Guitar --pristine & clean--


finger_cruncher
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finger_cruncher
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04/06/2004 7:56 pm
Hey..


Who here is anal about keeping their guitar(s) in mint condition? Some people like to treat theirs like shiz or put stickers all over them, but personally, I like the natural finish and I'm super careful not to scratch them up.


And lo and behold.......last gig, our bassist thought he'd be nice by helping to remove my equipment off stage after our performance and picked up my guitar case ---when it wasn't LOCKED! The case flew open, and my guitar came crashing down onto the cement floor. This guitar, by the way, has been mint condition since the year I bought it, 1996. Now, the body paint is chipped and there's some gouges. I was pretty steamed, but considering it was an honest accident, I let him off. Maybe if I had 1000 guitars like Yngwie, I wouldn't give a **** if they were all battered and bruised, but I really like to take care of my babies.
# 1
sambob
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sambob
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04/06/2004 8:14 pm
I wish I could be one of those guys with crap all over their guitars, dirty, nicks in the finish... it would be a lot easier..

But I just can't stand to see mine dirty !
# 2
nsx_swami
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nsx_swami
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04/06/2004 8:33 pm
Most of my guitars are dent/scratch free but it doesn't bother me if something happens to them. I never put stickers or intentionaly beat them up but I don't really care much if they get knocked around. I put stickers on my guitar cases though.

My Godin electric has the finish wearing off the back of the neck and I actually prefer the feel of the neck in those places. I almost want to sand the rest of it down but I don't want to risk screwing it up.
Jimmie showed me alot of stuff, but there was a time when he warned, 'If you ask me to show you anything again, I'll kick your ass.' Well, I did and he did. - SRV
# 3
Jamiephofe
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Jamiephofe
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04/06/2004 10:39 pm
My Jackson has a few dents and scratches on it, the annoying thing is i'm working on the guitar when I get the money, replacing the pickups and adding an original floyd rose etc. By the time it's all done i'll have little paint scratches that will annoy me! It costs way too much to get the thing completely resprayed... about £350 last time I checked.

But yeah, if possible, keep the thing in mint condition.

- J
# 4
TheWizard
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TheWizard
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04/06/2004 10:55 pm
its funny because i was thinking about this same topic today

My guitar very often disgusts people just because of the amount of dirt and grime that has accumulated over the years on the fretboard (its rather gross looking) but I refuse to clean it because its mine, its like there's peices of me in my guitar

I used to keep it in perfect condition, but I just got lazy and stoped polishing it every night
Alas Gandalf lives, Middle Earth is again safe...
# 5
iamthe_eggman
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iamthe_eggman
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04/07/2004 2:57 am
Hmmm... I don't really like the idea of purposely dirtying my guitar or consciously allowing my guitar to get dirty.

I think some dirt/nicks/bruises give a guitar character. I feel it gives the guitar character. It's like how people pay hundreds of $$ for a Jaco bass that's been faithfully and authentically distressed.

Basically, I don't clean my guitar every single time I play, but I don't play with dirty fingers or let it fall around everywhere.
... and that's all I have to say about that.

[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]

[/sarcasm]
# 6
basics
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basics
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04/07/2004 3:33 am
after 11 years, this puppy's seen better days. gouge through the fretboard, now evenly filled with dirt, from when i threw my guitar in a drunken rage (happens often lol) ... varous chips and bruises, nothing huge though. the little knob that holds the strap fell off 2 years ago and i've been playing by putting the patch chord through it to hold it up haha. it's a strat. and it's never gonna die.
# 7
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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04/07/2004 4:04 am
Both of my SBG1000s will be 20 years old this fall. They have obviously been played, but well cared for.
Lordathestrings
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# 8
Pantallica1
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Pantallica1
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04/07/2004 4:54 am
Mine has a few paint nicks, but that all comes with the territory.

I'm not anal about things like that because, well, **** happens. You're never going to be able to keep it in mint condition unless you don't play it. It's like having an old car, eventually, the thing rusts. No matter how many times you wash/wax/buff it, it will still rust.

So I like to think of my guitar as having character, and I like it that you can tell it's used.

I used to know a dude, that wouldn't use stuff, just so it wouldn't get messed up. He got rollerblades one x-mas and just kept em in his closet. He didn't want to skate on 'em because they wouldn't be perfect and new anymore.

Oh well.

