Taylor Guitars Cleaning and Maintenance Techniques: Part 1 | ELIXIR Strings
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- Rob Magargal at the Taylor Guitars repair facility shares some basic guitar maintenance. Learn how they restring acoustic guitars after cleaning. Part 1 of 2.
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How good is the camera work in this video!! You never notice it but you always see pertinent areas quickly and clearly. Well done to however filmed this.
As a physician, surgeon and luthier, I can tell you what to put on your guitar and what not to put on your guitar. When I finish working on a guitar for someone, one of the services I provide is to detail the body and fretboard. This is most easily accomplished with the strings off and with the following (to clean and refurbish the fretboard. I use something totally different for the finish of the guitar):
1. 0000 steel wool
2. Murphy's Wood Oil Soap
3. An old cotton towel
4. Pure Almond Oil
5. A clean cotton towel
With warm water and the Murphy's Wood Oil Soap, you lightly scrub (with the grain) with the steel wool. You can use brass, as it is softer, but finding it in a 0000 gauge is nearly impossible. Doing this with the old towel underneath the neck will catch the drips. Doing about 5 frets at a time and then wiping off the crud with the old cotton towel, you work your way up the neck. You'll find that rinsing the steel wool often (several times a fret) will help extricate the dirt and oils from your fingers and really clean it off the wood. Once the entire neck is done, a finish by carefully taking the steel wool across the fret wires to polish them as well. If you've done a good job of getting the crud off the fretboard, it should look uniform and dull, without dark areas or light areas. If this isn't the case, throw out the Murphy's Wood Oil mixture, mix up a new batch and do the fretboard again. You'll be amazed and disgusted as how dark the water is as you pour it down the drain.
Now, the good part. Take the clean cotton towel (or wash cloth) and put some Almond Oil on it. A little goes a long way. Go fret by fret, rubbing it in with the grain of the wood. By the time you get to the top of the neck, you'll have enough of it soak in that it is time to wipe off the excess. The neck will look as though it was new (maybe better). As Almond Oil is pure and a natural byproduct of processing almonds, it has no additives, no preservatives and is completely natural (unlike Lemon Oil, or Scott's Liquid Gold or other things which are petroleum based and will raise the grain of the wood and does more harm than good). Restring the guitar and you're ready to go. I'm a firm believer that absolutely nothing other than Almond Oil should be applied to the bare wood (fretboard and saddle) of a guitar or any fine wood.
Thanks for the information. Like everything these days, guitar world too is so full of weird myths that it is unreal. There are a lot of guitarists (with no knowledge of carpentry what so ever) who'd say: "No, you can't use boiled linseed oil or any other natural oil on fretboard! Only lemon oil works!". Yet many of the most highly regarded violins of today were made long before this mineral oil based "lemon oil" was ever invented.
Doc, I'm with you on the Murphy's oil soap and most of the other tips you give.
I have a question though, My shoulder hurts when I raise my arm over my head and I go like this....
(sorry, I couldn't resist)
Best guitar care video I have seen yet. I really appreciate it!
Thanks for sharing. With your suggestions, I believe even an old guitar would appreciate the attention! Thank you.
"I'm going to come up to the headstock and loosen the strings slowly"..... proceeds to put power tool to the machine heads at 600rpms. Sorry, just having fun at your expense. I liked the video.
Thanks so much! Really appreciated that you use general, affordable products that can be bought in bulk and that work effectively!
My first time using 0000 steel wool on the fretboard itself (not only the frets) and boiled linseed oil to hydrate. It totally makes sense, as this is what's is commonly used in furniture making and in oiling wooden tool handles - so why not guitars? It's just timber after all.
Thanks again!
Thanks so much! This is very practical, easy to follow instructions. And if routinely followed, it will keep your guitar looking great. But so many people wait until they've got layers of crud on the fretboard, as well as on the various crevices of the guitar. So easy to MAINTAIN a guitar's finish, as opposed to trying to have to radically clean it after long periods of buildup, and what the oils in your hands and string corrosion particles do to it.
So awesome...I think i want to work at Taylor Guitars now!
What is the exact make & Model of your String Winder please? I'd love to purchase one ( same as yours ). Seems like it works great. I just bought a New 414ce-R Taylor, and I've been watching all of your Tips and Maintenance videos. Great information.
