Maintaining guitar

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Maintaining guitar

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akatune

Posts: 188
Joined: Mar. 28 2008

Maintaining guitar

Good morning. I have been thinking about guitar maintenance. My blanca has some years on it and it's not always in the best environment. What should I do for maintenance?
I saw a youtube video about putting lemon oil on the fretboard. I didn't want to do anything to the guitar before asking some knowledgable people about this.
Thanks

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 11 2018 16:14:43

tri7/5

Posts: 570
Joined: May 5 2012

RE: Maintaining guitar (in reply to akatune)

Correct humidity levels and steady temperature is the best place to start. Other than that would need more info about the environment you reference.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 12 2018 10:21:50

sartorius

Posts: 206
Joined: Mar. 7 2017

RE: Maintaining guitar (in reply to akatune)

Dunlop lemon oil is great if you want to spend money on your fretboard but I've seen a great old guitarist gently use olive oil with some iron wool for a truly awesome job. Spanish olive oil on a Spanish guitar, please (just kidding).

While writing this I'm listening to a truly amazing symphony by Rachmaninov. So moving...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 30 2018 13:06:55

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: Maintaining guitar (in reply to sartorius)

I used to clean the fretboard of my '67 Ramirez blanca with rubbing alcohol and rub in some lemon oil. For the last 40 years or so, all I have done is clean the fretboard with very fine steel wool two or three times a year. I have seen no ill effect.

Ebony expands and contracts more with changing humidity than other woods commonly used in guitars. The metal frets are insensitive to humidity changes. If the ends of the frets are sticking out beyond the edge of the ebony, your guitar is too dry. It should be slowly re-humdified to about 45% relative humidity.

Keeping one of these

https://www.stringsbymail.com/oasis-plus-guitar-soundhole-humidifier-2122.html

between the strings in the soundhole ought to do the job. Fill it with distilled water for a little longer life.

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 30 2018 22:24:11