Maintaining Your Guitar Between Setups

Guitars are very particular beasts. Eventually the temperature and the humidity will take its toll and you'll want to either try your hand at getting your guitar back to how you like it, or bringing it to a reputable technician - such as here at Elite String Works.

However you remedy it, there's plenty you could and should be doing in the meantime that will have benefits ranging from helping to keep your instrument comfortable for longer, or even stop it from becoming seriously damaged.

So from your local, friendly guitar technician, here's some tips for maintaining your guitar between setups; some of these are just best practices, and some of these are the difference between paying for a setup and paying for a repair.

Cleaning & Changing Strings

Let's start with the most basic thing you should be doing. The long and short term impacts of keeping your strings fresh simply can not be overstated.

In time your guitar strings will degrade and oxidise, which will be sped up with a buildup of oils from your skin, and even dead skin cells. Yuck.

This process is easily halted, however, by washing your hands before and after playing, and wiping down the strings with a cloth, preferably microfibre to prevent getting fluff on your strings, every time after playing.

Grip the string with your thumb and finger in the cloth and run up and down the length of each string, not with enough force to kink the string, but firmly enough to remove any gunk.

If you keep on top of this then once or twice each direction will suffice, and you may not even notice a difference in the appearance of the string, but in time this will prevent any gross build-ups which will speed up the degradation process.

And I do mean gross, this build-up is known in the community as "tone gunk" and not only is it unsightly and bad for your strings, fretboard, and anything else it comes into contact with - it STINKS.

However, inevitably your strings will degrade over time, whether they're coated or not. These spent strings will be far more argumentative with staying in tune, or intonating properly, and also run a much higher risk of snapping - especially during a particularly sweaty gig or recording session.

So if your strings are visibly worn, such as looking duller, sounding duller, or even have visible wear, it's definitely time for them to go.

If you don't clean or change your strings you run a few risks, aside from having strings that look and smell repulsive:

• Your strings will be less stable with tuning and intonation, will have a much duller sound, and will be much more likely to snap. They will also feel horrible to play.
  

• Tone gunk can accumulate on the fretboard and the edges between frets and the fretboard. If your fretboard material isn't sealed, it makes it much harder to keep the wood oiled, which can cause cracking. Yes, the tone gunk can get in the cracks, and yes it continues to STINK. It can still build up on a lacquered fretboard, and while this isn't a problem for the wood, it will in time also begin to degrade your frets, even to the point of rusting.
  

• Excessively old strings that somehow haven't snapped will begin to develop rust, which can cause plenty of health issues. Those aside, this will also help to degrade, rust, and even damage your frets and other crucial metal hardware, such as your bridge. This, as well as helping to shorten the lifespan of future sets of strings, can cause rough spots which will be prone to snapping strings, tuning and intonation instability, and even, in extreme cases, become too rusted to disassemble, which will require a more... industrial approach to remedying. If you're lucky then rusted hardware may be saved with a vinegar bath and/or a polish, but if the damage is done then you've now got parts to replace, and fret replacement is not cheap - especially not compared to the time and money to just change your strings and follow these other tips.

Also take the time to learn how to change your own strings if you don't know how. It's very simple, and it'll need doing fairly regularly. I'd suggest every few months if the guitar sees regular use. If it's going to be left alone for a significant amount of time, at the very least keep checking for signs of rust, and a pre-emptive change of strings would not be a foolish investment.

Cleaning Up

You should make the effort to wipe your instrument down as fully as possible after any particularly sweaty playing sessions to help prevent components and hardware from rusting or getting damaged. So, now that the strings are off, it's time for some spring cleaning.

A microfibre cloth with make short work of any smudges and dust that's accumulated, which can cause a myriad of signal issues if it gets into your electronics. Don't forget the edges of your pickups / pickup rings, where the neck meets the body, the strap buttons (which tend to rust after being forgotten about when cleaning), and the headstock.

Try to get into the nooks and crannies, especially with Fender-style bridges. A dry toothbrush can help with harder-to-reach places, and with dislodging any accumulated dirt as well. Said toothbrush will also come in handy for removing tone gunk from the fretboard as well, should it start building up. Just remember which toothbrush you used as you don't want that in your mouth. Ever.

If your finish looks like it could use a polish, be sure to research what type of finish it is first. Dunlop Guitar Polish gets my vote in most cases, but in the case of an unfinished guitar, or a nitrocellulose lacquer, be very careful before applying anything to it. This can easily become an expensive mistake.

Finally, if you notice any crackling or oddities while using any controls or switches, a spray of contact cleaner may help to remedy it. If it doesn't, they may need replacing, usually at little expense, but expense that can build up if you find yourself needing to replace 4 pots and a pickup switch, especially if you hire a guitar tech to do it.

Elite String Works offers a deep cleaning service, which includes the above and more to try and restore your instrument as fully as possible, so if you struggle with the trickier bits or find a few issues that come up then feel free to get in touch for a free assessment.