I mean, have you ever taken a look at "Evo," Steve Vai's main axe. It's got the holy crap beat out of it. But it still looks awesome.

Check out www.vai.com and click on his equipment, there's a whole history done about EVO, pretty cool.
Sometimes I hit notes only dogs can hear.
# 9
iamthe_eggman
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iamthe_eggman
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04/07/2004 2:16 pm
Am I the only one here who plays air guitar?!!?!
... and that's all I have to say about that.

[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]

[/sarcasm]
# 10
basics
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basics
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04/07/2004 2:38 pm
A SWEET air guitar tune is Paradigm Shift by Liquid Tension Experiment. I haven't learned it yet though, been too busy with the volley ball team.
# 11
spanky10940
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spanky10940
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04/07/2004 5:12 pm
My strat looks just the way it did when I picked her off her hook in the music store.. I don't polish it religously but I do keep it very clean... I was told a while back that if you care for your instrument it'll care for you =)

same thing with my acoustic - prestine! just the way I bought her... but I must say, I do love the look of a WORN guitar, not beaten.... abusing your instrument is just plain stuipd..
"The one truly great thing about this life is that noone can sincerely and truly help someone, without helping themselves"

Ralph Waldo Emerson
# 12
alucard0941
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alucard0941
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04/07/2004 9:49 pm
Beat this, I have a guitar made in 1968. Its an old flamenco guitar that has been so many clubs and concerts, that it is STILL IN PRETTY GOOD CONDITION. Though it does have many scatches but no severe damaged besides the bridge getting loose. Also when I first started playing, this was the guitar I played on every day for the first year.
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My Music

whoooo hoooo !!!!
# 13
Jamiephofe
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Jamiephofe
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04/07/2004 11:37 pm
A SWEET air guitar tune is Paradigm Shift by Liquid Tension Experiment. I haven't learned it yet though, been too busy with the volley ball team.


I sat down and played with that tune after a friend suggested I learn it, I then decided I didn't have months of spare time :D

I have a friend who bought a Ibanez Jem 7V. He only got it a few months ago and the neck pickup fell off just before a gig so he had to use my guitar. That kinda crap happens even if you take care of the guitar, so you might as well just have fun....

- J
# 14
iamthe_eggman
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iamthe_eggman
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04/08/2004 2:50 am
Originally posted by Jamiephofe
I sat down and played with that tune after a friend suggested I learn it, I then decided I didn't have months of spare time :D

I have a friend who bought a Ibanez Jem 7V. He only got it a few months ago and the neck pickup fell off just before a gig so he had to use my guitar. That kinda crap happens even if you take care of the guitar, so you might as well just have fun....

- J


How does a neck pickup "fall off"? That's either a sign of abuse or a case of "too little technical knowledge is a dangerous thing" (of which I am personally guilty more often than I can understand).
... and that's all I have to say about that.

[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]

[/sarcasm]
# 15
Jamiephofe
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Jamiephofe
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04/08/2004 7:26 pm
Well,what I mean is the screw fell out and the pickup was slanted to one side, so it'll need fixing. I just don't think that should happen on a guitar that retails for £1,800.

- J
# 16
hairbndrckr
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hairbndrckr
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04/09/2004 4:14 am
This isn't fair for me... I got plenty of pristine and clean guitars, but my favorite looks like hell... I did get a new neck for it though, albeit it ran me a good 500... damn the things I could get with 500 bucks... this time it just happened to be a neck...Damn original SD Charvels... one of these days I will learn not to drop it repeatedly... Hmmmm I wonder how it would look with a healthy dose of lighter fluid... I don't think it could hurt it any worse...
So. If you throw a cat out of a car window, is it considered "kitty litter"?
# 17
lord of karma06
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lord of karma06
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04/09/2004 10:55 pm
My Ibanez JS is a bit blemished. I'm very clumsy with it. :(
# 18
GilbyDeviant
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GilbyDeviant
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04/12/2004 4:35 am
I have no problem with a few battle scars or perhaps even a few small discreet strategically-placed stickers, but I generally like to keep my guitars nice and clean and polished. This includes washing my hands before (almost) each use, giving it a good cleaning and polishing every time I change the strings (making sure to hit all the little nooks and crannies), keeping them in their cases, wiping it down after each show/band practice, then giving a more thourough cleaning when we get back home/to the hotel.....
Wow, maybe I'm a little more anal about it than I thought lol

-GILBY D
# 19

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