@@ElixirStringsMedia Oh Thanks. I'd appreciate that . . . if you can? (nothing critical though) Please don't go to any trouble. I have the Music Nomad Grip Winder (which I love) but yours would be a little faster. Stay Safe brother.
Using a set of diagonal cutters as a tool for grasping the bridge pins is risky with bone pins. They can easily scratch or crack the brittle bone. There are cheap (under $5) plastic pin pullers that are a lot safer to use. Or you can use some cloth around the jaws of the diagonal cutter to protect the pin from the sharp edges.
At least he didn't use a claw-hammer to pull them out.
@@allennance949 But he did lever against the saddle.
John Shalamskas lucky that Taylor use ebony pins then eh
yep, this guy is a dick, i'd take my guitar to a car wash before letting him get his claws on one of mine.
@@HarryNicNicholas d-bag much?
... I was expecting the steel wool fragments to be picked up with a magnet... magnetizing a screwdriver works well... thanks for sharing your expertise .... :)
first we're gonna remove the strings slowly with this high speed electric tuner unwinder.
That is funny
Also he did not alternate sides, guys a rookie.
I was just thinking the same thing hahaha
Yeah it’s hilarious
😂
Elixer strings are the best on the market for acoustic guitars, id love for you guys to make nylon strings too
Fantastic video - all simple but essential to keeping your guitar playing and looking great.
We're glad that you found it useful!
I never use anything other than Murphy's oil soap, diluted 3 to 1 with distilled water to clean and polish my guitars, even on the fret boards, plus a little Cape Cod metal polish for frets themselves.
It's been working for 40 years and never fails to keep them clean and looking great.
Fantastic. Very clear and informative. Thank you.
AFTER the tape was applied I'd wipe down the guitar, to remove any tape glue residue.
Someone mentioned using only drafting tape instead of masking tape. This blue tape-from 3M, I believe-comes off very easily. I used it quite a bit when painting homes. It's not very sticky. But it still has glue on it.
I'd also use a vacuum instead of a brush to remove those bits of metal after using XXXX steel wool, unless you have a shop like he has.
I do it exactly using Lemon oil with my electric guitar ESP AX-50 LTD. Very nice work!
Thank you! You taught me something I really needed to know. How to Tighten the String Peg. I've had two loose ones.. Not Anymore! Was surprised about Turtle Wax
Couple things I would add, keep your bridge pins in order, especially on older guitars. I use lemon oil on my guitar neck, unless you have a guitar with no finish applied, you’re actually waxing the finish, any good furnish will work. Waxing will help keep from scratched
a couple of tips. I love playing guitar and I have been buying your strings for yrs along with deans. DO NOT WAX BEFORE YOU CLEAN. As you rub the wax on you're also rubbing dirt into the original finish. I work in the car res-toe biz. We never pull in a car for a pre show prep and clean and wax it first. We hit it with a HAIR DRYER on cold setting to blow off dust you cant see with the eye. Then we flow rinse it for a few mins per panel. Then we hit it with a soap cannon loaded with dawn dish liquid. we rise with a mist. Then we rewash with dawn and a microfibre with a new microfibre cloth. We rinse and then hit it with a buffer with a mirror glaze but with what was left in the pad from the previous job. If it looks show ready then we wax. If not we back up and go to a polish then then the mirror glaze.
My boss use haul them in and wash them with the soap and a micro fiber. He would be adding scratches by not doing my first few steps and adding time in doing the job.
I am on a pay scale (my doing) in what I am doing. Paid $45/hr for media blasting and detailing show cars. $42 for spraying a car and $37 for body work/sanding. $28 for cleaning the shop lol. I hate sand blasting but i will do it for 16 hours a day this time of yr because on paper Im paid $28 for my 50-60 hour week. The rest is cash and my pay stub shows a $28/hr salary...thats bonus money my wife don't know about an my gun collection is getting huge and as far as the wife is concerned my resto mod 74 corvette has only cost me (us) about $1800 yet lol. Damn woman found a few receipts i was careless with lol.
Anyway I got long winded. Clean the fucking guitar before you rub dirt into it thinking you're just adding wax. If its a regular customer if you took pics you will notice in time ech time it comes in it looks more and more dull. Its dirt build up in the layers of wax.
I lost interest as soon as you started telling us how much you make.....nobody cares
What's that got to do with the price of rice in China ?????????
