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Author Topic:  Cleaning Changer in the Guitar
Michael Remming


From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 10:44 am    
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I played a wedding this last night that was in a very large riding arena. They did there best to move all the dirt and installed a wood dance floor. Anyway all of our equipment was filthy by the end of the night and I took an air compressor to my changer today. I was wondering if anyone has tried any spray solvents like brake cleaner or carb cleaner to clean a changer?
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Tony Dingus

 

From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 10:58 am    
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Lighter Fluid and PB Blaster work good.

Tony
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 11:17 am    
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how do you 'move the dirt' out of a dirt riding arena?
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James Morehead


From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 1:08 pm     Re: Cleaning Changer in the Guitar
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Michael Remming wrote:
I was wondering if anyone has tried any spray solvents like brake cleaner or carb cleaner to clean a changer?


Disassembly, if you want it truly clean. Spray and solvents if you want to just make yourself feel better, like "I kind of did something for it".
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 6:50 pm    
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I'm with James on this one. "Flushing" a changer, IMHO, often does more harm than good. Oh sure, it makes things look pretty and clean, but the low viscosity of a solvent just guarantees particulates will be carried farther into the changer, and this happens very swiftly. If you've been in a dusty environment, and feel you should clean it up, using compressed air and cotton swabs is a far safer method of elininating surface dust and grime.
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Kevin Mincke


From:
Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 8:09 pm     Re: Cleaning Changer in the Guitar
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Michael Remming wrote:
I was wondering if anyone has tried any spray solvents like brake cleaner or carb cleaner to clean a changer?


It won't accomplish what you need it to do and are very hard on finishes, especially lacquer but including mica. Your blowing it with the air compressor was a good start if it truly got that filthy.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 8:25 pm    
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Don't use Carb cleaner or any other solvent with methyl ethyl ketone on your changer while still in the cabinet. It's very harsh on plastics, lacquer and can dull soft aluminum finishes.

Brake cleaner is milder and dissipates quickly, but can still be harmful to some surfaces.

A better solvent is naphtha, [lighter fluid] or just plain old rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip. Be sure and add a tad of lube after cleaning.
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Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 13 Oct 2012 8:39 pm     Cleaning changer in the Guitar
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I agree holey, Do not use Carb Cleaner or Brake Cleaner. both have components that are bad on plastic or laquer finishes and some glues. Lighter fluid or Spray starting fluid will clean without doing a lot of damage to surrounding surfaces. Let dry and lube again before playing. They both remove all oil. As an armor for a police dept. I have seen some high power cleaners like brake and carborator cleaners melt the surface of plastic gun grips. Good Luck and Happy Steeling.
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Bill Ford


From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
Post  Posted 14 Oct 2012 4:22 am    
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Michael,
Another tip, tape the changer off with a couple of layers of paper as though you were going to paint it, this will give the surrounding area some protection from the cleaner. As mentioned, take it apart, and soak it is best, lot of trouble tho.

BF
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Michael Remming


From:
Kimberly, Idaho, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 15 Oct 2012 6:20 am    
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Thanks for all the suggestions.

Chris the arena had a layer of soft sandy dirt that was scrapped off and piled at the end of the building. Leaving a harder dirt floor that they assembled 4x8 floor panels on.
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Herb Steiner


From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
Post  Posted 15 Oct 2012 7:30 am    
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chris ivey wrote:
how do you 'move the dirt' out of a dirt riding arena?


Very good question Chris asks. The answer is "you can't."

Having played a ton of rodeos in my day I will attest to the fact that the dirt dust particulates are swirling suspended in the air and there's no way short of a clean room vacuum situation to remove the stuff. It gets on everything including your clothes, lungs, and nasal passages.

I have a D2F guitar cover stashed in the back of my amp and I keep the guitar covered until it's time to play, then cover it on break time. When I get back to the house, I blast it out with the compressor but no chemicals. I do blow out the entire undercarriage (e.g. where the crossbars fit into the front apron) as well as the entire topside. It ain't perfect system, but it works for me.
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