Cleaning a Prs Guitar

[Zach Schechtman]

I am not sure what to use to clean my new Prs guitar. Please help.

 

[László]

The best thing to start with is to just wipe the painted surfaces down a very slightly damp cloth, and dry. I highly recommend a good quality microfiber cloth, like these, that I like because they are incredibly fluffy and soft:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/micro+fiber+speed+shine+cloths+set+of+3.do?sortby=ourPicks

Or use a chamois to dry the guitar (don't use the chamois wet like you would on a car, and don't use a sopping wet cloth, just damp). On the pickups and metal parts, make extra sure there is no excess water. Slightly damp works. Don't use a damp cloth on a rosewood or ebony fingerboard. You could ruin it.

Wiping down the guitar with a dry cloth will generally cause swirl marks. The dampness acts as a surfactant and prevents swirl marks from the wiping action. But it's ok to wipe off the fingerboard after playing with a dry cloth.

I think PRS may also make a microfiber cloth.

If there is grime, smudging, etc., try the PRS Guitar Cleaner. I spray a little on a microfiber cloth, wipe the guitar with it in sections, wiping it off with another clean one, or a chamois. It cleans well and leaves a nice shine.

The fingerboards rarely need anything. They can be cleaned with PRS fretboard cleaner or any lemon oil, but these are cleaning products. The exposed wood doesn't need extra oil. Rosewood is oily, Ebony is very tightly grained and your finger oils are enough. Maple fingerboards are infused with a finish. Just wipe off the grime, and dry the fingerboard. That's all that's needed. It's my belief that so-called fingerboard treatments are absolutely unnecessary except in the most extreme circumstances.

Polishes are for swirl marks and scratches. These aren't daily cleaning items. If your pickups and metal parts get tarnished, there are metal polishes that PRS recommends. PRS makes a polish I haven't tried, but if you have a nitro finish, do not use their polish as it's not recommended for nitro finishes. Make sure you get something nitro-friendly, like Virtuoso.

Although a lot of folks swear by soft all cotton cloths, microfiber cloths are actually gentler because the fibers are much finer than cotton, and they are less abrasive. Do this and you guitar will look new for a long time.

Unless you bang it into hard things, in which case, there's the PTC to fix that kind of stuff.

Avoid any cloths with nylon or polyester. These are harder yarns that will cause swirl marks. A lot of cotton diapers have poly or even nylon threads sewing the layers together, so these are worse than what I recommend.

 

[maxtuna26]

A microfibre cloth will cover most of the part for simple dry cleaning. Use only microfibre cloths, so that the gloss surface doesn't scratch. Wash the cloth regularly as you don't want dust particles to be stuck on the cloth. The last thing you'll want is your new guitar having these "spiderweb" scratches on the top. It'll scratch the surface as well. As for fretboard and polish, there are plenty of choices to choose from. My personal favourites are made by Dunlop and Planet Waves.

 

[Whitecat]

Note that a handful of PRS guitars throughout history have been finished with nitro, which means that standard cleaning products shouldn't be used. The Modern Eagle series, the 53/10 & 59/09 limiteds, lots of Private Stocks, etc... those are the first that come to mind but there could be others. In that case, I recommend Virtuoso guitar polish. Virtuoso works on non-nitro guitars as well just fine but costs a little more than "standard stuff."

Also, for your fretboard, if you do decide to "condition" it, don't use just any "lemon oil" - use one that's formulated for guitars (Dunlop makes one I think). They are called 'lemon oil' but they are actually lemon-scented mineral oils. I have heard stories of some commercial/industrial hardware store "lemon oil" products damaging fretboards.

 

[sleary]

This is the only stuff I use in my fretboard and only use it once to twice a year. Best stuff on the market IMO

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

 

[Majje63]

I have a 408 with trem and I want to clean the fretboard so every string must come off. Is it something I should think about when I remove the strings? Thanx in advance

 

[alantig]

You can do a few strings at a time if you don't want to take them all off, but if you do remove all six, a folded magazine subscription card under the trem will hold it in place (or a couple business cards). I have a couple mag cards wrapped in painters tape.

 

[guitarman001]

Why can't you use a slightly damp cloth on an ebony fretboard???

Also is a damp cloth ok for maple?

Surely slightly damp cloth is the easiest and least likely to cause harm....?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Why can't you use a slightly damp cloth on an ebony fretboard???

Also is a damp cloth ok for maple?

Surely slightly damp cloth is the easiest and least likely to cause harm....?

You totally can use a damp cloth. Just make sure you wipe it dry.

 

[guitarman001]

Good!
TBH I use damp cloths on maple & ebony & any fingerboard and always wipe dry. Should really get some sort of oil on at some point.
And also I should get some fine steel wool or use a toothbrush for those hard to access areas..

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd go toothbrush first. Steel wool can be a little invasive.

 

[guitarman001]

I'd go toothbrush first. Steel wool can be a little invasive.

Oh really? I thought the bristles of a toothbrush would have been worse!

 

[gush]

You don't want to spend an hour picking steel wool particles off your pickups.

 

[guitarman001]

You don't want to spend an hour picking steel wool particles off your pickups.

Good point! That's put me right off steel wool, thanks!!!

 

[Huggy Love]

Good point! That's put me right off steel wool, thanks!!!

Fine steel wool (000 or 0000) is what the pros use, it cleans, polishes frets and isn't very aggressive. To avoid steel wool particles simply tape off your PUs with easily removed masking tape (green/lacquer or blue/paint *availale at your local hardware store), but then again if you're going to do anything on your guitar that may take an abrasive of any type it should be taped off. It's what the pros do.

 

[Huggy Love]

Forgot to mention, always rub along the grain and never across it, when using steel wool. One other super simple tool to keep your axe clean is a soft bristle paint brush to get dust out of that area between the bridge and PU, headstock, & under the strings (another repair pro trick). Good luck on keeping your PRS looking sweet.

 

[Rider1260]

Ah Cleaning
Many good ideas here
1) Micro Fiber cloths -- I buy the big bags a Costco , use them a bit then get a new one ( one in every case also ) , use the older ones on my Cars and Bike.
2) Cotton Cloths - for anything you want to soak up ( Fret Board oil , Past wax , etc ) I only use these once on a guitar.
2) Fret boards ( Rosewood ) Necks - I use Gibson fret board conditioner I also use 3000 grit sandpaper ( Clearcoat polishing )( instead of steel wool) on Frets , Fret boards , RW Necks and metal parts ( Do not use a lot on the brushed pickup covers as it will polish them after a bit )
3) Liquid Polish ( everyday use ) I also use Gibson polish safe for all finishes
4) Dry Polish ( paste wax ) Deep Clean, Polish -- Maguires used to make a 3 step polish wax set up now you have to get it in parts Clear coat polish / Swirl remover / Hi Gloss Polish

 

[AP515]

You don't want to spend an hour picking steel wool particles off your pickups.

Just cover both pickups with a cloth or plastic wrap and a tape that won't leave a residue.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I really tried to avoid posting this again.

 

[dogrocketp]

Sergio, The uninitiated must learn the cold hard facts of life. You are doing them a favor by enlightening them. Rock on.