Cleaning machine head with strings on.

Wayne Franco · Post by **Wayne Franco** » 3 Jul 2006 7:49 pm

Does anyone have a good method of cleaning the headstock without removing the strings to do it. I searched and didn't come up with anything.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Jul 2006 8:12 pm

I can't imagine that. Why wouldn't you just do it when you change strings?

Wayne Franco · Post by **Wayne Franco** » 3 Jul 2006 8:19 pm

Well, I have a new guitar and I just played it outside this weekend. I don't want any build up between the time I change strings. I thought maybe someone had a long bristled brush or something that might work easily. As you know, it is really a pain to get in there without doing it at string change time.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Jul 2006 8:24 pm

I see. Maybe some canned air, like they use to clean computer keyboards?

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 3 Jul 2006 9:19 pm

That's easy. Use a paint brush - a big, broad,new unused one of course. Break the dust and crap loose with the brush and blow it out w/compressed air.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 4 Jul 2006 2:34 am

For a quick cheap cleaning, I just use a regular dustbrush like you get in a housewares department. I use it on my six-strings too, just to get the major dust off the headstock. I keep a special one just for the guitars and rack stuff, mixer etc. The soft ones will go right between the strings and dust off the fretboard too. A good blow has to finish it up, of course....

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 4 Jul 2006 3:55 am

Between strings changes, I use a good quality, soft bristle 2 inch paint brush. It gets the dust out of those areas pretty well.
Hook

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Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 4 Jul 2006 5:55 am

What Hook said...also a brush is good for getting polish residue out of the little cracks and crevises.

Bill

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 4 Jul 2006 12:26 pm

Like I said...........

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 4 Jul 2006 12:44 pm

Put your steel in the back of your pickup and go thru the car wash...

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Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 4 Jul 2006 1:49 pm

Maybe some canned air

Better be carefull with that.Some cans contain a little water.I wouldn't use it.But maybe the containers at home are better than the ones over here in Europe.

Ron

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Paul Norman · Post by **Paul Norman** » 4 Jul 2006 2:33 pm

Steve's got a good idea with the car wash.
You can get all the little dirty crevices and spots. I think I will try that.

Are MSA s waterproof??

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 4 Jul 2006 7:09 pm

Q-tips

Wayne Franco · Post by **Wayne Franco** » 4 Jul 2006 7:30 pm

Q-tips are the reson I asked the question in the first place. I think the MSA Millinium would be the best candidate for the car wash but I would recommend only the body be washed that way so you would have to take it apart. May not be a time saver. : ) Thanks you guys for the great ideas. I am going to try a couple of them! I believe this is the first time I searched a subjest before posting and nothing came up. [This message was edited by W Franco on 04 July 2006 at 08:32 PM.][This message was edited by W Franco on 04 July 2006 at 08:34 PM.][This message was edited by W Franco on 04 July 2006 at 08:34 PM.]

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 5 Jul 2006 5:18 am

One more - I keep a camera cleaning brush with my equipment - it looks like a lipstick tube, but when you pull off the top an twist it you end up with a fine-bristle brush the perfect size for headstocks (and bridges on 6-strings). Available at any professional camera store.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 5 Jul 2006 6:33 am

How about trying to get the dust from between the necks of an Emmons!!!? Especially in that tiny gap between the switch-panel and the E9th neck, and also at the changer-end?!

I do have a quality bristle craft brush (purloined from my dear wife! I wonder if she's missed it yet?) that is good for the machine-head, but it won't deal with those other difficult spots. Is the Emmons worse in this regard than other steels? I can't remember now...

RR

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 5 Jul 2006 10:30 am

Steve had a good suggestion for us rednecks. You could also use the old Ralph Mooney method and wash the guitar down with a garden hose and sit it in the yard to dry.

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Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 5 Jul 2006 7:58 pm

Hook,
Tommy Skelton didn't talk you into putting some paint in that brush ,did he ?

Steve,
You're so funny,
Wish id'a said'dat,,,,,,,,,,,,,
sounds like sump'um Tommy would'a said.

being serious, I use a 225 psi air compressor to clean mine,,,with a water trap inline, so as to get No moisture from the nozzle.
Otherwise, wait till you change strings, clean and polish the surface so dust won't stick as easily..

Kenny[This message was edited by KENNY FORBESS on 05 July 2006 at 09:11 PM.]