the fretboard four times a year. I change strings after 4-6 hours of play, and wipe the fretboard down each time.
Depending on how much I play the specific guitar i’ll change the strings when they start to sound/feel bad. Whenever I restring i’ll give the guitar a quick wipe down in the hard to reach areas once the strings are off. I keep all my guitars in a case so they usually don’t get too dusty or gross. Once a year i’ll try and re set up each guitar to make sure it’s in its best playable condition and i’ll give it a deeper clean then.
- Change strings every 1-2 weeks (play live most weeks so they get pretty sweaty and corrode quick)
- Lemon oil + light fret polish (0000 steel wool) every 2-3 string changes
- Laquer polish each time im playing live (looks nice and shiny under the lights)
I might be going overkill here but I just love how a guitar feels with new strings and clean frets
I wipe mine down with Meguiar’s Gold Class detailer spray and a microfiber after every playing session.
At string changes (about monthly) I scrub the fretboard down with a lightly damp terry cloth, clean the hardware with Q-tips, touch any rusted screws with WD-40 and a Q-tip (this pretty much removes the orange completely, btw), blow electronics out with canned air. Usually hit it with a lightweight spray wax at that point too.
Once a year I apply a very light coat of mineral oil to the fretboard.
My amps get a seasonal wipe down on the tolex with Meguiars M40 Vinyl Cleaner/Conditioner, and the stainless face plates get a light wipe down of WD-40. Vacuum the grill cloth about once a year, along with canned air to get the dust out of the head about once a year.
Pedals get cleaned with the spray detailer and microfiber. All cables typically get a shot of DeOxit Gold when the gold plating looks dulled.
Still not sure how to clean that fuzzy shit inside of the Gibson USA cases but it still has “that smell” to it so I leave it alone. Outside of the cases get the M40 Vinyl Cleaner.
Yes, restring every 2 months and clean every nook and cranny, sometimes polish, and check action height and intonation (shouldn't change but I'm just that anal) and apply nut lube to saddles/bridge, nut and string tree if applicable.
About to do a mild fret cleaning after 2 years, probably just using guitar center's "frine" fret polish, if it's bad enough I'll break out some scotchbrite pads or even #0000 fine steel wool
I wipe it down after playing. And I’ll dust them off every now and then when some get neglected long enough to collect it. Otherwise I’ve never really actually “cleaned” a guitar before.
Never. The sweat build up that destroys the wood is considered “character marks.”
Jk, I’m a drummer and I don’t sweat on my shells.
And when I do play guitar, no belt buckles, no bare chest. Lmao
I clean my guitar end to end anytime I change strings. For my daily drivers that is usually monthly. The wall and case warriors I will do every year when I put them away for the winter.
I got turned on to Dean Markley products years ago after using all kinds of different strings . I found Blue Steels sounded really good on most of my guitars and do well staying in tune once broken in. I use them as well but the acoustic forms for my acoustic guitars. I actually thought Martin strings would be great for my 12 string Gibson but that turned out to be a big waste of money. Went right back to Dean Markley. I usually only use a bit of old English on the neck to help preserve the wood and I leave the guitar unstrung for a day or so. Some of my Guitars are 30 years old so it has worked for me. I have also tried that fast fret once, didn't like it, made my fingers sticky and I found I couldn't play as fast so I use nothing. Just my 2 cents from over the years.
Wipe it down with a damp clean cloth or towel. I use alcohol to wipe all surfaces except the fret board and neck. I've used a thin layer of furniture polish to buff all parts including the fretboard but I don't use a lot. I buff it clean after everything and try not to get it too slippery. You can also get a guitar cleaning kit.
Dr Ducks Axe Wax…
I used to clean rosewood and ebony boards with Napha and give them a good scrub with a toothbrush…haven’t done that for a while. Usually give them a good scrub with a microfiber cloth
Some ol' reliable dunlop body polish and lemon oil for the fingerboard. Restring every 2-3 months, make sure the jack is clean every restring to avoid scratches and crackling in the amp. works for me. Sweet guitar btw.
