#6 Minor Maintenance Jobs

Now that you've got your guitar properly set up, there are just a few little jobs left to do that will ensure that it's in perfect playing condition and ready for anything.

Cleaning

Apart from the obvious cosmetic benefits, a clean guitar is generally a more efficient guitar.  Do wipe the neck and body, as well as the strings, after you play. The sweat and natural oils exuded by the human body can make strings deteriorate more quickly and also, if left on the finish, cause marks, which are sometimes impossible to remove. My Les Paul came with a pink plush-lined case, which has the habit of transferring the dye to the cream body binding if I don't wipe down those parts which are in direct contact with the pink plush. In fact, I now wrap the body with a cotton muslin scarf prior to putting it away in the case.

There are various guitar polishes and cleaners around which all seem to be OK. For stubborn marks, naphtha - or liquid lighter fuel - is safe to use, but it won't be needed very often.

You can clean the fret board with a clean, soft cloth, although if it's very dirty, you may need to give it more of a clean than this. For maple necks, a soft, barely damp cloth is all right to use as the dirt just lies on top of the lacquer, if you've got any left. For rosewood and other dark wood fingerboards, you may need to scrape away the gunk that builds up on it. Don't be squeamish - it's your gunk! Use a very blunt knife, a steel rule or even an old credit card and scrape away the dirt between the fret wire with the straight edge of whatever you're using, going with the grain. Don't press hard - you don't want to scratch the wood. You can then oil the fingerboard, if it's rosewood or a similar wood. You can buy various oils, but I prefer pure lemon oil. It's rather expensive, but a small bottle lasts for ages and it smells good, too. When you're putting new strings on, with the old ones off, just apply a little oil to the board with a soft cloth. Let the oil sink in for about a quarter of an hour and then remove the excess with clean cloth. Then put the new strings on. I oil my Les Paul's fingerboard about twice a year. Don't overdo it; you don't want the wood to get soggy. 

It isn't just the body and neck that you can clean. If you have a crackly switch or a pot or two, get some WD40 and spray the moving parts with a small amount of this. If you look closely at these components, you can often see an access point where some of the lubricant can seep in. I've found that most crackles respond to this very well. WD40 can also be used to clean and lubricate other things like tuner gears - if they're not enclosed - and bridge components. Just make sure that you're sparing with the spraying. You don't want any WD40 to get into screw holes, otherwise the holes can get soggy and won't grip the screw threads.

Tightening

With the best will in the world, two things can gradually become loosened which can really screw up your evening - the jack socket and the strap buttons.

Don't just tighten up a loose socket without taking it off the guitar first. If you do, then the socket may turn inside the guitar and tear the solder joints. Remove the socket - there's no need to disconnect it - and hold it as you tighten up the nut. Then replace the socket. If the nut is prone to loosening, just dab a little clear nail varnish between the nut and the thread. This will just crack if you have to take the socket out and won't harm it in any way. Don't get any on the finish of the guitar, however. I hate to think what it would do to the finish!

Strap buttons often come loose and need to be well-secured. Now's the time to invest in some sort of replacement locking system. Strap holes can become worn and will eventually slip off the buttons really easily. Not a good thing if you have any instrument around your neck that you have any regard for. Straplocks are easy to install and will last you a lifetime. However, even the replacement buttons need tightening periodically. If any button gets too loose, you may have to plug the hole with wood and glue - not superglue! - and a new hole then drilled.

I change strings about every three weeks on guitars that I don't gig and about every three gigs with ones that I do. I check the jack socket and strap buttons every time. It doesn't take long and either, if loose, could ruin the gig - not to mention the guitar, possibly.

Well, that's about it as regards guitar maintenance and set up. If I've missed anything out, or you have suggestions for future articles, let me know - also if I've got anything wrong.

I hope that this series of tutorials has helped you understand your guitar better and also saved you some money. Don't forget what I've said throughout. If you encounter difficulties that you can't sort out, take your guitar to a tech. Ask him about the problem and ask him to explain what he did to remedy things. That way, you'll learn a little more which may help you next time you set your guitar up.

This guitar tutorial is compliments of Steve Cobham.  Steve lives in Wolverton, which is part of the city of Milton Keynes in the U.K.  You can contact Steve at steve@guitars.powernet.co.uk.

#1 – The Tools

#2 – How To String Your Guitar

#3 - Setting The Intonation

#4 – Adjusting The Nut

#5 - Adjusting The Truss Rod