Reddit mentions: The best guitar cleaning & care products

I looked in my gig bag for inspiration - it turns out that I just have way too much shit in there, most of which is under £15. Cheaper DIY options offered where applicable:

• The snark SN2 clip-on tuner. Absolute must-have.
  
• A decent multi-tool
  
• Allan Key Set if the multi-tool doesn't have the right sizes (metric is normal unless you play something made across the pond, but in case you need imperial, and have lots of space in your gig bag)
  
• Dunlop strap locks are a solid addition to any bassist's set-up
  
• Some fret-fast (I'm too lazy and disorganised to get new strings very often - you could just sub a rag and white mineral oil, but this is a convenient little package)
  
• A couple of spare 9V batteries for your bass, or your (more likely your guitarist's) pedals
  
• A fold-away bass stand that you can take to practices, comes in just over budget, but is a good addition and folds up to about the size of a tube of Pringles
  
• Some cheap bric-a-brac like electrical tape, gaffer tape, write-on-anything pens - all good additions
  
• A decent set of ear-plugs to protect your hearing
  
• Foldaway music stand if you ever play with sheet music; alternatively, if you have a car or are near public transport then this guy might be more bang for your buck; light in case you have one and play in dark venues sometimes and bag in case, like me, you're always leaving the house on gig-day carrying too much
  
• Patch cables if you use several stomp-boxes or rack units
  
• Cable ties to stop your cables getting mangled (can always use zip-ties instead - less neat but much cheaper)
  
• A cheap soldering iron is not essential, but it will be good to have one for that odd occasion where you need it - I've actually been in situations where I've saved some poor soul's night (occasionally mine) by having one of these on my person
  
• Owning a padded guitar strap has saved me much back pain over the years.
  
• A decent torch for last-minute backstage repairs and adjustments, lighting your pedalboard, etc
  
  Conspicuous consumerism at its finest, ladies and gents.

Ok so by the looks of it he's got the effects pedals covered, I would go for something else and let him get anther pedal on his own. These are my recommendations that will benefit his current setup.
This is a nice expensive version of this and this is a midway between the other two. These are power conditioners they will help his equipment operate more efficiently and quieter and will last decades(you can use them for home theatre use as well)
I would also recommend nice cables like these they are lifetime warranty. Here's another very useful maintenance kit that will last a very long time. If you pick the 110$ furman you can get all three.

It doesn't take much movement for tuning to drift a bit. Even a millimeter of movement of the string at the bridge saddle or at the tuning peg can shift tuning.

Different guitars can operate a little differently on this. A cheap Squire can be made much more stable with a good setup and decent hardware modification. But to go from great tuning stability to exceptional tuning stability can be elusive. Even two guitars from the same production run at a factory can be a little different. I think of rock solid tuning stability as something that becomes a unique characteristic of a specific guitar.

What you're describing to me sounds like some binding at the nut. Try some pencil graphite or lip balm in the nut slots. When finger picking you are bending the string. If the nut isn't cut properly or lubricated well the string pinches causing it to come back to rest at a slightly more tensioned position than at first. If that seems to help you could try getting something like this. I use pencil graphite and it works great for my purposes.

I have a bottle of Dunlop Formula No. 65 Polish and Cleaner, it does a fantastic job. My guitar has a similar finish to yours and after wiping and buffing it for a couple of minutes it looks like it just came out from the store. I usually do it when I change the strings.

You can get the whole set for $20 on Amazon. You might as well get a bottle of lemon oil for your fretboard, it makes it a lot smoother and nicer to play. The Dunlop one is the cheapest last time I checked, but you might get a better deal by getting a bigger bottle of mineral oil which is pretty much the same thing.

Also read the instructions on the bottles, you don't want to damage the finish of your beautiful guitar.

In my opinion there's no need to get anything too specialized.

For the body and pickguard I typically use a household cleaner. It will depend on your guitar. I have a strat and the thick paint and finish really shield it so I'm comfortable diluting household cleaners and going with that. A lot of people don't recommend this due to harshness of the cleaner, but if you really feel that way it's easy enough to dilute with water. Make sure you just dab a cloth in it rather than soak. You don't really want to do a wet cleaning, but just enough moisture/cleaning action to remove dirt. The pickguard is plastic so no issue there.

