• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

1) Before I start playing I wash my hands.
2) I dry them well.
3) I play
4) I take a dry towel and clean the neck.
IS THIS ENOUGH TO KEEP THE STRINGS MUCH LONGER IN GOOD SHAPE?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I do all these things. I also get all the dirt and dust off of the neck and body. But only just after I've put new strings on. This lasts for 2 or 3 weeks and then i fall out the habit.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I grab it by the neck molest the frets and shove it in the corner and it always comes back for more lol

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I clean it sometimes.  My hands are usually clean.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
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  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

i never have washed my hands before playing, or i would not wash them for the purpose of playing.
After I play I put it back on it's stand.

I give the guitar a good servicing with a duster when i change the strings every 3 months or so. If I have not picked the guitar up in over a week then i might give it a rub down with my grubby hands.


I bet no one wishes to lend me their guitar now lol

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • wlbaye
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Hello Ken, you can play my guitars anytime , I don't beat on my gutiars but I dont baby them either,I have guitars that are meant to play.

Later Wayne P

upyerkilt wrote:

i never have washed my hands before playing, or i would not wash them for the purpose of playing.
After I play I put it back on it's stand.

I give the guitar a good servicing with a duster when i change the strings every 3 months or so. If I have not picked the guitar up in over a week then i might give it a rub down with my grubby hands.


I bet no one wishes to lend me their guitar now lol

Ken

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • From: Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 338

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I don't like to wash my hads before playing - I want those calouses good and hard.

Interesting that we're all talking about our guitarS, rather than singular. i just got a brand new mandolin last night ( a sweet as a nut Garrison, with a big canuck maple leaf on the label ). This lead to the inevitable question, "but how many is that, now?"  I thought I had fenced my way around that one when she asked an even more insensitive question - "would you ever think of selling one of them. "

I think I'm in Soapy Bubble ( translation-  for all except Headcase - "Trouble" ). Thoughts on how to gain more wriggle room would be appreciated.

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

alansheeran's Website

  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I don't clean my guitar as often as I should.  Something to work on.  I have always wanted to try mandolin, but just never have.  Something else to work on.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Ask her if she would ever sell any of her favourite shoes.

Note:
When you ask this question make sure there is a large piece of furniture between the two of you (preferably one big enough as to be immovable). Also ensure that none of your loved ones (e.g. guitars, mandolins, ukes, banjos) are within easy reach.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • From: Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 338

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Ouch . . . Alvee cuts to the bone!

I think I would want to have removed said stringed companions to a nice safe bank vault before trying that one.

Isn't it the truth that the more the shoes hurt, the more they are loved - wholly irrational. Now Guitars on the other hand . . .

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

alansheeran's Website

  • Registered: 2008-08-02
  • Posts: 52

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

You take great care of your guitar. I do that to..sometimes *guilty look*...but sometimes i just need to pick it up and play cause i just gotta play.... if that even makes sense to anyone? You know?...how you just love to play and you get an idea or just NEED TO PLAY.....but otherwise...i take good care of my guitar! smile

{{***~MuZiK LuVeR~***}}
  • From: South Florida
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 86

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

3 cheers to all who do not bow to the god of "disinfection!" I never wash my hands to play my guitar. I realize that that is just how I roll. I just don't see the point. One of my best friends is polar opposite and wipes down COMPLETELY after I play his guitar. 8-)
Sometimes I clean, when i change strings but only when the grime is overwhelming. It's all tone!!
Or something like that...

"I want my 2 Dollars!!!!!"
  • From: Japan
  • Registered: 2008-07-18
  • Posts: 17

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Guitar strings will deteriorate very quickly in tone if due care is not applied. Some people have more acidity in their sweat than others, avoid smoking, alcohol, spicy foods, garlic and onions as this will increase acidity. Washing your hands with soap and water is
not the best thing to do before playing because it softens hard skin and introduces moisture into your skin, I use alcohol which removes moisture and potential harmful oils. I always wipe down with a lint free cotton cloth after playing and return the guitar to it's
case. Then pour myself a large scotch, light up a cigarette. and eat a big plate of curry!

Learning to play guitar is hard, giving up is near impossible!
  • dino48
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Hey russell I am still laughing at your remark. I try too clean my guitar at least once a year. I once was very meticlious with them,it seem not too matter that much how clean it looks,I enjoy playing them too much. I do try too keep the strings clean though.                    dino

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Russell_Harding wrote:

I grab it by the neck molest the frets and shove it in the corner and it always comes back for more lol

This is also my methodology.

I keep my guitars out on stands, and people come over and go "Gosh!"  I encourage people to play them (as that's what they're for) and sometimes I find that after certain people play them, the strings get severely corroded.   Must be something in their sweat.

So beyond cleaning them well when I change strings, and an occasional wipe down with a soft cloth,  they get manhandled regularly.   I think they prefer that.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Ipswich, UK
  • Registered: 2008-05-20
  • Posts: 101

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

It's never even occured to me to wash my hands before playing!  It's not something i'm ever gonna do either, lol.. (unless maybe i just buried one of the kids in the garden..........)

when i wanna play... i just... play!  Sometimes i'll pick up my baby & her stings will feel a bit tacky, so i'll give them a clean with some FastFret. I do take a bit more care with my electric Ibanez.  I clean all the lil nooks & tiny bits with cotton buds once a week.

All 4 of my guitars & gear are on stands in the lounge.. & they call out to me all the time.... 'play me.. play me!'  I get really pished off if someone wants to watch TV in there & i either can't play.. or hafta go elsewhere, lol

The time to be happy, is NOW !

Freshman acoustic, IbanezGAX70, MarshallMG15cd, Digitech:RP100
  • Registered: 2008-03-21
  • Posts: 27

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

jimi hendrix, kurt cobain & pete townsend has the perfect answer to this question.  or maybe just pete.

put profound words here
  • From: Teesside
  • Registered: 2007-08-01
  • Posts: 94

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

I just batter the unholy crap out of them for the most part.

I've recently got rid of "excess guitars" which I didn't need and kept for nostalgia so down to an Epi Les Paul, Epi SG and and an ESP M-53 (Strat-style because I didn't want a strat...I know, silly really but its my "mess around" guitar) and with all 3 of them I don't spend any time cleaning them. They are kept in their soft cases (but on stands) to stop them gathering dust but thats about it, apart from when strings are changed when it gets a thorough clean. The only time I clean or wipe them down apart from that is, if i've been drinking or eating whilst playing guitar (ie - on my lunch hour), then i give strings a wipe down with a cloth and have a quick blast over with some string cleaner.

Wibble's Website

  • Registered: 2006-10-08
  • Posts: 2

Re: HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR GUITAR BEFORE AND AFTER PLAYING?

Take you oldest pure cotton T shirt.  Wash it.  Then after playing wipe down neck and strings.  When you change strings, clean entire guitar with damp cloth then good guitar polish or pledge.  Fingerboard may require some lemon oil or such if really dry.  I live in Arizona where humidity swings, when there is any, are legendary.  So don't forget humidifier.  It is one of the reasons I play Ovations.