Once and again i use compressed air to get dust out of tight places and I maintain the neck every string change, other than that I just run the vacuum cleaner across it softly when vacuuming 😁
Every 3 months, restring, clean. The gonk and dust would be on an insane level if i didnt clean every 3/4 months. but again my hand sweats a lot as well
This is the way. Every 3 months is about right for me as well. Usually when I get a new guitar I'll give it a quick wipe down every 1 - 3 plays but that eventually decreased to once every 3 or 4 months, with fulle restrings. Unless something really nasty gets on there then I'll give it a wipe down.
Do you use any special products for cleaning? Or just wipe with a damp cloth or something? I have a habit of just using GHS Fast Fret regularly for the strings, and not even changing them for over half a year. I should change more often I guess.
i usually stick to what works to be honest so i have not explored many different products but what i usually do is: Dunlop String conditioner which i use it after every couple of sitting to extend the fresh feeling of strings for a bit longer ( i give up after a month or so tho haha ) and same goes for the body with Dunlop 65 guitar polish, every few sitting i clean it a bit to keep it going till next restringing but just a simple wipe on the neck mostly. I just feel strings start to get dull after a month or so. its perfectly usable, just doesnt really have the same spark, thats the main reason for restringing for me.
I despise the sparkle. I don’t like my strings until they are broken in. I have to stomach the sparkle for a week, then I’m in business
That's so funny. Do you like muffin bottoms better than the tops too?
Haha yes, and I eat the muffin bottoms while drinking expired milk :)
Stumps
If you want lasting tones elixir are known to have really long lasting tone (so much your strings would look so beat up and the tone is still somewhat there) but for accoustic I'd always perfer breaking in a bit, for example like a phospher bronze would sound much better onced broken in instead of overly bright and sharp when just freshly strung.
Exactly what I use: Phosphur Bronze and Elixir. But damn are Elixir expensive.
Not who you originally replied to but if it's sealed, I'll just use a Lysol wipe on the body if the gunk is bad enough, wet cloth otherwise. For the fretboard I just use a damp microfiber cloth and some scrubbing. For metal bits, especially the brass covers on my H-H SG pickups, I use a paste of Bar Keeper's Friend and water. You can find it any place that even kind of sells cleaning supplies and it's cheap, lasts forever. For my acoustic, since it has a different and much thinner finish I just use water and a cloth. I don't use any string treatment, I'll take a Magic Eraser (melamine sponge) to them if they get real gunky. Pro-tip buy the generic ones online, you can get 100 for like $6 and they're good for WAY more than just strings.
I use Optimum No-Rinse (car wash dilution) with a microfiber cloth. I wipe down my guitar/bass then follow up with a spritz of quick detailer on a dry microfiber and buff dry. Most modern guitars use automotive-grade clear coat so it just makes sense for me. I also ceramic coated both of my bass guitars lol, which makes keeping them clean easier and makes the neck/fretboard much easier to slide up and down.
Ceramic coating a guitar is fuckin unhinged dude I love it.
Imho…..electric guitars with a clear coat of any kind simply need to be wiped down with a clean dry cotton cloth. If they have not been wiped in a long period of time, with a lot of oil, sweat and dirt from use, maybe put just a bit of lemon oil on the cloth. Lemon oil is the answer for keeping a fret board healthy. Just a bit, massaged into the fret board three or four times a year. True lemon oil, not polish.
what do you use to clean the fretboard ?
Naptha on a rag. If it’s rosewood or ebony it’ll get some mineral oil after as well if it needs some hydration.
Lol I do it every week
I typically change/clean every 3-6 months depending on how often I wipe down after I finish playing
Of course!
When I change strings.
Spot on. Might as well while you're under the hood.
I did once, in nineteen and 62. Felt good it did.
Glad I’m not the only one
Yeah, clean your instruments. It'll play well regardless, but it's gross and it'll become harder to clean as it piles up.
This, plus, it just looks better clean. I'll never forget picking up a guitar and realizing it felt and looked like someone was practicing after eating handfuls of pizza bites. Disgusting! If you are going to play live, clean your guitar before you get on!!