For the fretboard I'd really recommend lemon oil. The dunlop one is $4 on amazon and can probably be found locally albeit maybe a few dollars more expensive. http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-6554-Ultimate-Lemon/dp/B0002OOMW6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1459372544&sr=8-3&keywords=dunlop+65

This will both help clean and condition the wood. It's a pain to clean the fretboard but if you're changing strings, might as well take advantage and get it done.

There's some products that use high capacity material sponges that maintain their humidity for several weeks. You put one in the sound hole and another one in the front of the case. Just use Distilled Water you get at the supermarket for $1.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DKAQGTG/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_55?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A288K1LN6Q00EF

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VMB7E0U/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_53?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A27FCCJJNGGG0A

Secondly, you need an accurate hygrometer. The cheap ones are inaccurate.

The greatest one is the Daddario Bluetooth Hygromter. It connects to your smartphone bluetooth and sends alerts toy your phone if the humidity gets away from the parameters you PROGRAM in the smartphone app. This hygrometer is VERY accurate and the bluetooth works great. They did a recent firmware update that clears all the issues some people complained about last year. With the update, it's a total 5* product and the battery lasts a year. The bluetooth is strong enough to go thru one floor. You don't have to open the case to check the temps as your phone will tell you as you're sitting on the sofa. I have 3 of them and it's worth the convenience/price.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Humiditrak

Aside off the combo products I mentioned above, you can also get a this model that has a high capacity sponge and a built in hygrometer. The thing is that you have to OPEN the case (thereby letting the humidity out of the case) to check the humidity. AND you'll still need a Music Nomad Humitar sponge (listed above) for the front of the case though if you want to humidify properly.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OH30

All in all, it's a good idea to humidify in dry Winters as that's when the problems start with acoustics. These new sponge technologies listed above are fantastic. They don't drip and hold humidity for a real long time and with that Daddario bluetooth wraning hygrometer system, you'll always KNOW what's going on inside your case. Done and done!

Maybe something like [this luthier kit] (https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Luthier-Tools-Stainless-Winder/dp/B00XVN3Z5K) , might be worth finding out if he does his own setups, this might be a good thing to have if he doesn't have one already.

This kind of clip on tuner is also a great investment and it makes it way easier to tune without plugging into anything. Beyond that, maybe an effects pedal, but you'd have to know pretty specific information about his guitar playing in order to make the right choice, and if he has 20 guitars, he probably also already has what he needs.

My last suggestion would be something like this [guitar cleaning kit] (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Care/dp/B0149DGPLQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491938781&sr=1-6&refinements=p_36%3A1253547011)

Some people do, but I absolutely do not change them every gig, especially when playing multiple gigs close together. On a tour where we play every night I might change strings once a week.

Wipe down your strings after your set, preferably with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-A8-String-Cleaning/dp/B001OHQSH2 I got mine cheaper at Guitar Center though. This gets sweat and oils off the strings and helps them last longer and sound better.

Another reason I don't change strings often, besides the cost, is because I've never found the sweet spot of manually stretching them so they don't stretch mid-set and stretching so much that you lose the benefit of changing the strings. Unless I go absolutely nuts stretching them out, they go out of tune frequently for the first couple sets after I tune them, so once they're staying in tune well I would rather them sound a little dead and in tune than bright and out of tune.

Of course my new Evertune bridge solves that whole problem nicely!

Ernie ball makes a great toolkit that I keep with my gigging stuff. All the allen wrenches, screwdriver bits, scales you could need and even a pegwinder. It might be a little more expensive than buying the tools individually, but it's one of the best and most useful gifts I've ever recieved. Here's a link

I use one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Nomad-MN205-Hardware-Cleaning/dp/B008FDSWJ0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=guitar+duster&qid=1571681623&sr=8-3

Brush duster on one side, gets under knobs and inbetween tight sets of knobs and feels soft kinda like sable hair, flat area is nice for polishing up larger flat areas like a keyboard bed, feels like microfiber terry cloth. Got it for my guitars, works great with knobby synths and effects pedals.

Something like this might be good for a smallish gift:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8TQ3ZA/ref=psdc_11968251_t2_B000EEJFDU

Pretty useful for all guitarists.