Thank you so much for the tip! I have been told by some others that against the grain is correct. I will tell them that quality Taylor guitars say different. Thanks again!
ive broken bridge pins pulling them. i have to put hand inside guitar and push them out. chops sticks make a great free fix in a pinch. i also broke a bass tunner from tightening it with out string tension. tunned it up and snap!🍻
I went to school with Bob Taylor. When Bob retired, he and his partners sold the company to his employees. Bob made his first guitar in 8th grade wood shop. He won a state prize for a lamp he designed and built. Taylor Guitars owes its existence to high school shop classes and the lessons learned there. Taylor Guitars supported hundreds of families at their factories through employment in San Diego and Mexico. Tell that to your school boards when they tell you they need to cut out vocational education.
Thanks for watching, Rick. Bob is a great guy and has definitely made a huge impact on the music products industry!
@@ElixirStringsMedia I have somewhere the class picture. The funny thing is that besides Bob, there is one other person in that class who made music history. Bob is a good guy and an excellent steward for the buisness he helped to build. Taylor Guitars should be a case study in business schools.
Best string brand so far
Thank you. A better explanation than Martin on the Martin technique. It is better because of the visuals you had.
Sir please ignore the idiots who are arm chair experts in guitar tech your videos are excellent and informative.keep up the good work and videos hope to see ya more often you are definitely pro guitar tech hands down! Thx
Watched a few of your videos, observed that your ways of doing “how to” on guitars are very effective, really useful on daily care of a guitar. Thanks and looking after to watching more of your videos.
Steel wool longitudinally does not clean next to frets. Oil with toothbrush cross wide does. I use teak oil. You can use boiled linseed. You can also use body lotion. Just wipe off excess.
R.Lee
I like,LIQUID GOLD wood cleaner and preservation oil...with small piece of T-shirt cloth and work it into fretboard and bridge sparingly!.. Not expensive. Boiled linseed oil can get a crackly film when dry. It's a paint additive. Also very lightly clean the " gunk" build up on each side of fret use a sewing needle .I use an old air brush needle it's long and less likely to " dig in " do it very very LIGHTLY at an angle. .Also 3M makes a auto body " scratch" pad but get the GREY colored one...NOT THE RED. Use common sense light pressure. Its mainly used in prep work before clear coat on 2-3 stage paint jobs. Don't let the words SCUFF OR SCRATCH scare you..approach with a very light touch..u can cut a small square with scissors. Its the artisans version of a pot scrubber .but extremely fine..plus no steel wool floating around.
Ciao
Paolo
@ElixirStringsMedia thank you for the tips and everything!!
Wow, I learned a lot.
"Im Going to loosen them slowly" BAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
It's slow compared to snipping the strings with diagonal snips, which I have seen videos of (eek!). The sudden change in tension shocks the neck and other components.
@TheDime4life Depends on your taste. I love the Nanowebs.
@ElixirStringsMedia Thank You this helped me very much and answered all my questions!
Funny. That's exactly the side cutters I use on my identical Taylor. I put a bit of tape on the back side of the cutters. I suppose the debate on neck waxing will go on and on, but I find that it works beautifully on my Taylor, but not on my unfinished Hamer maple neck. The Hamer likes the 4000 steel wool, but that's it.
Such a good vid I'm adding this to favourite 😍
Thanks, Max! We're glad that you found it useful.
Tons of Nice Tips! Thanks.
Is it possible to wax a guitar with a non-shiny finish?
wow...this video is so nicely done!
I want this guy taking care of my guitar! Pro job.
What about all the dust inside the sound hole ? Just a damp cloth? A can of air blaster? Anyone have any tips ?
Air compressor in the garage. Blow across the top of the sound hole, not directly into. It will make a howling sound and the dust will come flying out. A can o’ air works too. i wouldn’t use a damp cloth.
Thanks for taking the time to make such a nice and detailed video. Man, where was the internet 20 years ago! I would have had to ask some smirky kid in a GC to learn this. ;)
What a great video. And man do I love Taylors.
I don't tie my strings either. Simply wrap them from top to bottom 2-3x around the post and they are just as secure as tied. Been playing since the 70s and wrapping around the posts is all that's required. They won't come loose, they wont affect intonation, they don't go out of tune, and it makes it easier to change strings. No negative effects whatsoever.
