Regular manteinance, bridge and whatever...

[Gigi]

Hallo everyone.
I wanted to ask: what are the ordinary maintenance operations that you generally do every time you change the strings?
I usually clean the fretboard, lubricate it with lemon oil (rosewood fretboards, nothing on maple) then put the strings back on, tune and intonate if needed.
but wanting to do more complete maintenance, for example if I want to disassemble the bridge, clean it (we all know that it tends to become dull quickly) and lubricate it ... which products should I use?
and the nut? do you use something to lubricate the seat of the strings? and on the saddles?

thanks in advance
thirsty for information here...

 

[garrett]

Lemon oil every string change is excessive. Shouldn't be needed more than maaaybe twice a year.

There's no reason at all to take the bridge apart nor lubricate it.

Blue Magic or similar for polishing metals.

Maybe a little Nut Sauce or similar lube for the nut slots, but shouldn't really be needed with the regular PRS nut.

 

[jvin248]

.

But only if your fretboard looks like the left side of this picture

There are some who fear heavy application of fretboard oil as it softens the wood and glue around the frets so the frets can move around. That's why the note about 'Maaaaybe twice a year' previously.

Don't eat nachos/fries/buffalo wings while playing the guitar and you can clean it with a little damp cloth.

Check all the fasteners are tight. Often a jack nut gets loose then it gets twisted/shorted/broken.


.

 

[bodia]

Lemon oil every string change is excessive. Shouldn't be needed more than maaaybe twice a year.

There's no reason at all to take the bridge apart nor lubricate it.

Blue Magic or similar for polishing metals.

Maybe a little Nut Sauce or similar lube for the nut slots, but shouldn't really be needed with the regular PRS nut.

I'm with Garrett.

 

[Gigi]

Of course i forgot to mention that i change strings maaaaybe one time a year
I changed strings on my standard yesterday, last time it was november 2017 8)
On my SAS i changed strings when i bought it, june 2016, they are still there.

I'm a sunday player.

So basically nothing besides a good clean up...

 

[László]

Lemon oil is actually scented naphtha. Same substance as lighter fluid, dry cleaning fluid, etc. It doesn’t lubricate anything, it’s a cleaner. Once it evaporates it actually dries the wood, because it leeches the natural oils in the rosewood, and brings them to the surface to evaporate.

In other words, it behaves like what it is: dry cleaning fluid. Your clothing doesn’t come back from the dry cleaners feeling oiled - neither does your fretboard.

So yes, clean the fretboard with it every so often, and rub it off, then use a furniture polish. PRS used to recommend Pledge or Behold sprayed on a cloth, then polish the fretboard with it to seal the wood.

 

[bodia]

Lemon oil is actually scented naphtha. Same substance as lighter fluid, dry cleaning fluid, etc. It doesn’t lubricate anything, it’s a cleaner. Once it evaporates it actually dries the wood, because it leeches the natural oils in the rosewood, and brings them to the surface to evaporate.

In other words, it behaves like what it is: dry cleaning fluid. Your clothing doesn’t come back from the dry cleaners feeling oiled - neither does your fretboard.

So yes, clean the fretboard with it every so often, and rub it off, then use a furniture polish. PRS used to recommend Pledge or Behold sprayed on a cloth, then polish the fretboard with it to seal the wood.

This!