Sister: Musician's Toolkit.

Mom: Shower oil.

Dad: Whiskey stones.

Grandpa: A pair of nice wool socks or some new coffee to try!

Grandma: A pretty glass mug or an elegant brooch.

Are these good, or am I a little off?

Nice cover but please for the love of metal get some of these

;-)

A setup. Nut work, intonated, truss rod adjustment, action adjustment, fret job, etc. A tune up for your guitar.

When I restring my guitars, I use #00 steel wool, and Guitar Honey.

Makes it nice and shiny, and clean, and nice and fast. But don't take my word for it, try it and see if you like it. :)

Dude, there is this nifty little tool called the Music Nomad Tool which is absobloodylutely perfect for the job. It's got a string/fretboard cleaner on one end (the flat spatulate end), and the brush end is terrifyingly effective at cleaning away dust from hitherto hard-to-reach crevices on the instrument - in between bridge saddles, between pickups, etc.

I bought one just because I was curious, but I ended up getting four more, one for each of my basses (to keep with their cases).

I wouldn't advise using alcohol of any sort on a musical instrument - you risk damaging the finish on the fretboard and body. If you use coated strings, you'd be compromising the coating. Plus, I'm not sure what effect the gelling agent would have - it might affect your tone, and/or prove to be a gunk magnet in its own right.

To keep gunk off my strings, I wipe down the strings and fretboard with the flat end of the Nomad Tool, then run some GHS Fast Fret over the strings. The Fast Fret is pretty much straight-up mineral oil, and a thin coating helps fingers (of both hands) glide along smoothly. Since a little of it goes a long way, it's quite cost effective as well. Another potential upside is that it will slow the process of string corrosion - although this is a guess on my part, because I run stainless steel strings on all my basses.

You did the perfect thing by re-finishing it with Tru Oil! That stuff is the best, especially after a french polish and some good wax.

I'm wasn't talking about the cleaning oils like lemon oil — I'm referring to fretboard conditioning oils that soak in and lightly harden. It's what Nash puts on his raw necks and what you'd use to condition an all-rosewood neck. It's inferior to Tru-Oil because you need to reapply it every year or so.

Hi, Its the dunlop guitar maintenance kit. It has fretboard cleaner,fretboard polish, body cleaner and polish and string cleaner. The body polish is carnuba wax and I love the smell. When ever I change out the strings on my guitars I give them a polish. Makes them shine and look amazing. Link below.

https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-6500-System-Guitar-Maintenance/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549816208&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=dunlop+guitar+maintenance+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=41o4YWSKUOL&ref=plSrch

Keeping it in the case when not in use is very wise. You might want to look into guitar humidifiers. These are small and inexpensive gadgets that help keep the wood from getting too dry or too damp, either of which can be bad, in the long run. I don't think it really matters much which you get.

Edit to add: I have the Planet Waves humidifier that's kept my best instrument safe through the mountains and the deserts.

You might want to try Cleartone strings. They use a newer and thinner coating technology than Elixir strings. They don't last quite as long as Elixirs, but they feel and sound more like uncoated strings.

I'd also suggest wiping down your strings after every session. Wiping your strings will remove dirt, but it'll also prevent your sweat from corroding your strings between playing sessions. Some people find it beneficial to use a string cleaning product like Fast Fret.

Try fretboard oil to clean and condition the rosewood. The oil is up to you - I personally use bore oil, but F one (https://www.amazon.com/Music-Nomad-MN105-Fretboard-Conditioner/dp/B006WPGZAG) is really good too. Also get some 0000 grit steel wool and polish your frets. Its really easy and simple tp do just remember to tape off your pickups. All in all should be a 45 min job but makes a world of difference!

DUDE! I HAVE THE PERFECT SOLUTION. GHS make this product called "fast-fret". I clean my strings before I play with this and they feel really new always, if you keep it up. Sound diminishes over time; but at least I get more time to play.

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

If you keep them in cases when not in use, you can get a humidifier and hydrometer to accurately measure humidity. I just have an empty old spice deodorant casing with half a sponge inside of it that I re-damp every few weeks and stick it in my case. It may not be the most accurate, but some humidifiers are literally the same exact thing. Like this one https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-GH-DAddario-Humidifier/dp/B0002D0COE

I'm pretty sure there are combo units for an actual room. The Guitar Center near me has one in their acoustic room that measures humidity and turns itself on every so often.

