Normal wear for a maple SS?

Eatcubensis

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Purchased those polar blue silver sky back in December. Intermediate player with 1 hour a day average play. Not too worried about it, but is this kind of wear expected so soon? Are my sweaty hands a natural destroyer of fine finishes?




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Hi! many guitarists have the problem that sweat causes the strings to oxidize prematurely, your photos show that you can see it with the accumulation of dirt under the string and on the sides of the frets so in your case you should think after each use of wipe your guitar strings well with fast fret or the like to prevent oxidation! the stain on the handle is surely due to that too!
 
I appreciate your response and understand what you’re saying. I do usually clean my hands before and wipe the strings clean after playing, however, I’m actively trying to destroy these strings before I change them. The fretboard wear started well before this.
 
I played for a very long time before changing a string set, but the photos you took clearly show that your strings are at the end of their life! a friend of mine has his problem he changes it's strings every 3 weeks !! the stains are due simply because your fingers touch the oxidized strings and your neck of course! results stain on the most used part of the handle! change your strings and wash your neck with a suitable product that goes on maple,
to finish there are also the handle with a much less resistant oil finish that must be maintained more often, but I did not have this model maybe that someone can better inform you:)
 
I do not have a maple board SS yet BUT my CU22 and DC3 Maple neck showed the dirt is a similar way , The finish on that guitar was "finish in" maple neck with a very satin feel , mine cleaned off with furniture polish like Pledge, between string changes it always showed darken spots where I played most.
I am betting the finish on the SS is similar , not a gloss like a fender but more of a sealer deep in the wood.
If it is wearing off of the finish that is usually a badge of honor for maple neck players
 
When I change strings on my SS, I have been putting a small amount of Dr Ducks Ax Wax on the fretboard to clean it and then quickly wiping it off. Is this a good idea?
 
The wear is natural. Some people have in in a few months, some people take years. I change my strings very frequently and use a light touch, so I have a different wear pattern, but it’s there. Remember only the good guitars get played and at some point they’ll show it.
 
The wear is natural. Some people have in in a few months, some people take years. I change my strings very frequently and use a light touch, so I have a different wear pattern, but it’s there. Remember only the good guitars get played and at some point they’ll show it.
Thanks for the feedback, I won't worry any longer about it.
PS - I'd like to think that I play with a light touch, but the wear on my frets suggests otherwise...:)
 
Hi! many guitarists have the problem that sweat causes the strings to oxidize prematurely, your photos show that you can see it with the accumulation of dirt under the string and on the sides of the frets so in your case you should think after each use of wipe your guitar strings well with fast fret or the like to prevent oxidation! the stain on the handle is surely due to that too!
I literally was my hands before I pick up my Core CU24 every single time lol
Maybe a bit OCD…. But it definitely prolongs string life. Wipe her down every time too!
 
The wear is natural. Some people have in in a few months, some people take years. I change my strings very frequently and use a light touch, so I have a different wear pattern, but it’s there. Remember only the good guitars get played and at some point they’ll show it.
I change my strings on each guitar once a year, wherther they need it or not :):). I hate changing strings, especially true for non PRS guitars.
 
That looks like it's caused by the acid's in your sweat when you play. Body acids are the main cause of strings tarnishing and rusting, the main cause of this acid is diet.

Too much fruit or veg causes excess acid as do undiluted fruit juices.I don't really have this problem as
being scottish we don't know what fresh fruit or veg is @Alnus Rubra .I personally can get away with only changing my strings once that actually start sounding dull, whereas my lead guitarist (who's a vegan) and eat's like there's no tomorrow goes through string about every two weeks.

My son is not quite so extreme (his mom makes him each a lot of veg every day) But he still goes through strings about I set a month - and tarnishes nickel like mad.

Nitro or satin finished necks wear quicker because of this condition.
 
That looks like it's caused by the acid's in your sweat when you play. Body acids are the main cause of strings tarnishing and rusting, the main cause of this acid is diet.

Too much fruit or veg causes excess acid as do undiluted fruit juices.I don't really have this problem as
being scottish we don't know what fresh fruit or veg is @Alnus Rubra .I personally can get away with only changing my strings once that actually start sounding dull, whereas my lead guitarist (who's a vegan) and eat's like there's no tomorrow goes through string about every two weeks.

My son is not quite so extreme (his mom makes him each a lot of veg every day) But he still goes through strings about I set a month - and tarnishes nickel like mad.

Nitro or satin finished necks wear quicker because of this condition.


In Scotland we eat plenty of salad. We save the chips from a fish supper for the morning after and call them a “potato salad”!;)
 
In Scotland we eat plenty of salad. We save the chips from a fish supper for the morning after and call them a “potato salad”!;)
Now you've gone and done it, I'm craving a proper fish supper, all the chippies down here shut around 8 o'clock :mad:.

Fry up time I think.
Bacon
Lorne sausage
White pudding
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Fried bread

Yum Yum:)
 
Now you've gone and done it, I'm craving a proper fish supper, all the chippies down here shut around 8 o'clock :mad:.

Fry up time I think.
Bacon
Lorne sausage
White pudding
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Fried bread

Yum Yum:)

That was my tea last night, lorne, black pudding, haggis, link sausage , bacon and egg, so healthy!!

Some left over this morning, so I had seconds with an omelette. So bad.
 
Now you've gone and done it, I'm craving a proper fish supper, all the chippies down here shut around 8 o'clock :mad:.

Fry up time I think.
Bacon
Lorne sausage
White pudding
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Fried bread

Yum Yum:)

That was my tea last night, lorne, black pudding, haggis, link sausage , bacon and egg, so healthy!!

Some left over this morning, so I had seconds with an omelette. So bad.
On the way! I'll be at Fullmoon's for breakfast and Alnus' for dinner!
 
Yep that's what happens with thin finishes over maple, especially nitro. Wear it as a badge of honor.

The story is, that's why Fender switched to rosewood fretboards back in 1959.
 
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