Cleaning Up A Stringmaster
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- Earl Grubbs
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 30 Mar 2010 7:54 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- Contact:
Cleaning Up A Stringmaster
Hey all. Long time dobro player and newbie steel player here. I recently rescued a '54 Fender Stringmaster D8 and was wondering what you recommend for cleaning and shining all the chrome on this axe and if it is ok to use it on the pickups as well.
- Ken Metcalf
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- Joined: 21 Oct 2005 12:01 am
- Location: San Antonio Texas USA
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It looks pretty bad,
For a small fee I could haul it away for you.
You know they charge extra these days to relic a guitar.
I would start by taking the strings off, and go with a damp rag Q-tips and work your way up to a mild watered down soap,if necessary , maybe some chrome cleaner.
Not too much and not to wet.
I like it the way it is.
New strings and you'll be set.
For a small fee I could haul it away for you.
You know they charge extra these days to relic a guitar.
I would start by taking the strings off, and go with a damp rag Q-tips and work your way up to a mild watered down soap,if necessary , maybe some chrome cleaner.
Not too much and not to wet.
I like it the way it is.
New strings and you'll be set.
- Eric Philippsen
- Posts: 1966
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- Location: Central Indiana, USA
- Earl Grubbs
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 30 Mar 2010 7:54 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN, USA
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- David Beckner
- Posts: 1574
- Joined: 5 Feb 2007 2:56 pm
- Location: Kentucky, USA
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Earl a visit to Guittar center or store that sells Virtuoso polish and a little elbow grease and this will look splendid.
WILCOX SD10 (love the white mica)
WALKER SEAT
NASHVILLE 400
BEHRINGER RACK TUNER
CUSH CASE RACK
PEAVEY DELTA FEX
PARTS CASTER.Gospel and Classic Country Music
http://www.dbupholstery.yolasite.com
WALKER SEAT
NASHVILLE 400
BEHRINGER RACK TUNER
CUSH CASE RACK
PEAVEY DELTA FEX
PARTS CASTER.Gospel and Classic Country Music
http://www.dbupholstery.yolasite.com
- Alan Brookes
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- Location: Brummy living in Southern California
-
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- Tom Wolverton
- Posts: 2874
- Joined: 8 May 2008 3:52 pm
- Location: Carpinteria, CA
Stringmaster clean-up
Careful what you use to clean up the wood finish. Some stuff will eat it. Treat the wood finish like a nice old D-28 Martin and I think you will be OK. Maybe a moist cloth and that's about it. For the metal clean up, see what other's have recommended. Now, there's one thing that I do with all Stringmasters. I carefully remove the nut and take the tuner pans out and clean them up and give them a good oiling. Sometimes the crown gear is too tight (see Paul Hosteler's web page about that)
http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
Those old lollipop tuners are fragile, so be careful. It's a great, long scale guitar. and yes, please don't refinish it. : )
http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html
Those old lollipop tuners are fragile, so be careful. It's a great, long scale guitar. and yes, please don't refinish it. : )
Last edited by Tom Wolverton on 13 Apr 2010 3:08 pm, edited 3 times in total.
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
If it doesn't come off with a slightly damp soft cotton rag its meant to be on the guitar. Its earned that grime from years of dedicated service.
Now if it was impeding its playability or tone, that's a different story, but it's not very likely.
I say take a damp rag to it and what doesn't come off leave it, but that's my opinions.
At the end of the day though its your guitar, do what you know is right.
Now if it was impeding its playability or tone, that's a different story, but it's not very likely.
I say take a damp rag to it and what doesn't come off leave it, but that's my opinions.
At the end of the day though its your guitar, do what you know is right.
- Earl Grubbs
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 30 Mar 2010 7:54 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- Contact:
Thanks to all for the advice and no, I'm definately not going to refinish it. I just wanted to clean off some of the grime and dust that has accumulated over the past 50+ years.
Tom, thanks for the tuner advice. I actually road bike so I have plenty of tri-flow at the house. I hadn't even thought of using that as a lubricant for the guitar.
Tom, thanks for the tuner advice. I actually road bike so I have plenty of tri-flow at the house. I hadn't even thought of using that as a lubricant for the guitar.
- Tom Wolverton
- Posts: 2874
- Joined: 8 May 2008 3:52 pm
- Location: Carpinteria, CA
...and based on an interesting thread over in the non-pedal forum, you might check to see if your neck bolts need to be tighted up.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=181969
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=181969
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
- Rick Winfield
- Posts: 941
- Joined: 22 Feb 2007 12:45 pm
- Location: Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
character
Looks to me like it's got a lot of "character".
Many happy hours spent entertaining the "folks" and themselves.
If it were mine, I'd just use liquid gold on the wood, and polish the chrome a little
good times, with a nice axe
Rick
Many happy hours spent entertaining the "folks" and themselves.
If it were mine, I'd just use liquid gold on the wood, and polish the chrome a little
good times, with a nice axe
Rick
- Earl Grubbs
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 30 Mar 2010 7:54 am
- Location: Murfreesboro, TN, USA
- Contact:
- Rick Winfield
- Posts: 941
- Joined: 22 Feb 2007 12:45 pm
- Location: Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
Authentic
Sounds "authentic" to me.
From what little I know, beneath the tuning pans, was where they recorded it's "birthday", and who assembled it.
I'm excited for you !
Rick
From what little I know, beneath the tuning pans, was where they recorded it's "birthday", and who assembled it.
I'm excited for you !
Rick
- John Billings
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- Location: Ohio, USA