I use Dr. Duck's Axe Wax.

The stuff is awesome. Use it for the fretboard, body, strings, whatever. Use it everywhere. You don't need much either. A bottle of that stuff has lasted me nearly a decade.

By far my favorite guitar 'cleaning/conditioning' product.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EEL50Q?keywords=dr%20ducks%20axe%20wax&qid=1452280511&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

[edit]If you already have lemon oil than I'm sure that's fine. Keep doing what you're doing.

I think you can get a small dehydrator - maybe one that can fit in a guitar case. It may be your only defense.

https://www.guitarfella.com/ideal-guitar-humidity/

https://www.amazon.com/Oasis-OH-1-Guitar-Humidifier/dp/B000K67VRO?tag=guitarfella0a-20

Act quickly.

Good luck!

Just the cloth, wipe from the nut all the way down the fretboard to the bridge, 2 or 3 times. The fretboard doesn't require any special care, it's already been treated in the factory. Plus the oils from your hand will get all over it too, don't know if it helps but it doesn't do any harm.

I forgot! Get a can of Fingerease - it really reduces friction on your fingertips, and maybe protects the strings too.

You can use grade 0000 very light steel wool to clean your fretboard. I personally use GHS Fast Fret to finish cleaning the fretboard and give it a nice shine and smooth feeling.

Edit: downvotes? Classic /r/guitar lol.

I also find that a microfiber cloth or other soft polishing cloth is best. Usually you don't need a cleaner or polish if you keep up with it. I use ernie ball spray polish when needed, it only takes a tiny amount. On my rosewood fretboards I use F-One Freboard Oil and I really like it. I have a separate cloth I use with it on my fretboards. Cleans off gunk and anything else with relative ease while purporting to condition the wood. It's also not super oily and wipes off fairly dry. I do this each time I change my strings, about once a month on my daily driver. As for anything else I spot dust small areas with a can or air or a dry rag if I can get in there.

You should try different brands until you find the one that suits you best. But I would stick with 9 gauge for your style of playing.

--

You should also change your strings every 2-4 weeks, and wipe your strings down with a piece of cloth after every time that you play.

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Here are a few items for you to purchase. When you buy strings, you should buy 3-4 packs at a time, just in case.

GHS Boomers 9 1/2

Guitar string winder

Guitar Honey

Polish Cloth

Get this. It turned my rosewood fret board back to brown. It was white with dust. This kit is pretty awesome.


http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368930336&sr=8-1&keywords=dunlop+cleaning+kit

I like this stuff. Works great!

Wow. Want to hear something really ironic? He was looking at that second Fender you linked just a moment ago when I showed him a violin I wanted off of that website. I'm so sneaky. I knew he'd end up on the bass section. He was looking at it for a while (I have to walk by his computer to get anywhere).

As for the amps, I'm thinking that Fender or Acoustic one. And I also looked up that cleaning kit you were talking about, I think I might have found it. http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W This one?

Also, he means a lot to me. The only family he has left lives halfway across the country and his friends are all back in Houston. He moved out here on a whim when I asked him to. I know he misses the things he left and especially his bass. He talks about it a lot. SO it's not hard to ask him these random questions without it looking suspicious :P

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

This stuff is amazing and makes the fretboard feel soooo good.

I work at home, and play in the basement (it does have windows.) I use these for my Taylor. They maintain proper humidity. They make different types for different levels of humidity, and last for 2 - 3 months. I love em. I do not have to fill up some silly thing every few days. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B6AOITQ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use fast fret for string cleaning and its great. i have four acoustics and sometimes won't play my 12 string for a month at a time, this stuff takes the rust right off and they'll sound bright and new again.

There are a bunch to use. I use Dunlop System 65 and a clean cotton cloth. It hasn't failed me yet. The cleaning spray will help with the back of the neck, and use the lemon oil on fretboard (note: DO NOT USE LEMON OIL ON THE TELE's MAPLE FRETBOARD) and wipe off the excess. If the fretboard is really cruddy, use a clean, damp cotton cloth and a bit of water to loosen up the grime, then let it dry and apply the oil.