Oiling Fretboard

If your fretboard is lacquered, such as with a maple neck, then you can skip this step entirely, and substitute it with the aforementioned guitar polish, if it needs it - but again be SURE of the type of lacquer, and how polish will interact with it before you do.

However, if your fretboard isn't sealed in any way, then a semi-regular oiling is crucial. Any competent guitar tech will do this for you, but that said it is worth keeping on top of. Oiling the wood provides hydration, without which the wood begins to crack, and in extreme cases becomes structurally unstable. The list of issues this can cause really is as long as my arm, so suffice it to say: oil your unsealed fretboards.

Any food-safe mineral oil on a clean cloth, left to soak for a minute or two will do the trick, then simply wipe off the excess. A little goes a long way, but if you see the wood "drink" the oil then a second serving may be in order.

There are products named "fretboard oil", "fretboard cleaner", "lemon oil" and so on. These are mineral oil, sometimes mixed with other active ingredients, sometimes mixed with ingredients just for scent. Elite String Works is currently trialling our own line of fretboard treatment products, based simple, organic, and tried and true ingredients.

Also be wary of any curing oil, or any oil that expires, such as walnut oil, as when it does your guitar will STINK, and stink does not happily come out of fibrous woods. It can be done, usually with naphtha, but it's better for everyone and everything involved to just use a sensible choice of oil.

Polishing Frets

This is an often forgotten step, frequently relegated to guitar techs who will tend to charge a premium for it.

Polished frets don't just look shiny, they help prevent rusting, even to the point of removing very mild rusting, they feel better against the strings, and are just another handy trick to help extend the longevity of your parts. It can also help with removing Tone Gunk that has built up against the fret edges.

There are many methods, all hotly debated, so here are my favourites:

• Fretboard erasers, such as the ones sold by Crimson Guitars. These have their shortcomings; as they wear it can be trickier to conform them to the shape of your fret, causing you to miss spots if you aren't diligent. That said, this is a quick, cheap, and cheerful method which usually doesn't require taping off the fretboard - but please use your best judgement before you take this to mean "definitely don't tape off your fretboard". While unlikely to cause harm, particularly brittle woods and finishes may just be damaged by the heavier grits. This is also included as standard with any setup from Elite String Works due to how quick it is, and how many problems this can mitigate. Start with the heaviest grit and work your way through them - if you keep on top of this, you may find that the "super-fine" eraser is all you need to deal with a mild patina.
  

• A Dremel may seem like overkill, but if you tape off the fretboard (without exception this time), apply just a tiny spot of metal polish such as Auto-Sol on each fret, and CAREFULLY run the tool along each fret, then after a wipe-down with paper towels you will see a near mirror-finish. Well worth doing for the extra effort, and included in the Elite String Works deep-clean service.
  

• Steel Wool is a common favourite, particularly 0000 grit. If you find yourself tempted to do this, though, tape off just about EVERYTHING. Cover that fretboard, as you WILL scuff it, and especially cover your pickups, as the small metal fragments from the wool will absolutely be attracted to the magnetic pole pieces, and they will not come off without a fight. It should also go without saying that if these somehow get into your electronics then they will cause so many issues. This method is not without merit, but definitely not without risk if used carelessly.
  

• Micro Mesh Pads are another favourite among guitar techs, in very much the same vein as fretboard rubbers. Consider taping off the fretboard, and work your way through the grits until you see a lovely shine on each fret.
  

As an aside, should you tape off the fretboard, be very careful. Many tapes can be far too adhesive and will pull flakes, if not strips of finish and lacquer. Painter's tape gets my vote, and before applying it to the guitar, stick it to your t-shirt or trousers 2-3 times to remove any excess stickiness. You don't want this tape to be particularly adhesive, only enough to stay in place temporarily, and act as a guard from your polishing tool of choice. Mark my words, sticky tape will pull finish and lacquer and that can be a real challenge to fix.

Humidity Control

Simply cannot be over-stated. Wood needs a balance of humidity, ideally within a range of 45-55% relative humidity. Extended exposure to too much humidity will cause the wood to swell, with the main concerns being warping, glue joints failing, and finish lifting. Guitars are precision-dependant, and a twist or even a bend in a fretboard could spell disaster and a very expensive trip to a luthier, with likely no promise of a fix.

On any guitar using bracing, such as an acoustic guitar, it's not unheard of for excessive humidity to melt the glue holding the bracing in place, and if that's the case then the tension from the strings is all that's needed to cause a very expensive repair, from mild cracking all the way to literally pulling the bridge off. Neck joints can fail, frets can begin lifting out of their slot, causing buzzing, finish can be damaged from wood expansion, the bridge can be lifted from the swollen wood, and the list goes on.