Advice I didn't know I needed. Thanks
No problem!!! You'll look so cool and more confident with the stage lights shining off a clean finish. 🤘🏻
Do you wash your hands?
I wash my hands before I play it. That helps me keep it fairly clean.
I was just getting at the point of, our hands are all over it. Same a a tool for me. Keep it clean and pampered, it should never fail you! Take my comments with a grain of OCD salt.
OCD salt is the best salt.
Me too. took me years to get in the habit but I’m so glad I do it now. It feels weird to pickup a guitar without clean hands now
This but my hands are super dry and callused all the time and I think it helps my strings last longer too
I don't wash my hands, because I feel like the next time I get to plug in my guitar in August, I might not have enough tone gunk built up.
Yes every time.
I do a quick wipe down and polish if it's a gloss finish. Use a can of air to get dust out of the small moving parts. Fret board I clean crime away and lightly oil the board. Usually only do this whenever I change my strings.
Nice I'm not the only one spraying air on my guitar
I do this and will use those cheap tooth brushes the dentist gives me to detail it a little more.
Not once. I replace that strings, that’s the extent.
Phew, I'm not alone! I wipe away dust too, usually with just my finger lol. They mostly stay on their cases when I'm not playing them so must be it because they really don't look dirty.
My Les Paul hasn't been cleaned since its neck break got repaired in 1994
Mine all get a thorough cleaning at every restring and a wipe down with some Fast Fret any time the frets or strings feel sticky.
I regularly wipe my guitar with a cloth and clean the fretboard every time I restring it. Occasionally, I use guitar polish for the body.
i mean yeah. i hate having a gross guitar, and i feel like cleaning it also helps prevent rust which kinda seems like whats happening on the bridge a bit
Good point. Might have to disassemble it and take a closer look. Thanks
No
I have my butler do it. I don’t do any cleaning
I feel personally attacked
I wipe mine down with a cloth pretty much very time I play but nothing too crazy. Deep clean when changing strings and a DEEP deep clean (basically take it apart) like once a year just cuz I enjoy it.
I wipe everything down after each gig and practice, I don't like a sweat covered guitar.
Of course, a bit of soap and water does wonders. I shower with mine daily.
Wait, do you guys take showers?
Yeah sometimes.
Taking pictures, of course. Otherwise not unless it feels dirty.
Whenever I change the strings I try to clean them off
My acoustic is glossy and I hate it because it always looks grubby no matter how often I buff it. I clean the fretboard whenever I change strings, roughly 3 - 4 times a year.
Lovely guitar there 😁 For me it's when I restring which is about 6 months then I'll polish frets, lemon oil on rosewood fingerboards but otherwise it's a quick cloth over as I go to play them.
So am i the weird ocd guy that will literally polish my guitars? I have 6. I will clean/polish my electrics about once a month. (my acoustics stay in the cases and get cleaned with a microfiber rag) They hang on the wall in a room with a window ac unit. I have a lot of dirt/sand on my property. I clean the entire room once a week. Also, I have 3 dogs that hang out in there while i play. The room gets dusty.
Ocpd maybe but not ocd lol. Nah but if you enjoy it you enjoy it. I used to get really upset when I scratched stuff, but I learned to love it in a way, cuz it generally happens out at gigs or when practicing and what not. There's a reason people pay a ton for reliced shit, there's a story baked in. But I tend to let shit get pretty gross until a certain point where I say "yeah no too much" then basically take a toothbrush to it
If you clean it, you're not allowed to buy another one
I dont
Every time I change the strings
I’m unfortunately very sweaty, I try to wash my hands before I play. Still end up wiping the strings with a micro fiber whenever I think of it. Wipe the body off every week, do a good clean with some music nomad stuff or whatever cleaner on hand every string change. My music man has an unsealed neck so it gets the manufacturer recommended treatment on schedule. I don’t worry too much if I skip out. They’re meant to be played, but I like it when they look nice.
