Guitar care

[Doadman]

Now I've spent all my savings and then some on my new Soloist I'm determined to really take care of it so wondered what were the best products to use.

Body

I have some Kyser guitar polish at the moment but that's my only experience of this area. Are there any brands/products that stand out that I should look at?

Fingerboard

I know lemon oil is normally suggested and I have some Kyser lemon oil at the moment. I've also used Dunlop lemon oil in the past but are there any other fingerboard oils that would be really good? I've seen Planet Waves 'Hydrate' as well but never tried it and years ago I bought some sort of fingerboard oil that wasn't lemon oil but by God it was good. Better than any lemon oil I've ever tried.

Strings

At the moment I use GHS Fast Fret but there seems to be no end of other products available so are there any that you can particularly suggest that are effective?

Hardware

Is there anything I should be using for the care of hardware like the trem unit. I was looking at Planet Waves Lubrikit Friction Remover but I have no idea if that's good or if there are any other alternatives that I should consider.

Anything else I may have missed?

Thanks

[FELINEGUITARS]

Now I've spent all my savings and then some on my new Soloist I'm determined to really take care of it so wondered what were the best products to use.

Body

I have some Kyser guitar polish at the moment but that's my only experience of this area. Are there any brands/products that stand out that I should look at?

Fingerboard

I know lemon oil is normally suggested and I have some Kyser lemon oil at the moment. I've also used Dunlop lemon oil in the past but are there any other fingerboard oils that would be really good? I've seen Planet Waves 'Hydrate' as well but never tried it and years ago I bought some sort of fingerboard oil that wasn't lemon oil but by God it was good. Better than any lemon oil I've ever tried.

Strings

At the moment I use GHS Fast Fret but there seems to be no end of other products available so are there any that you can particularly suggest that are effective?

Hardware

Is there anything I should be using for the care of hardware like the trem unit. I was looking at Planet Waves Lubrikit Friction Remover but I have no idea if that's good or if there are any other alternatives that I should consider.

Anything else I may have missed?

Thanks

Body - I like either Trick brand polish or Dunlop 65 polish - good at getting fingerprints off a shiny guitar
Otherwise - try Autoglym super resin polish (its a car product but is fab on polyester bodies)
Or we do a polyester polish that is beyond compare - we tend to call it purple polish (because of it's colour) but it seems to be the best we've found so far.

Strings - I tend to favour just wiping them down after playing with a clean cloth and replacing them often
I dont like all the fast fret type stuff - just more gunk on the strings
If you do use it - go sparingly with it

Fingerboard - Kyser or Dunlop Lemon Oil is what we use and like - go easy with it though , not too often and always wipe it off with a dry tissue as well

Nut slots and trem posts - We use big Bends Nut sauce , but I see Planet Waves have brought out a similar product
God stuff, but as ever a little goes a long way

[ToneMonkey]

Otherwise - try Autoglym super resin polish (its a car product but is fab on polyester bodies)

Damn good on motorbikes too.  This is what I use for all my polishing needs.

but I see Planet Waves have brought out a similar product God stuff, but as ever a little goes a long way

Well if it's good enough for him.......

[38thBeatle]

I like the Autoglym on my Poly finish guitars but I use Virtuoso Polish on my 339.

[Antag]

Umm, not meaning to be pedantic Jonathan, but surely big bends nut sauce (or anything else) is a really bad idea on a locking nut? (the SL3 has a Floyd) :)

[FELINEGUITARS]

Umm, not meaning to be pedantic Jonathan, but surely big bends nut sauce (or anything else) is a really bad idea on a locking nut? (the SL3 has a Floyd) :)

Well spotted - ignore for locking nuts

[Antag]

IMHO the important part of caring for Floyds is DON'T overtighten the allen screws.  The most common breakage on Floyds is when the threads strip on the little intonation adjustment allen screws due to overtightening.  Also, when screwing in the string clamp after changing strings, I like to press down firmly on the saddle itself with my other hand so that the saddle doesn't twist & put pressure on the intonation screw.

Same applies for the locking nut - as tight as I can get holding the allen key in two fingers is my guideline.

[ToneMonkey]

Jonathan - Where do you stand on poishes that contain silicone then?  I thought these made repairs very difficult.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Jonathan - Where do you stand on poishes that contain silicone then?  I thought these made repairs very difficult.

Think you've answered your own question .....I try to keep silicone products away from old celulose finishes (do I have to eat my hat now if I discover AutoGlym has silicones in it)

I try not to spray anything near bare wood as it can impede finish sticking later on