You can get one like this for each guitar. It will still help in a nylon soft case for sure.

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-GH-DAddario-Humidifier/dp/B0002D0COE

http://www.amazon.com/Dampit-9128-Guitar-Humidifier-Super/dp/B000AC6DVS

Thanks for the tip are you talking about something like this? It really sucks because all I want to do is play but it seems I'm relegated to power chords only lol.

Pick up some string conditioner: https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner-2-Pack/dp/B00INCGKSI/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fast+fret&qid=1563247851&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

Learn to succumb to the dark side, and your fingertips and strings will love you.

​

P.S. You use the conditioner while playing, and then wipe it off when done.

You could wipe them down daily with GHS fast fret. It's a little expensive on Amazon so I'd recommend going to a store to pick it up. It helps clean the guitar strings and keeps them fresher longer. I've read online that the liquid in there is just wood/mineral oil so I've been reusing the applicator with that liquid and haven't noticed any difference.

This came highly recommended from my local shop. Seems to get good reviews online as well

Dr. Duck 2080 Ax Wax Cleaning Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EEL50Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W1owCbBK7MBNR

I've had this comment saved for a couple weeks hoping /u/deathtech00 would reply with some justification of his remark, but based on the lack of response (and universally positive Amazon reviews) I'm just going to go ahead and keep using the stuff.

I use this GHS string cleaner I love it

http://www.amazon.com/GHS-A87-Fast-Fret-String-Cleaner/dp/B0002D0CQC

You should be wiping your strings/neck down with stuff like this before and after you play.

I basically can't remember the last time I put on new strings. Though to be honest, I only ever really did that if I had a gig or was starting a big studio session.

I've always used the "regular" Dunlop cleaner/polish and it has worked fine for me. I don't think there's a need to get super fancy

First I would suggest getting this book , its a great reference for maintaining and doing a setup on the guitar .
http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Repair-Guide-3rd/dp/0879309210/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372530336&sr=1-1&keywords=guitar+repair

And maybe this to clean the guitars
http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372530451&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=dadario+guitar+cleaning

You can grab some guitar polish pretty cheap online. If that doesn't work, head over to the dollar store and pick up some wood cleaner. If that is still out of your price range, just take a cloth and a little bit of water. Don't use Windex, surface cleaner, or any other harsh household cleaning supplies!

When I'm cleaning my guitar, I mostly just use polish. However for a well used fret board and neck, I'll use a little bit of Goof-Off to get rid of the crud (which will dry out the neck), then use some Dr. Ducks (to counteract the dryness).

Everybody does something different, but this has worked well for me.

I am also a Combustion player. The Dunlop 6500 system is the best cleaning system I've used.

Multi gauge. http://www.amazon.com/Estone-String-Action-Measuring-Luthier/dp/B00HTUAX1K

Pick punch, make picks out of credit cards and such.

http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Punch-The-Original-Guitar/dp/B005FIFM14/ref=zg_bs_11967641_68

Maintenance kit http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=zg_bs_11967641_80

iRig http://www.amazon.com/IK-Multimedia-Studio-Quality-Guitar-Interface/dp/B00BIRR1TC/ref=zg_bs_11967641_85

Or

Cheap or used interface like a Line 6 GuitarPort, UX1, Behringer U-Phoria UM2, ETC

Hey, just stumbled on this old thread, but if you're having issues still I'd take a look at Big Bends Nut Sauce! A little on both your bridge and nut should help with tuning stability.

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Bends-Nutsauce-Guitar-Lubricant/dp/B0002GZV9M

This, Boveda packs are amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/Boveda-49-Percent-Two-Way-Humidity-Instruments/dp/B01B6AOITQ/ref=sr_1_3

Any time! A lightly damp rag on the finished surfaces and plastic bits. You can also use guitar polish there are tons of brands (I use: https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-654-Formula-Guitar-Cleaner/dp/B000EELB8W) . I use lemon oil on fretboards because it helps rehydrate the wood.

You can also hook the guitar up to an amp and tap the pickups with a screwdriver (lightly) and if the sound comes through the amp it then the pick up functions. You can do this to all the pickups to see if they all work prior to stringing it up.