On the other hand, too-low humidity can be just as costly. In extreme cases, it can cause cracking, sharp fret ends can sprout off the sides, the top of the guitar can "sink", causing a myriad of issues, etc.

Keeping your guitars, especially but not limited to acoustic guitars, properly humidified is without a doubt the most important thing you can do. In winter, when you whack up the temperature in a room, you're forcing the relative humidity down. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers should be in any rooms with guitars, or if you store your guitars in cases, then humidity modifying devices, such the Dunlop Herco Guardfather can also be stored with the guitar, usually in the sound hole. They're cheap but absolutely non-negotiable.

(Bonus tip) Storage Choices

This may seem arbitrary, but how and where you store your guitar can have a substantial impact on your guitar's long term health.

• Storing in hard cases is naturally the best option, as it's easy to control the humidity, offers reasonable protection against physical damage, and doesn't tend to take up much more space than other options. If storing a guitar for an extended period of time, this is absolutely the way to go.
  

• Gig bags can be a close second, but depending on the bag it may not offer as much physical protection. Even padded bags likely won't hold up as well as a hard case, but that doesn't mean they're to be snubbed altogether.
  

• Individual stands come in two varieties - neck-supported and compact. As you'd expect the neck-supported stands are less likely to have your guitar knocked over, but not unlikely. There's no physical protection, no elemental protection, and the padding can leave marks and even wear away the finish of certain lacquers. Extreme circumstances only, in my opinion.

  
  

• Guitar racks rank higher than individual stands, as while the finish concerns, elemental concerns, and physical damage concerns are still present, you're considerably less likely to knock over an entire rack of guitars. They can also be more convenient in terms of storage space, but make sure you bring your A-game with humidity and temperature control, and avoid where possible being clumsy around them.
  

• Wall hangers. I'm not a fan, but I'm prepared to play Devil's advocate in pursuit of absolute honesty. This does still have all of the drawbacks of guitar racks and stands of potential finish damage, humidity and temperature exposure, and physical damage, plus now your guitar is suspended by one point of contact - its headstock. Assuming your DIY skills are up to par, and the hanger isn't likely to rip out of the wall, that headstock had better be a snug fit, or all of the weight of the guitar will likely be resting on the tuner for the low E string - this is a known issue with hanging Telecaster style headstocks with certain hangers, so check your measurements carefully before considering a wall hanger.
  

  However, in the interest of fairness, let's dispel a common myth - will hanging your guitar for extended periods of time damage your guitar with gravity? Absolutely not. The tension from the strings will more than counteract the additional pull from gravity - why do you think we put truss rods in guitars? The only guitars that will be damaged by gravity are the guitars that are so poorly made that they would have been damaged anyway, gravity just got there first. If you don't believe me, head to a guitar shop or two, and take note of how many guitars are hanging on the wall vs any other storage method. Guitar shops are temperature and humidity controlled, especially the rooms with acoustic and/or boutique guitars, the material of the hangers is chosen with protecting the guitar's finish in mind, and if you ding it you buy it. Take the £10,000 custom shop Les Paul - that is a guitar that will not sell quickly. That guitar may spend years of its life on that hanger, and I promise you it will see no poor side-effects from it. Take it from me, as someone who is very sceptical of guitar shop techs after some of the shoddy work that's been handed back to me, before becoming a tech myself (and recently saw a brand new £1900 Strat with fret ends that needed dressing - come on guys!). When it comes to storing guitars, they're all on wall hangers for a reason - it saves space, and if you can mitigate temperature, humidity, physical and finish damage then it's a perfectly sensible solution. That said, I'm still not hanging my guitars from a wall.
  

For what it's worth, I use a combination of racks in my humidity controlled room, and gig bags when I'm too lazy to unpack after a gig. Anything in long-term storage usually gets a hard-case, but none of my guitars tend to see long-term storage.

Conclusion On Maintaining Your Guitar

So there you have it - a smorgasbord of things you should be trying to keep on top of in the name of preserving your precious instrument. As I've said, many of these are things your guitar tech will be doing for you when you take it to see them, but be honest - how often is that? It's common to visit a guitar tech every 6 months, but more commonly I see repeat customers' guitars no more than once a year - this is fine, you do what suits your needs.

But there's a world of difference for the bill I send to the customers who change their strings, oil their boards, at the very least inspect their frets, monitor humidity and store their guitars sensibly ("Just a set-up and a minor cleaning then, sir?"), and the customers who don't ("So that's a setup, deep clean, re-fret, and 3 pots to replace. Shall we have a look at the warped neck as well?").

It sounds dramatic, like I'm just trying to upsell more work, but I've never prescribed unnecessary work, and I always work with a customer to give them the best results at the most sensible price. Look after your instrument, and if you need further advice then reach out to me at hello@elitestringworks.com.

In the meantime, go and enjoy our newfound good weather, and I'll catch you another time.

Joe Boult (Elite String Works)