How to Prevent Guitar Corrosion
Wash your hands before each use., Wipe the strings with a lint-free cloth after playing., Oil the tuning pegs regularly., Clean rusted strings., Allow a professional to perform any electrical repairs., Repair damage to chromed parts promptly., Store...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands before each use.
A simple and effective way to prevent corrosion to your guitar's parts is to play it with clean hands.
The oil and dirt that naturally accumulate on your hands can eventually lead to degradation and corrosion of your guitar's strings, frets, tuning pegs, pots, and other metal parts that are touched frequently. -
Step 2: Wipe the strings with a lint-free cloth after playing.
Although strings can be replaced easily, prolonging their life will improve your guitar's tone and save you money.
Give the strings a quick wipe with a clean, lint-free cloth after each playing session to remove sweat and oil that can lead to corrosion. , The tuners on a guitar are usually made from steel, and the constant rotations to which they are subjected increases wear and exposes the metal to rust and corrosion.
To prevent this, apply a few drops of machine oil (available at hardware stores) to the tuning pegs every few months. , Use aluminum foil; rub it against the rusted string to clean off all surface rust.
Wipe down with a kitchen towel or cloth.
Repeat as often as required to remove any rust., If any of your guitar's electrical components ever malfunction or need to be replaced, hire a professional technician to perform the repair.
Working on your guitar's electrical parts yourself can lead to faulty connections and exposed wiring, both problems which can lead to accelerated corrosion. , Most metal guitar hardware has a chromed finish, but bits of this finish can be stripped away through bumps and scratches.
If the underlying metal is left exposed, it can develop rust and quickly deteriorate.
Have a professional technician repair the metal's finish promptly before rust develops. , If a guitar is left exposed to the air, the continuous buildup of dust and atmospheric pollutants will eventually mar the finish of both the body and the metal hardware.
Keep your guitar in a hard shell case when not in use to preserve and protect its finish. , Ideally, a guitar should be stored at a relative humidity between 45 and 55 percent.
Higher or lower moisture levels can cause cracking or warping of the wood and corrosion of wiring and metal parts.
A dehumidifier can be used to control the humidity in your home.
You can also place small desiccant packets inside the guitar's case to control humidity. -
Step 3: Oil the tuning pegs regularly.
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Step 4: Clean rusted strings.
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Step 5: Allow a professional to perform any electrical repairs.
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Step 6: Repair damage to chromed parts promptly.
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Step 7: Store the guitar in its case as often as possible.
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Step 8: Monitor the humidity in which the guitar is stored.
Detailed Guide
A simple and effective way to prevent corrosion to your guitar's parts is to play it with clean hands.
The oil and dirt that naturally accumulate on your hands can eventually lead to degradation and corrosion of your guitar's strings, frets, tuning pegs, pots, and other metal parts that are touched frequently.
Although strings can be replaced easily, prolonging their life will improve your guitar's tone and save you money.
Give the strings a quick wipe with a clean, lint-free cloth after each playing session to remove sweat and oil that can lead to corrosion. , The tuners on a guitar are usually made from steel, and the constant rotations to which they are subjected increases wear and exposes the metal to rust and corrosion.
To prevent this, apply a few drops of machine oil (available at hardware stores) to the tuning pegs every few months. , Use aluminum foil; rub it against the rusted string to clean off all surface rust.
Wipe down with a kitchen towel or cloth.
Repeat as often as required to remove any rust., If any of your guitar's electrical components ever malfunction or need to be replaced, hire a professional technician to perform the repair.
Working on your guitar's electrical parts yourself can lead to faulty connections and exposed wiring, both problems which can lead to accelerated corrosion. , Most metal guitar hardware has a chromed finish, but bits of this finish can be stripped away through bumps and scratches.
If the underlying metal is left exposed, it can develop rust and quickly deteriorate.
Have a professional technician repair the metal's finish promptly before rust develops. , If a guitar is left exposed to the air, the continuous buildup of dust and atmospheric pollutants will eventually mar the finish of both the body and the metal hardware.
Keep your guitar in a hard shell case when not in use to preserve and protect its finish. , Ideally, a guitar should be stored at a relative humidity between 45 and 55 percent.
Higher or lower moisture levels can cause cracking or warping of the wood and corrosion of wiring and metal parts.
A dehumidifier can be used to control the humidity in your home.
You can also place small desiccant packets inside the guitar's case to control humidity.
About the Author
Jason Hernandez
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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