CHicago Blues; Big Dog's Guitar care tips

Marty Mercer Joliet

I get countless people at the shop with problems with scratchy volume & tone pots on their guitars, amps, basses. I get their equipment in & see that they are completely covered in dust, dirt & grime.

I try to explain to people that dust is the enemy.
If musicians would take a little more time to properly clean their equipment,
they could avoid (sometimes costly) repairs.

(Picture Marty at work re-fretting)

The other day I had a guitar brought to me that was so horrible,
I actually could not clean the pot. I wound up replacing the part at an additional cost to the client. Just like any other electronic equipment in your home, when dust gets into the crevices it destroys it after time.

Let me give everyone a few simple tips you can take to make your equipment last a little longer & save you some money on needless repairs.
• After playing – wipe the instrument down with a clean lint free cloth.
• This will make your strings last longer & wipe off the oils from your hands.
• Store the instrument in its case to keep the dust off of it.
• If storing it on a guitar stand out in the open, cover it with an old towel or sheet to keep the dust off.
• Twice a month – or more often depending on use- clean the instrument with a liquid cleaner to remove fingerprints, dust, & gunk.
• An inexpensive way to do this is to make a solution of 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar.
• (It’s not only less expensive, but often it’s better for the finishes to avoid harsh chemicals.)
• Store it in an old recycled spray bottle & label it so as not to confuse it with something else.
I believe that if you follow these steps that your guitar / bass will perform better with less down time sitting in the repair shop !
From the album: In the Shop
By Stone City Repair Shop

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