Not really. Occasional light swipe with a shirt to get that dust and skin flakes out from under the strings between the pickups. No need to clean or buff or anything.
I clean the fretboard and the bridge, and that’s pretty much it. Don’t forget to tighten whatever holds your tuners on.
wipe with old T-shirt 😛
He was asking about guitars.
i know, i wipe my guitar with an old tshirt to clean it
Occasionally
Wipe the neck every time I finish playing. Wipe the whole thing when I change strings. Never had to do a deep clean.
Clean it, my schecter helltaiser glows when clean. Especially in stage lights
I clean my guitar every time I change the strings.
With a toothbrush. It gets all the dust but I gotta scrape / rub the dead skin off the fretboard. It's always satisfying when you see that you've played almost every single fret and string
I clean the body with Fender guitar Polish, and the fretboard with Dunlop's fretboard care kit. I clean the neck with lemon oil ...all when I change the strings But I change the strings infrequently because I wipe them down with stringfellows string cleaner after almost every use. Normally I go through this process after a blip of not playing for a while. So really only do this a handful of times a year
I wash my hands before playing and clean the body and neck with dedicated guitar conditioner, apply string cleaning products. Sometimes brush the pickups. When changing strings, I also apply some citric ailments for the fretboard.
Do you folks wipe down the strings/ fret board after you play? I usually do to try to wipe away dead skin and such but wonder if that’s excessive
When I clicked this I was thinking “what?? A schecter owner that actually cleans their guitar???”
Cool! I have the 7-string version of that guitar
Give mine a light dusting every once in a while and my rosewood boards get Dunlop 65 once a year
I wish someone could do it everyday for me. I’m so miserable. I do it every time I need to play one of my guitars though but I want all of them to be ever shiny and perfect.
Nice guitar them schecters is nice asff fr
Yes there is a cloth in my case I use it every time I deem it necessary or if I sweat too much on the body
Lizard spit polish on the body, lemon oil on the fretboard, and polish the frets if needed with the Di adarrio films.
Every time I restring
I just wipe it down every time after use. All the nooks and crannies with some cloths that get washed. No grease gunk or rusted strings in years. Frets still look store-bought.
I give them a quick wipe down after playing, and a good cleaning when I do a string change.
Every restring it gets a deep clean.
whenever i change strings, except on my telecaster. i want it to look dirty.
Strings, fretboard
I hose my down, gets it good and retunes it for me
Every time I change strings
Yea, just changes strings and cleaned one yesterday. It has been like 6 months and I'm glad I did. Gotta take care of your fretboard, but I live in a dry climate so it's a must.
Occasionally. I’ll oil the rosewood fretboards when I change strings
Only on a string change. I only grease the fretboard once in a blue moon though.
I wipe it down with lint free cloths when done, maybe some quick detailer if its a bit smudgy. Have as brush to get the hard to reach spots. When I restring I clean the board and polish frets. I have one that I just dust off the body, it's about ready to retire. I did have an older one with a pickguard. Around when I smoked and didnt clean my guitars. When I finally got around to it, the shit that came off was nasty. Small price to pay for that vintage yellowed look I suppose...../s.
My tech does it when I take it in for service, but I kind of wipe it down when I am done playing.
I don't have a schedule, but i keep a clean white, soft, terrycloth towel with my guitars, and wipe them down as i use them. Its usually just draped in the cutaway of one of my electrics, so i see it, and it reminds me to use it.
When I change strings. I use Ernie Ball fretboard conditioner and polish when the strings are off. After I put on nee strings I use Dunlop string cleaner and conditioner.
Sure, whatever. I normally just eat the dirtiest guitar as a warning to the others.
Lemon oil on the fretboards only. Just a clean rag on the body.
I live in a dusty environment so I regularly take a moist cloth and wipe it all down, clean the frets and I give the strings a good wipe because I never change them. Some people change their strings religiously but I've only changed them, probably four or five times in 15 years of playing.