Wow! Great tips!
Great tuition
Thanks for the video. You were careful to tape the sound hole for steel wool bits but now they are all over your workbench. Do you come back later with a magnet before you do the next guitar?
can you tighten the little screw on the side off the tuning nuts when the strings are on the guitar
He probably should have mentioned that you have to use low-tack masking tape on the soundhole, instead of just saying masking tape.
I was waiting for some rosette to rip
Wow i need to try elixer
the new string sound lasts reaaaaaly long. these strings are awesome
using f-1 by musicnomad is okay but be sure not get any water in there. Also, when using steel wool make sure it's a VERY VERY FINE steel wool, otherwise you can open up the little parellel crevice/minute cracks on the fretboard. Using the steel wool parellel might be better than perpendicular to the fretboard. otherwise just use the rougher side of the sponge if you have any doubts. I used steel wool and I'm seeing a light brown color appear certain areas of the frets which make me think that some dampness got in those cracks after using steel wool. Be VERY CAREFUL with older guitars in a high humidty enviroment when cleaning. (of course dry heat can affect an acoustic guitar also.
Excellent Information
Hello, how do you maintain and clean an ebonol fretboard? What do you recommend?
what do i do if my frets that were silver are now brown/green-ish? does the steel wool clean that off?
Suggestion: I would ask John Carruthers at the M.I. Guitar Craft Academy or Stew Mac what he thinks is best for cleaning the neck. .
Linseed on Brazilian rosewood and miracle cloth on maple
steel wool? over the neck so it rubs on the fretboard? Will it not leave scratches? I thought you were supposed to tape the fretboard between frets to protect the fingerboard? Am missing something?
He makes it look simple
Hello, very good information. I have a question, how do you clean the body of a matte taylor guitar?
Many thanks!
Hi Jorge, Rob is unable to respond to your question. We suggest that you contact Taylor directly for details on cleaning your guitar.
Those who have painted guitars, as I have done, know that boiled linseed oil hardens like varnish, the method he used is the least recommended if the guitar is going to be in places with hot climates or high humidity since boiled linseed oil starts to get sticky
@ElixirStringsMedia Oh I see.. Thanks for telling me this really help me a lot... From now onwards I will not let the oil sit, I have been doing that for a couple of months already, no wonder my strings always feel oily. Thanks a lot it really help me. :)
Could one use just some regular dishwashing soap thingy and water for cleaning the fretboard and neck?
best asmr video ever, thx elixir
Using rubbing compound will bring out any swirls in the clear coat.
I do everything of these proceedings but I prefer to do also one more buffing work on the frets but in their lenght because I don't like the scratching sound and feel when I bend the strings ;)
Got a Taylor on loaner. Frets come loose and truss rod slips. The E string gets caught under the fret edges. Takes a few years to get to this stage.
Or try my technique for cleaning. Grab a shop towel and make a couple swipes down the neck and around the sound hole, making sure not to worry about dust getting into the sound hole because dust already has and always will enter the sound hole. Job complete.
Where did you find the steel sheep, rusting in a paddock.
I gave my grandma 2500 pounds of steel wool and she knitted a Volkswagen :)
you guys are just awesome
Magnifique!! Love Taylor guitars❣❣
Probably own too many of them❣❣😍
Fullmoon
How can you have too many? O y'all bragging.... lol
Homesick Clifford don't look back ....yeah just like that song having too much fun.. there are not such a thing. Lol
Thanks!
you used the same brush for steel wool on the fretboard on the soundhole over a magnetic pickup.
Very nice, thanks for the video
What about the cleaner, and or sealer, for the body of natural taylor guitars like for example the Mahogony GS mini?
Hi, check with Taylor Guitars directly on what they recommend. Their website is full of great info. Thanks.
@@ElixirStringsMedia Thanks, found that section on the Taylor website and for satin guitars they say, "These areas can be wiped down with a slightly damp cloth for cleaning. Avoid any wax or thicker polishes on satin finished areas as they will leave the finish looking splotchy. Our Taylor polish mentioned above is safe to use on satin finishes."
Great vid thanks!.. I followed and did all this yesterday, and playing nice.
I prefer unloosing and removing the strings one at a time, that way all the tension doesn't go away so quick (which isn't good for the neck and the top).