If you have a decent amount of money to spend, consider getting a custom trem, or at least a new trem block from Killer Guitar Components. They make blocks and tremolos for USA standard, USA deluxe, vintage style, and Import (MIM) strats. I have been ordering blocks from these guys for a few years. They make a quality product that does exactly what they say it does. They also have a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

I have two of their floyd rose blocks, one of which they custom made for me to the specs I had provided. I also own two of their "Killer Claws" and two sets of the "Raw Vintage Springs". The tone difference with just their block alone is crazy. I have their blocks installed in 2 floyd equipped guitars, and the results were similar. Everything seems more piano-like and all the strings sound full and warm with enhanced sustain.

I have the killer claw installed on my strat with the RV springs, but I haven't gotten around to getting a strat trem block from them yet.

After installing the killer claw and RV springs on my strat, I noticed slightly more sustain, and a slight warmth in tone, but the real difference came in the feel of the trem. I float my strat's trem (it's the two-point style, not the 6 screw style) with 4 of the RV springs. The RV springs are lower tension, and they stretch differently than todays stock springs. The trem has become more solid-feeling, it holds tune well, and it pivots oh so smoothly. The feeling is the biggest improvement to be had from the springs and claw combo.

Also, if you want your strat to stay in tune better, get some Big Bends Nut Sauce. This stuff is seriously magical. Apply to your bridge on the saddles, the pivot points, and at the nut and string trees. Works beautifully.

Also, Gorgomyte is a great thing to keep around. Apply every couple of string changes to keep your fretboard conditioned and your frets polished. Buttery smooth string bends after using this stuff.

Sounds like squeaks from fingers moving around on the fretboard aka "string talk". A possible cheap alternative would be some string/fretboard spray to lube it up a bit and possibly help stop that
https://www.amazon.com/Fingerease-2074-Guitar-String-Lubricant/dp/B0002GW3Y8

Fellow guitar player and detailer here. Found this tool last Christmas and highly recommend it.

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Nomad-MN205-Hardware-Cleaning/dp/B008FDSWJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500058378&sr=8-1&keywords=guitar+cleaning+brush

I use these, and some other guitarists from my conservatory use them too. I refill it maybe every week or so. I used to use the humidipaks, but I didn't like being forced into buying refills. Unless your area has especially strange humidity, I don't think you need a hygrometer but it never hurts to be safe. I don't think it matters too much which exact humidifer you use.


Store your guitar in a hard shell case.

It would probably be better than nothing. I think a sound hole humidifier would make more sense in a soft bag. Only thing with those is make sure they have good reviews, since they sit in the sound hole of your guitar a leak would really suck.

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Acoustic-Guitar-Humidifier/dp/B0002D0COE/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1418155460&sr=1-1&keywords=planet+waves+humidifier

It's not a huge deal, it just means that the wood in your fretboard is drying out a bit. It's easy enough to fix, just get some fretboard oil from your local music shop, loosen the strings, and rub it on the fretboard.

There are lots of products out there for cleaning your strings. Maybe try a few out next time you're at the checkout counter of your local music store and see if any work for you.

Most are a lot more expensive than a simple microfiber cloth and a few drops of Ax Wax so that'd be my first suggestion and the only one I could really recommend from personal experience.

These days I don't use anything like this because I'm changing strings so often it isn't an issue.

It's not particularly expensive and your guitars will probably fare a lot better for it. you can either humidify them in their cases with something like this, or humidify the room you keep them in. They should really be kept around 40%-55% humidity to keep the wood from cracking, the frets from poking out the sides of the finger board, or in a worse case, the bridge popping off.

someone over at /r/guitar recommended a Dunlop kit. Thoughts?http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372530451&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=dadario+guitar+cleaning

I use this exact product and it works well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Nomad-MN105-Fretboard-Conditioner/dp/B006WPGZAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502926444

I also use the dunlop kit listed here - http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-System-Guitar-Maintenance-Kit/dp/B0002E1H9W. Haven't felt the need for anything else, after cleaning they're shiny and feel great. The fretboard cleaner isn't meant for maple fretboards, but other than that no issues.

Am I able to use this guitar humidifier on my classical guitar? The product specifically advertises its use should be for acoustic guitars.

