Best Way to Remove Gloss Finish Back of Guitar Neck

After enduring a long winter with cold temperatures and low humidity, your acoustic guitar deserves some extra TLC. Even if you live in a more temperate climate and winter isn't as hard on your cherished instruments as it is in some places, a change of seasons marks a great time to catch up on some basic instrument care and get your guitar back in tip-top shape.

Here's a list of a few simple things our head repair guru, Evan Manthei, suggests to make your guitar sparkle:

Clean and hydrate your fingerboard

Your guitar's fingerboard receives a lot of wear when you play so it's important that it receives some special attention every now and then. It's a great idea to wipe your guitar down after each time you play, which will help keep your fingerboard clean and prolong the life of your strings, but sometimes your guitar needs a deeper clean.

Manthei says,  "For spring cleaning, you can rub the fingerboard lightly with 0000 steel wool. Then, clean off any leftover steel wool fragments and apply mineral or lemon oil with an old cotton shirt or designated guitar polish cloth. You can also use Q-tips to get into those hard to reach areas. Finally, wipe the fingerboard clean and be sure to wipe off any oil that may have gotten onto the finished body or neck."

Clean your guitar's finish

Sweat and dust work to corrode your instrument's finish so an occasional wipe with some specialized cleaner can go a long way in keeping your guitar looking great. Manthei says, "Breedlove gloss finishes are very hard and durable. Using a soft cotton cloth and guitar polish to clean your instrument will ensure that it maintains its beautiful look. We recommend using products that are designed for the specific parts and materials of your guitar such as pre-formulated fingerboard oil (or mineral/lemon oil) on the fingerboard and cleaner or polish on the body and neck."

Owners of Breedloves with a satin finish can skip the polish and just give it an attentive wipe with a clean cloth. Manthei says, "Breedlove satin finishes are easy to take care of. Simply wipe the finish with a soft polishing cloth after playing to keep it looking clean."

If your satin finish is extra dirty and a dry cloth doesn't do the trick, it's important to avoid products containing polish or wax on satin or matte finishes because those products may buff the finish into an imperfect glossy sheen. Manthei says, "You can use a guitar cleaner. Guitar cleaners are made to remove oils and residues; polishes are made to buff and create shine. There are several types of small spray bottle cleaners on the market – the one I recommend the most is Music Nomad Guitar Detailer – it is a cleaner that is oil and polish free and can be used on either satin or gloss finish."

Change your strings

"Finally, it's not a bad time to change those strings if needed," says Manthei. A fresh set of strings goes a long way to reinvigorate the sound of your instrument. It'll be easier to clean your fingerboard if you remove the strings, so why not use this as an opportunity to put on a new set? If you're feeling a little extra adventurous, you might even want to try a new brand or style of string.

If you haven't experimented with the current string offerings in a while, this is a great time to see what's on the market. Have you been using a set of phosphor bronze strings? Maybe 80/20 bronze strings would open up some new tones, or vice versa. See what's out there!

And keep thinking about humidification!

When the seasons change, not only does the temperature fluctuate, but so does the relative humidity. It's important to always keep in mind that a guitar is made of wood and was once a living and breathing thing — a tree — so as humidity changes so does your instrument.

If you keep your guitar sitting out or hanging on a wall, it's important to maintain an ideal range of humidity in the room where your guitar is kept — whether that means using a room humidifier or dehumidifier — and monitoring it with a hygrometer.

If you keep your guitar in a case, a two-way humidifier such as those offered from Boveda takes all the work out of maintaining ideal conditions. Boveda's patented two-way humidity control adds or removes moisture as conditions require in order to maintain the ideal humidity level in your instrument case. Because Boveda requires zero maintenance, your instrument will always be protected. You can snag the Boveda packs here.

Once you've given your guitar a round of spring guitar care, your instrument should feel refreshed and ready to be played. Don't be surprised if you find yourself reaching for your Breedlove a little more than usual!

Best Way to Remove Gloss Finish Back of Guitar Neck

Source: https://breedlovemusic.com/acoustic-guitar-blog/caring-for-your-guitar-in-the-spring

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