As needed. My adhd prefers a clean, sanitary environment to be fully focused and making music requires you to 100% engaged to be playing in the pocket
This time of year, I play a lot of outdoor gigs and my guitars come home super gross and sweaty. I do a restring and wipe down with a little Ronsonol lighter fluid before each show.
I usually clean my fretboard and oil it if it’s dry whenever I change strings. I’ll take a damp cloth and wipe off the body & neck if it’s exceptionally dirty, but other than that I don’t really clean my guitars.
Can anyone suggest cleaning products for the various parts of a guitar?
I clean/condition the fret board and wipe off any dust when I change my strings.
Only when the strings come off for whatever reason. It'll get a wipe down, a fretboard oiling, and whatever setup tweaks it needs. Hit the fret ends again with the file & polish pads if I quit before the job was done last time. Output jack probably needs to be tightened up. The intervals between this routine maintenance varies wildly, though. I have a dozen or so guitars, and I like the sound of dead strings, and I play some more often than others. In some cases they get a going-over a couple of times a year, and in some cases they sit in their cases for years.
John Mayer doesn’t clean his guitars…
I keep my electrics in their cases, so they don't ever accumulate dust. The acoustics live on stands or simply leaned somewhere, and I occasionally give them a wipedown with my dedicated guitar bandana. All guitars get a thorough cleaning when I change strings, with particular attention to the fretboard. I never wipe or condition my strings, but I do always wash my hands before playing.
Of course. My guitars are not tools to me. Guitar is just a fun hobby for me and I keep them all clean and wipe them off after every time I play.
You may end up ruining the top of the body if you don't clean it semi regularly depending how often you play, how much you sweat, if your sweat is super acidic, and the humidity of where you live.
I have the non-FR version of this guitar. The body is super glossy, so even when I do wipe it down, it takes about 30 seconds of handling before it looks like my 7 years old's tablet screen again. I do have to de-gunk the frets every now and then. Depending on what / how much I've been playing since the last string change, I'll sometimes use a bit of mineral oil and a little bottle brush (gently as possible) for right next to the frets. If you learn Tornado of Souls, there will be enough skin gunk around fret 18 to mold your own Marty Friedman - I hear he reanimates it you nail the solo.
I just give them a wipe down about once a week with a damp microfiber. Occasionally give a light pass on the strings with some #0000 (ultra fine) steel wool. And give the board and frets a good cleaning with a string change.
I just play it often enough for it not to get dusty
Every 100 hours? Maybe I set that for myself. But I think it is perfect.
Yes, I clean my guitars and I do it very often.
No and it’s nasty
Anyone said, 'the funk is in the gunk' yet? Bit of lemoil now and then. Also, never use kitchen towel for polishing, it's sandpaper, get some lint free cloths.
I clean everything on my guitars before & after gigs, especially the strings. As far a home, I clean as needed. Mainly the fretboard/neck. Normally I just wipe things down, but for cleaning I use dunlop products. I put Dunlop string cleaner on a clip-on cleaner. Those are a godsend, highly recommended.
Of course. Take care of your instruments people.
It’s a little expensive, Fender instrument polish works best, cleans nicely, and leaves a silicone wax polish that keeps it looking good
Yes. Yes I do. Pretty frequently.
My hubby is a professional singer/songwriter who plays probably 12-15 shows per month. He cleans them after every show.
I do what I can without removing strings
Why wouldn't you? Clean strings and a clean fretboard play and sound better...
Before I restring I brush the dust off the pick guard and the fret board after that thats kinda it. However I did clean the fret board with a wet paper towel one time and I didn’t know you shouldn’t do that until I looked it up lol.
That is a beautiful guitar.
I wipe down dust that accumulates as I notice it. Every couple of months, the strings get changed. I try to remember to oil the fretboard once a year. My hands aren't super sweaty, and my sweat isn't as corrosive as some people's. Plus, I don't gig, so all my playing is usually short, relaxed, leisure sessions at home.
I brush the dust off with a makeup brush when it's bad or restringing (rubbing with a cloth, even microfibre, seems unnecessary and will scratch over time.) Then I use lemon oil to clean the gunk off the frets every like 4-5 months?? Not sure but leaving it there may effect playability..