Considering A/C is typically a dehumidifier, especially in an A/C controlled environment.

EDIT: /u/freelandford means you should have a humidifier for your guitar, not a dehumidifier.

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Waves-Acoustic-Guitar-Humidifier/dp/B0002D0COE

I've been using Dunlop lately: http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-6554-Ultimate-Lemon/dp/B0002OOMW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416521372&sr=8-1&keywords=dunlop+lemon+oil

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002GW3Y8

Oh you mean personality and stories, right?

Actually have one of these that I use about once a day too.

http://www.amazon.com/MusicNomad-Nomad-String-Hardware-Cleaner/dp/B008FDSWJ0/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1414800362&sr=1-3&keywords=musicnomad

One word:
Fingerease.

Fast Fret works for me...


http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fret-String-Neck-Lubricant/dp/B0002D0CQC

Don't mind me - just leaving myself a note.

http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-6554-Ultimate-Lemon/dp/B0002OOMW6/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1457245800&sr=1-1&keywords=lemon+oil

https://www.amazon.com/Oasis-OH-1-Guitar-Humidifier/dp/B000K67VRO

http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-6500-System-Guitar-Maintenance/dp/B0002E1H9W

Answered my own question, found that a Bandori player on YouTube uses Finger Ease.

http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Dunlop-6554-Ultimate-Lemon/dp/B0002OOMW6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453522374&sr=8-2&keywords=fretboard+cleaner

that along with a toothbrush, an old guitar cloth, and steel wool for the frets.

Actually I take that back... 65 for my mostly maple necks, and after reading about it, Guitar Honey for the 2 Rosewood fretboard axes I have.

This is what you are talking about right?

http://www.amazon.com/Gerlitz-GEGHO-Guitar-Honey-Fingerboard/dp/B000EEJF4O

You are so welcome.

Fast Fret is legit.


https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-A87-FAST-FRET/dp/B0002D0CQC

I live in the southwest where its incredibly dry. I find myself having to use a guitar humidifier at least once a week. I usually just leave it inside my guitar for about a day at a time. This is what I use.

Really makes quite a difference.

Some people just have sweaty hands. There is no diet that's going to change that. Washing you hands before practice is good advice. However, interrupting practice because hands gets sweaty is completely ludicrous to me. Interrupting the flow of practice for what purpose? I hope it's not for the longevity of strings.

Things like this, or this, or even this exist because some guitarist will have hands that is so sweaty that one practice session will be enough to leave gunk on the strings.

Could you have a quick look at this that I just bought? My guitar has a rosewood fretboard, would this work on it? Based on the reviews, I thought it would be fine but now I'm not sure.

I use this. No other products for cleaning my strings. Once it's dirty enough, I wash it under cold water, and it's good to go.

Literally just finished cleaning my neck. Polished the frets with this, cleaned the rosewood with this and polished with this. Before and after

Edit: oh and I bought a bottle of lemon oil the other day. I can't say that I care for it. It didn't clean really well or polish.

I'm assuming this is an acoustic guitar. If it's electric don't worry about the humidifier. With acoustics you need to put it up in the case and put a guitar humidifier in with it. During the winter when you are heating your house is when your acoustic guitars are most vulnerable to drying out.

Humidifiers are not expensive though they require some attention (refilling).

Here is a cheap one that will work fine.

These require less attention. I use these with my Martin. These are pretty simple and don't require you to mess with refilling.

The damage you describe is probably beyond getting the moisture right in your wood and like I said before get it to a guitar tech soon.

If your guitar was exposed all winter and never had a humidifier the wood could have dried out and the tension from the strings could have caused problems. I did see someone mention that maybe your guitar was designed for nylon strings, if that is the case using metal strings could easily be the cause.

From the sound of it your looking at some repairs that could either be major or very simple; but, a skilled guitar technician needs to look at this thing. This sort of thing will likely get worse and the amount of repair and money needed to fix it will significantly increase the longer you wait.

I've used this stuff on two guitars, a ukulele, and a mandolin and have no complaints.

Edit:

I look at the fingerboard whenever I change the strings and if it looks dry I put a little bit on. You should get a small microfiber cloth to apply/wipe off the oil.