Monkey Man
Super Moderator
It's dry-to-the-touch and leaves no trace of moisture, FWIMBW.
I think it's an acid thing bro'. Same here.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Yah, I too have extremely corrosive sweat that's rough on plating and especially on strings. I also sweat heavily onstage.
So I've used the Fast-Fret sticks for decades: wipe each string > swipe all with the stick > wipe each again > swipe all again to leave a coating.
I use the stuff to inhibit rusting, not for the slickness. And it works.
Still have to watch the usage on my strings though.
I can get up to three hours stage time from a set of strings without danger of breakage if they're wiped with FastFret immediately after playing.
For rehearsals & jams I can go more than twice that long - six or eight hours.
(Not playing quite so hard then, nor sweating quite so much. And it isn't as crucial that strings never break.)
Recordings generally get a fresh set every time - I want that extra sparkle and zing.
In my touring years I changed guitars often during a set; the stage tech would wipe each one's strings right away, then retune it.
Not switching guitars as much these days, and I no longer have full-time road crew.
I still keep pretty close track of the hours on my strings, though.
And I'm still wiping them with FastFret after playing. Every time.
CrystalSky
Well-known member
You’ve done a full research it seems! Great to hear experience of a touring guitarist! Are you a pro musician or was that in a time free of dayjob?
I never noticed any fast corrosion or breakage on my guitars, was just curious because overal “cleannes” because third string darkened quite some on my last set, but others were shiny.
Might get something like that to experiment a little.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
F-One is the best.
I use 0000 steel wool on the frets. I know, it can make a mess, and bits stick to your pickup magnets, but I tape off.
The best nut lube I've found is Stewmac guitar grease. A little tedious, but I use a toothpick and have it down to a science.
I use 0000 steel wool on the frets. I know, it can make a mess, and bits stick to your pickup magnets, but I tape off.
The best nut lube I've found is Stewmac guitar grease. A little tedious, but I use a toothpick and have it down to a science.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
@CrystalSky the Finger Ease I linked to earlier does the same thing, at least for me.
As I said, after playing I just spray once (one motion down the board) and wipe that with a dry cloth.
As I said, after playing I just spray once (one motion down the board) and wipe that with a dry cloth.
CrystalSky
Well-known member
I see now. Thanks.
I was wondering do I really need these string cleaners as my strings never showed any corrosion or short life. Or maybe I was too blind to notice anything like that lol
Reason I got interested are that my strings ain’t cheap at all, so maybe I lengthen their life even more.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
In theory it should mate.
Also makes them slipperier in a good way and reduces squeaks / finger-slide noise.
As a bonus it's good for the fretboard too.
CrystalSky
Well-known member
Quite interesting. I liked application way of that String Fuel thingy. But I wonder how much better it is that just using a clean cloth to wipe above and under.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
One of the many things I like about Finger Ease is that a single, one-motion spray down the length of the board gets under the strings as well 'cause of the pressurised-can effect.
The residue on the board helps the wood stay in-shape.
The rust on the cloth tells the story of how much gunk it removes.
Apparently it conditions fingertip skin whilst you play too.
So many things make it great value.
CrystalSky
Well-known member
You really do sweat acid bro lol
That actually sounds interesting. Normally I would avoid any liquid on my fretboard.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
It evaporates almost instantly 'cause it's "aromatic".
Leaves a tiny amount of "oily" residue but it's subtle and not something you see, even on the fretboard.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Was a working pro for most of my adult life, beginning in '75 - in my own bands and as a hired gun on guitar and/or bass, both live and in the studio. Session work led to some time spent as a recording engineer, then producer, and eventually studio owner.
But I found running a studio wound up being more about business than music, so I went back to playing for a living.
That's what makes me happiest.
Sadly, in recent years I've had medical issues that affected my hands (finger clubbing). This brought my professional career to an end.
I won't ever be a world class guitarist again.
But I still can play for fun; have a couple of projects going with some guys I've played with over the decades.
And I have most of the gear I'd accumulated. I have a hard time letting go of equipment, especially guitars.
Everyone's chemistry is a little different. I think the G tends to get grungy before the others for everybody, though.
If it becomes a problem, string treatments are a simple and pretty effective solution. But plenty of players don't need them.
I think probably more are using them for lubrication than for rust prevention.
I've even seen guys spray Finger-Ease on the back of the neck for slickness.
CrystalSky
Well-known member
What a life! I bet you have cool stories to tell for days haha
What music do you play/played?
I hope your health is better now!
The back even? Wow. I never felt any lack of slickness to my strings, longevity and cleaning was my goal. Gets me more and more curious.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
I too had to give away gigging (bass) and practicing brother.