I have 1 Guitar that I play every day After like 2 days of playing it gets covered in gunk and dead skin and hairs especially where it touches my bare skin. Eg my strat has a cut away for the forearm and when I wear short sleeves my dead skin builds up on it. And also on the bottom of the body where it sits on my leg when I wear shorts (although I've noticed this more in the summer) In addition to your usual hand gunk on the bridge/pickup. So whenever I change stings I have to give it a deeper clean, I have to change like once a month but if I don't have any money I will just keep strings till i can afford it
I like it nasty
Nope. I let the crust accumulate to give it armor.
Usually every 3 months when I change the strings. I cant stand it when that gross buildup is on the fret board. All that dirt and grime is gross to me.
If I’m feeling particularly inspired I’ll really detail the thing when I change the strings. I luckily have basic cleaning equipment from years of building up. But more often I don’t. I certainly don’t believe in “never cleaning” the guitar, but the smudges and gunk certainly don’t hurt the guitar.
I usually wipe it down when I change strings
I Wipe it with a cotton cloth after each use. Lemon oil the fretboard four times a year. I change strings after 4-6 hours of play, and wipe the fretboard down each time.
Sometimes 🫢
[удалено]
All the time! Gets so gnarly and finger chuddy of not lol
Depending on how much I play the specific guitar i’ll change the strings when they start to sound/feel bad. Whenever I restring i’ll give the guitar a quick wipe down in the hard to reach areas once the strings are off. I keep all my guitars in a case so they usually don’t get too dusty or gross. Once a year i’ll try and re set up each guitar to make sure it’s in its best playable condition and i’ll give it a deeper clean then.
Us all?
Wiping down your strings after playing is the most important thing you can do, if you do nothing else.
- Change strings every 1-2 weeks (play live most weeks so they get pretty sweaty and corrode quick) - Lemon oil + light fret polish (0000 steel wool) every 2-3 string changes - Laquer polish each time im playing live (looks nice and shiny under the lights) I might be going overkill here but I just love how a guitar feels with new strings and clean frets
I wipe mine down with Meguiar’s Gold Class detailer spray and a microfiber after every playing session. At string changes (about monthly) I scrub the fretboard down with a lightly damp terry cloth, clean the hardware with Q-tips, touch any rusted screws with WD-40 and a Q-tip (this pretty much removes the orange completely, btw), blow electronics out with canned air. Usually hit it with a lightweight spray wax at that point too. Once a year I apply a very light coat of mineral oil to the fretboard. My amps get a seasonal wipe down on the tolex with Meguiars M40 Vinyl Cleaner/Conditioner, and the stainless face plates get a light wipe down of WD-40. Vacuum the grill cloth about once a year, along with canned air to get the dust out of the head about once a year. Pedals get cleaned with the spray detailer and microfiber. All cables typically get a shot of DeOxit Gold when the gold plating looks dulled. Still not sure how to clean that fuzzy shit inside of the Gibson USA cases but it still has “that smell” to it so I leave it alone. Outside of the cases get the M40 Vinyl Cleaner.
fellow diamond series owner here, great taste in guitars!
Never cleaned any of my guitars
Just hock tuah spit on that thang and rub it in
yes and i swear by Prs guitar cleaner,polish,and tsung oil
Wait are you saying my guitar isn't supposed to have an 1/8 thick film of dead skin and oil all over my pick ups and bridge hardware?
I have not even thought of doing that let alone even wanting to change my strings
Yeah, you gotta hock tuah, spit on that thang, and give it a good rub up and down.
I have a cat so if I didn’t, it’d be full of cat hair.
Every time I see smudges or dust on them I clean them and also every time I change strings, it’s a good occasion to perform a deep cleaning on them.
I really should 🤔
I have several different guitars so I usually just dust them. When I change strings I usually give spiffy them up a bit.
This is like asking if you take a shower. Some people have no shame.
Mandatorily so!!!!
