CLEANING

To clean guitars and electric basses, observe the following procedures:

• Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe strings, neck, body, and pickups of the instrument.
• Apply a furniture or guitar polish to the back of the neck and the entire body. Do not get polish on the fingerboard, strings, or electronic parts.
• Wipe all grime from the tuning machines, then apply lightweight oil sparingly. Use the same procedure for the bridge adjustment gears. These parts, if clean, may need lubrication only semiannually.

To replace strings, observe the following procedures:

• Change one string at a time, beginning with the largest.
• Attach the ball end of the string to the tailpiece or bridge.
• Insert the other end through the tuning post.
• Allow enough excess to wind the string around the post at least three times to bring it up to pitch.
• Snip off the surplus with wire cutters.
• Bring strings up to pitch very slowly to give them a chance to stretch.
• To store the guitar or bass, loosen the strings about a major third or perfect fourth. Pack the guitar securely, avoiding extremes of heat and humidity.