You know I use Elixir strings and I believe they are the best but I guess we all do things differently when it comes to changing strings. Don't you put the same pens back into the same holes at Taylor's? Every string has a different size at every slot gets used to the same size string so if you're using $40 pins so why wouldn't you put them back into the same holes so the string size you use wouldn't wear them out? just asking you a question. Not trying to be a smart-ass but just asking a simple question
By the way- A good Homer Formsby wood cleaner works damn well, followed up by a lemon/linseed oil on a "rosewood/non coated" fretboard...FYI!!!
quadruple what steel wool?sorry i didn't get that. did you mean 0000 steel wool?
Quadruple aught. Aught means nothing/zero.
I found linseed oil left a sheen gloss on the Pau Ferro fretboard, should I sand it down?
Hi, I've heard that it's not a good thing to take all the strings off at once. I've heard that the neck can bend because it's not under tension from the strings. Is this true?
Is that a special "broom" you are using to brush the guitar?
Great video.. One question. Do you use boiled linseed oil so the oil remains topical? I understand raw linseed oil penetrates through the wood. Other applications, levels and tool handles, they benefit from that, maintaining flexibility so as to avoid cracking, splitting etc.
I was just wondering if you have used boiled linseed oil from "Klean Strip" ? I'm not experienced at this and wanted to know if you can trust this brand? It doesn't say for guitar specifically so I was in a dilemma.
@@robinghimire826 I haven't any applications relative to guitars, only tools . Subsequently I only use raw. I'd defer to a higher source
Someone below mentioned "losers doing guitar maintenance with no credentials" - I dunno who this fellow is in the video, but I've been changing strings on guitars longer than he's been alive and MUCH longer than Taylor has been around. Many years ago I was taught ONE way to put new strings on, and I've been doing it the same way ever since, and there are MANY videos that show the way I do it. There are several things that Taylor does that I would NEVER do - including using the wire cutters to pull out the pins, and their system of wrapping the strings around the tuning pegs - NO! Also, I've watched several of the Taylor videos on this subject, and they always just throw the old strings away - they SHOULD be recycled appropriately. Get with the game people!
It must be difficult to shake your fist in the air and type at the same time....
Quick, look at that cloud giving you shade.....Lol
I there! Thanks for this great instructional videos! I have a question: Can I use a soft steel wool to clean my stratocaster maple freatboard? Thanks
Hello... I get my strings rusted very fast.. could you help me with cleaning of strings without removing them from guitar and how do we keep them rust free???
i got a taylor.. and a question.. how often i got to do this?? because of the wax i mean.. it's not bad for the guitar? wather alone is not the same? thanks! and excuse my english..
how good are elixir electric guitar strings?
Why do some experts say do only 3 strings at a time to keep tension on the neck?
@ElixirStringsMedia ok thanks.. i asked because i read somewhere that you need to clean the top of the guitar after every single use, but whit water they ment.. i think i will use water for every day and wax now and then..
How does Taylor fix up their matte/satin/varnish guitars? I assume you don't use the same polish. And what about the back of the neck? It looks like that back of the neck of the guitar in this video is matte but you do polish it here. So... does that mean you do use polish on matte guitars? what do you do differently?
Hi Bobby, here's a link to Taylor's recommended care - www.taylorguitars.com/support/maintenance/properly-cleaning-your-guitar
1. I totally liked, favorited this video and subscribed to your channel!
2. I got a question: does scrapping off the varnish of the sound board help improving sustain and volume?
Does taking off all the strings at the same time really affect the tension? Because I've actually taken off all the strings to clean and polish the guitar (electric by the way). When I restrung the guitar it didn't seem to affect the guitar. Thanks.
Do you throw the steel woll in the trash, after using it?
I believe that is painters tape and not masking tape. Painters tape leaves no reside behind where masking tape can.
i was wondering whether i could use household furniture polish on my rosewood neck?
Never use masking tape on any guitar. Always use Drafting Tape. Drafting tape is not very strong so you don't pull finish off of the guitar.
Painters tape, don't pull the finish, it does not get stuck as normal making tape
Thanks for all the tips. Did you use the Turtle Wax Polishing compound silicon free? Or what was it? Thank you!
i wonder what kind of screwdriver used in this video is? can anyone indicate the exact model of this screwdriver? thank so much
My new Builder's Edition 614CE has a satin finish, would I still use the kind of car wax you did?