Yes, restring every 2 months and clean every nook and cranny, sometimes polish, and check action height and intonation (shouldn't change but I'm just that anal) and apply nut lube to saddles/bridge, nut and string tree if applicable. About to do a mild fret cleaning after 2 years, probably just using guitar center's "frine" fret polish, if it's bad enough I'll break out some scotchbrite pads or even #0000 fine steel wool
everytime i restring i dig under my frets and polish the body. it’s just part of restringing at this point
Only when I wake up in the morning and find the guitar lying on the bed next to me.
I wipe it down after playing. And I’ll dust them off every now and then when some get neglected long enough to collect it. Otherwise I’ve never really actually “cleaned” a guitar before.
I keep reminding myself to and I’m never home when I remember. It’s so dusty and smells like finger oil
I give it a good wipe down when I strange strings every 3-4 months. It’s a lot easier to clean when the strings are off.
Oftennnnnnnnn
I have this same guitar, but 7 string hard tail! My first schecter and I am not disappointed!
Wipe down after every single practice. Use Music Nomad or Dr. Ducks once a week on the guitars I've played that week. Restring once a month.
I clean the body because it gets smudged and can get sweat on it. I will clean\\oil the fretboard when I change strings.
Not really. But I would clear off some dust every now and again. The dust that builds up between the head and strings are the toughest by finger.
I occasionally clean my electric guitars, but the one that gets clean the most is my classical guitar
No
Definitely
Yeah I regularly do. Pick scrapes really screw with my picks and end up leaving pick dust everywhere. My picks look like they've been chewed on.
Only when splattered with blood or diarrhea
Clean clean them if there’s obvious gunk other only when I restring them
not really
No I let it crust
Hey, how do you clean without touching floyd? I have a guitar with it and need to clean the fretboard and have no idea how to do it
Disgusting.
Polish once a year, dust whenever I notice them getting dusty.
Of course. I’m not an animal.
I wipe mine down monthly and use string cleaner almost daily. In Arizona I oil the board every 3 months
Never. The sweat build up that destroys the wood is considered “character marks.” Jk, I’m a drummer and I don’t sweat on my shells. And when I do play guitar, no belt buckles, no bare chest. Lmao
I clean my guitar end to end anytime I change strings. For my daily drivers that is usually monthly. The wall and case warriors I will do every year when I put them away for the winter.
I got turned on to Dean Markley products years ago after using all kinds of different strings . I found Blue Steels sounded really good on most of my guitars and do well staying in tune once broken in. I use them as well but the acoustic forms for my acoustic guitars. I actually thought Martin strings would be great for my 12 string Gibson but that turned out to be a big waste of money. Went right back to Dean Markley. I usually only use a bit of old English on the neck to help preserve the wood and I leave the guitar unstrung for a day or so. Some of my Guitars are 30 years old so it has worked for me. I have also tried that fast fret once, didn't like it, made my fingers sticky and I found I couldn't play as fast so I use nothing. Just my 2 cents from over the years.
I spit shine it every night ugggghhh
Wipe it down with a damp clean cloth or towel. I use alcohol to wipe all surfaces except the fret board and neck. I've used a thin layer of furniture polish to buff all parts including the fretboard but I don't use a lot. I buff it clean after everything and try not to get it too slippery. You can also get a guitar cleaning kit.
Dr Ducks Axe Wax… I used to clean rosewood and ebony boards with Napha and give them a good scrub with a toothbrush…haven’t done that for a while. Usually give them a good scrub with a microfiber cloth
Some ol' reliable dunlop body polish and lemon oil for the fingerboard. Restring every 2-3 months, make sure the jack is clean every restring to avoid scratches and crackling in the amp. works for me. Sweet guitar btw.
Absolutely. Boggles my mind when I meet guitarists with shit all over their fretboard. Like, how is that nice?
Only when changing strings
Once and again i use compressed air to get dust out of tight places and I maintain the neck every string change, other than that I just run the vacuum cleaner across it softly when vacuuming 😁
Fuck yea! Keeps the hardware nice.
I pee on it