Suggestions for cleaning the metal parts

[Alan Faulkner]

I used to use Ronson lighter fluid for the strings. What is preferred nowadays for all the gear underneath?
What about for a lube job?
I use a small hypodermic needle. Works great but doesn't look great when the neighbours come over. Have to hide it.
No really it's to lube my guitar. seriously...

[Joel Meredith]

Are you diabetic?
I'm just asking because I am and that's the only reason I can think of having needles handy around the house...Good idea using one to lube your axe, BTW

[James Collett]

I use triflow- a teflon-based lubricant with an evaporating applicator fluid, leaving just teflon. Thus there's no gunky mess on the guitar when you're done.

Instructions:
Greg Cutshaw's site

[Alan Faulkner]

Are you diabetic?

No but a friend's wife is and she gave me a handfull of the very small ones she has. They have incredibly small needles on them which are excellent for getting into small places.
I know some of the nurses in the small town hospital where I used to live and they gave me some old glass needles that they don't use any more because they are meant to be cleaned and reused. They are handy periodically for oiling and greasing in difficult spots. They are also dangerous to have lying around anywhere there are children obviously.

[Darvin Willhoite]

I have had good luck with Formula 409. It cleans up oily parts nicely, and I also use it to clean the black buffing residue from aluminum parts. It doesn't seem to cause corrosion, or dis-coloration, at least it hasn't yet.

I use the same stuff to scrub amp tolex. The 409, along with an old toothbrush, works wonders.

[Donny Hinson]

I use a small hypodermic needle. Works great but doesn't look great when the neighbours come over. Have to hide it.

Get one of those plastic tooth brush holders people use when traveling, and put the syringe in that! It disguises and protects the uhh..."implement".

[Alan Faulkner]

I have had good luck with Formula 409. It cleans up oily parts nicely, and I also use it to clean the black buffing residue from aluminum parts. It doesn't seem to cause corrosion, or dis-coloration, at least it hasn't yet.

I use the same stuff to scrub amp tolex. The 409, along with an old toothbrush, works wonders.

Thanks Darvin, Which version of 409 ? I notice at their website there are 4 versions. Amp tolex ?

Thanks James, Triflow is good stuff. Hard to find but I'll have a look around. Thanks for the link

[Martin Weenick]

For the black stuff that is left on aluminum I called Caswells where I buy all my buffing supplies at and they recommend plain ,ole , everyday Windex. It really does a great job. Its the only thing that will take the really heavy residue off the parts I buff on my machine. Martin.

[Bob Hoffnar]

I like Flitz metal polish.

[Darvin Willhoite]

Alan, I just use the plain old Formula 409.

Martin, I would think that this is about like Windex, I'll try Windex on the next parts I buff and see which works best.

[Jim Sliff]

Never use Windex on a guitar.

It contains ammonia, which reacts with all sorts of things - including some (not all) types of aluminum, and it absolutely will destory a paint finish if used regularly.

Lighter fluid (naphtha - and the Ronson squeeze bottles are the easiest, although you can buy gallons MUCH cheaper and refill bottles with focused-spray tips) is the most neutral when it comes to every guitar part. It's safe on paint, lacquer, formica, bare wood, and aluminum (plus brass, copper, chrome, etc). Flush everything with that *twice* (the first time will loosen sludge - the *second* removes it).

Then keep every single oil-type product the heck away from moving parts. ALL oils, no matter how light the viscosity (thickness), attract dirt. When they get dirt in them, they thicken. When they thicken, they gum up the mechanism.

For years I used sewing-machine oil on 6-stings and the few steels I worked on. Then after dismantling FAR too many vibratos, steel levers, and various other moving parts I stopped using oils completely and converted to dry graphite. It does a great job, but has an unfortunate tendency to work itself into anything it touches, leaving a pencil-like mark or stain.

My local bike shop turned me on to Tri Flow teflon lube, and I've used nothing else since. The light solvent carrier evaporates quickly enough (a day or two) to not attract dirt, and once its dry you have a smooth, microscopic Teflon film on the parts.

I use it on instruments - but also around the house on anything that moves! The only other lubricants I use (other than auto product...but only on a car)are Caig products on electronics and WD40 ONLY on garage door springs (THAT product should be controlled - I've seen too many guitars wrecked with it).

TriFlow is made by Sherwin-Williams, surprisingly enough. Almost all specialty bike shops have it, but some home Depot and Lowes stores carry it now (and at a cheaper price). I get it at a local hardware store...costs me a couple bucks more but probably saves me $3 in gas!

I've been a guitar/amp tech on a part-time basis for 3 decades, have seen many flash-in-the-pan items...but this one is the real deal. Besides the usual allen wrenches, strings, screwdrivers etc, there are a few things that go with me to EVERY gig/jam: Caig Deoxit & Pro Gold; Tri Flow; lighter fluid; soldering iron/solder; multimeter; duct tape. There are a lot more, but those are THE essentials.

[Martin Weenick]

As Jim Sliff says , never get windex on the wood of the guitar. All the parts I do are off the guitar and you dont want to let parts soak for a period of time in windex as it will make them "cloudy" . I always wash off with warm water after cleaning with windex. Martin.