A factory-work injury took my ability to squeeze away for 3 years. Never been the same since. Only play a few minutes here and there but looking forward to getting into recording again after a 30-odd-year break.
100% spot-on mate.
I've seen it sprayed onto the back of necks too.
The stuff's a Godsend IMHO. It's like the guitar equivalent of Caig DeOxit.
dave74
Well-known member
Finger Ease is the best, but you do not spray it on the strings or the back.
Just hold your left hand out away from your guitar, and then with your right hand barely bump the nozzle a couple bumps onto your left hand's fingertips. Wait about 3 seconds and then rub those fingers up and down the strings real quickly and then the back of the neck.
It literally should take about .25 seconds of spraying and about 3 seconds of rubbing to have super slick strings and neck.
A bottle of it should last many months if you play a lot, and a year or more if you only play a couple times a week.
Only use it once at the beginning of a session per/guitar.
Spraying it directly on the strings is totally wasteful and probably not good for the board over time.
Just hold your left hand out away from your guitar, and then with your right hand barely bump the nozzle a couple bumps onto your left hand's fingertips. Wait about 3 seconds and then rub those fingers up and down the strings real quickly and then the back of the neck.
It literally should take about .25 seconds of spraying and about 3 seconds of rubbing to have super slick strings and neck.
A bottle of it should last many months if you play a lot, and a year or more if you only play a couple times a week.
Only use it once at the beginning of a session per/guitar.
Spraying it directly on the strings is totally wasteful and probably not good for the board over time.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
I wipe it instantly afterwards 'though brother.
This obviously removes excess but also takes away accumulated oxidation.
Agreed 'though; the stuff's super-useful in so many scenarios.
This obviously removes excess but also takes away accumulated oxidation.
Agreed 'though; the stuff's super-useful in so many scenarios.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
Dammit I just realised / remembered how I actually do it. It's been so long since I looked at a geetar I'd clean forgotten.
After playing I take that cloth, wrap the corner around my index and middle finger once and hit it with a spurt of Finger Ease. I then rub that lengthways along the strings.
I remembered the procedure correctly except for the fact that I spray the cloth and not the strings. No wastage this way and as I suggested in my previous post, it removes the rust as opposed to just spreading it around, which is what spraying your fingers would do (loosen and spread it).
After playing I take that cloth, wrap the corner around my index and middle finger once and hit it with a spurt of Finger Ease. I then rub that lengthways along the strings.
I remembered the procedure correctly except for the fact that I spray the cloth and not the strings. No wastage this way and as I suggested in my previous post, it removes the rust as opposed to just spreading it around, which is what spraying your fingers would do (loosen and spread it).
dave74
Well-known member
Over-spray from Finger-ease can make a hardwood floor slicker than goose shit! It's worse than Pledge even.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Yah, it's been a wild ride for sure. Rags to riches and everything in between, several times. Lots of miles and lots of music.
A fair bit of drama over the years along with plenty of hilarity.
Many unforgettable characters & moments.
My first guitar was mail ordered from the Montgomery Wards catalog. Loved it from the start. When I was ten Dad helped me build my first amp.
My journey in recording began with a pair of cassette recorders, bouncing tracks between 'em in the family dining room.
Was given a Minimoog as a graduation present in '75 and bought a four-track reel to reel shortly after.
Soon got deeply into electronic music & experimental recording; was already familiar with splice editing from studying film.
Did a handful of projects in university audio labs, helping friends get what they wanted from the big modular synths..
This sorta led to a side hustle as a synth programmer when synths got smaller & cheaper and became ubiquitous.
I wound up choosing to play rather than pursuing the tech side, though.
It's my true love, and where my meager talents lie closest to the surface.
But I was perfectly poised for the 80s synth-pop boom when it hit.
Have spanned a broad spectrum of genres over the decades.
(Wrote a partial list but deleted it 'cause I figured it'd be too long & boring for in a post.)
Excluding ethnic music, I've played nearly everything I can think of aside from bluegrass, orchestral, and death metal.
Even did sound design for a rock musical once.
Achieved some measure of success (and excess!) as lead guitarist of an 80s pop band. Beautiful-people parties, day trips to the islands, abundant debauchery. Married a model. Bought a house; opened my first commercial studio in the basement. Got clean, had a son and moved to a bigger home farther from the city. Finally leased a large space and built a real studio, great soundroom with a tunable damping system. Opened just in time for the crash of '87. Got divorced; she got the house but I kept the studio. By then I was in a group whose singer had been in a big punk band back in the 70s and knew everybody. Man, did he have some stories - made my wildest ones seem pedestrian.
For now I'm still walking around. Thanks for the well wishes.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
Awesome bro'; you're a treasure and it's an honour to have you here. 