Should you ever Lubricate your strings ?

I used to use fast fret, but a spray only lasted 5 minutes at time and a can only lasted a couple of weeks. I use 3-in-1 (general purpose oil) rubbed in to the fretboard and strings with a bar mat now, a small can of it lasts a year and an application lasts a whole day's worth of playing. Feels much nicer too :)

Gee, maybe that's why I can't play worth a lick. My strings are dry and ..... clean ?? :lol:

I wash my hands before I play my guitar, but don't expect to need to wash them after, unless I'm preparing food, of course.

Truly, ICK! How can you stand the feel of 3-in-1 oil rubbing off on your fingers as you play?! :x

Margaret

Sheesh, I don't leave it dripping with oil :wink:

Seriously, just a little bit on the rag rubbed in - just enough so you can see it by angling the neck to the light. You feel it less than fast-fret or finger-ease, but yeah, I know a couple of people who can't stand even that little :)

I just read where this guy lubricates his strings ...

I have never heard of this before ...

Any thoughts on this .....

Trevor..... :?:
Have you ever tried to slide your fingers on the guitar and it is really rough, a lubricant helps your fingers slide better which cuts down on unwanted noise. I have a fingerease, a spray made for this but I never use it. It only works for a little while. I usually (semi-unintentionally) do something worse. I always moisturize my hands before I play. The moisturizers fully absorbed by my skin but recently I started wondering if that leaves build up on my strings. I figure it isn't too big of a deal if I just wipe my strings/fretboard after use.

Forgot, lubricant isn't just for the fret board and strings but the back of the neck as well. Your thumb needs to slide up and down the back of the neck and some days it just seems to get stuck.

Olive Oil. Really. It works like a charm. :wink:

Dan

Olive Oil. Really. It works like a charm. :wink:

Dan
I fell for that once. Had to do with a leather dog leash, though.

A friend told me she always oiled her leather bridles and dog leashes with olive oil. She said use the cheapest stuff you can find.

So I lovingly oiled my brand new special order leather dog leash, and could never use it again. No matter how much I wiped it down and let it set, and wiped again, it oozed oil so badly that my hands felt like I was tossing pizza dough. Just gross.

Skittish about oiling anything after that.

It's been about five years, maybe I'll hunt down that leash and see if it's dried out yet. :lol:

Margaret

olive oil? huh, worth a try 8) dan your joking right?

Even with brand new strings there's that 'smooth surface meets smooth surface' sort of...I guess you could call it 'traction' or adhesion. Your fingertips are generally smooth (except for the prints), so it's smooth against smooth and even though it shouldn't, it 'feels' sticky sometimes. You know, like running your finger over a glassy smooth tabletop or something with a brushed finish.

I use Fingerease; lightly for general playing at home, and drenching so it drips for live performances, especially if the weather's dry. It just lets you think that much less about little things like 'oh...the strings feel weird or my fingers are sticking for some reason.' Little things that can throw your focus off sometimes.

It's just a little thing really, but it's kinda cool.

so whats the verdict on olive oil?

olive oil? huh, worth a try 8) dan your joking right?
No, Rocker, I think he is sincere. I've heard olive oil mentioned before for the fretboard. It's just my personal thing about not liking to get my fingers greasy. I even grease a cake pan with a paper towel and not my fingers. :?

Margaret

margaret,

thats funny, thanks for making me smile :P ,

so whats the verdict on olive oil?
It's for real. I'm not sure if Dan uses it just on the fretboard (as in when changing the strings) or if he is suggesting using it to oil the strings for playing, as was mentioned with the 3-in-1 oil, but I'm certain he was sincere about using the olive oil.

Didn't mean to throw everyone off track with my little dog leash/olive oil fiasco. :lol:

Margaret

I remember watching a instructional video, Gilbert I think, and he stated he uses WD40