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Topic: Should I attempt this. |
Alan Miller
From:
, England, UK.
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Posted 21 Aug 2009 4:12 pm |
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My D10 legrande 11 (1998) is needing the changer lubricated , the most I have ever done on a steel is change the strings,tune it and polish it once in a while.
What is involved in servicing the guitar properly?
Im reasonably practical but not sure of how much needs to be dismantled... given my lack of expierience do you think I should take it and get a top class job done by local steel man Ronnie Bennett. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 21 Aug 2009 5:14 pm
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How 'bout you take it to Ronnie Bennett and ask him to let you observe? That will tell you whether you want to do it yourself next time and what this regular maintenance might include / how to do it.
Makes sense to me. I just squirt a little machine oil between the fingers with the guitar upside down and then lightly brush anything that moves with oil about once a year. None of my guitars have ever seized up on me. 
Sounds like a good learning opportunity.
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12 |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Alan Miller
From:
, England, UK.
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Posted 21 Aug 2009 11:45 pm
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Thanks , I have used a very fine quality oil in small quantities several times but it hasn't been teflon based.
I will try this and if it does solve the problem job done , I am suspecting though that the previous owner used something that has dried out and gunged it up and may need stripped out thats why I was asking about the complexity of the task. |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 22 Aug 2009 1:12 am
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Alan, sounds like the previous owner used WD-40 the no no for steel guitars. The symptoms you discribe sound like it. Guess you'll have to get the gunge off first. Tedious work but it's got to be done. White spirit may probably get it off 
Micky Byrne United Kingdom
www.micky-byrne.co.uk |
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Barry Gaskell
From:
Cheshire, UK
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Posted 22 Aug 2009 1:27 am
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Hi Alan
If you go to most DIY car accessory shops or cycle shops and look for 'Finish Line'. It's a PTFE spray just like Greg uses. It has the same 'dry' qualities and is used on the gearing and parts of cycles. I've used it on my guitars for quite a few years and it works great. As Greg mentions, when it's sprayed on, the carrier evaporates and leaves the PTFE on the parts, so it's very important to make sure it's always well mixed with the spirit carrier. If they haven't that particular brand, just ask them for a PTFE dry spray lube. I'm lucky in having a small compressor, so I give the mechanism a really good blast of air to blow as much dust away as possible and then apply the spray. You can't beat the eyes for a really good inspection to check there's nothing untowards in there as well (bits of string etc). It also to some extent expells grease and moisture. Always clean off any excess fluid. Before you sit down to try the guitar afterwards, wash your hands or that heavy steel bar will slip so easily out of your fingers and drop on your guitar !!!! I've done that too !!!!
Have a go, it's not hard.
Barry |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 22 Aug 2009 1:53 am
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Hi Barry, right this minute I'm looking at the spay I use...got it from a motoring shop as you said. It's called TF2..made by Weldtite. It says Lubricant spray with Teflon. Works a treat Now.... where can I find that little compressor 
Micky Byrne United Kingdom
www.micky-byrne.co.uk |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 22 Aug 2009 5:29 am
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I use the same type of pen and it works flawlessly. It makes it easy to pinpoint the oil to the exact spot. No fuss, no muss. |
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Jerry Eilander
From:
Hadspen, Tasmania, Australia
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Posted 22 Aug 2009 7:08 pm
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Hi Alan
someone must have used the wrong oil before ,I lost my sustain quite a bit,
this is what i did, [ right or wrong].
took the steel , put it upside down on a old mattress
and washed every moving part out with Turpetine,
realy washed it out,a litre or more, with a paint brush, got the aircompresor on it ,and blew the whole thing out.
should have seen the junk coming out of it,
steel is 20 years old,did do no damage to the steel
whatso ever,
re oiled it ,it made 80% difference to the sustain,
cheers from"Down under" Jerry
_________________
Linkon d-10 4x8. Fessenden sd-10.5x3. NV 112.G&L telie |
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Alan Miller
From:
, England, UK.
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Posted 23 Aug 2009 1:48 am
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Thanks for the advice everyone, Micky, it does seem like WD40 has been used or something like it in the past'cos the fifth string is taking about a half second to return when the pedal is released.
Jerry, I was told that turpentine has a percentage of water in it I dipped a bike chain in it once and it went rusty but I might try some white spirit as Mickey sugested.
Barry camera shops sell cans of compressed air which will be cheaper than a compressor.
Thanks for the good advice it looks like this can be sorted without a strip down of the mechanism 'cos nobody has suggested to do that.
OK ill be off to get ptfe lube and w/spirit and give it a go, it could be a few days 'till I get it done but I will post the results.
Thanks .Alan. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 23 Aug 2009 3:15 pm Re: Should I attempt this.
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| Alan Miller wrote: |
...the most I have ever done on a steel is change the strings,tune it and polish it once in a while.
What is involved in servicing the guitar properly?
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Well, ya gotta do more than polish and tune. Truth be told, most of the steels that have a problem have been neglected underneath for many years. (A lot of steelers take far better care of the top-side.) But even if WD-40 was used on a guitar, regular re-oiling with just about any oil product will keep things from sticking.
In other words, the major problem is caused by players waiting until things start getting sluggish or sticking before they do any maintenence. Oil all moving parts once a year with sewing machine oil or gun oil to keep them moving freely and prevent wear. |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 23 Aug 2009 5:56 pm
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| Bravo, Greg Cutshaw. |
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Alan Miller
From:
, England, UK.
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Posted 24 Aug 2009 12:33 am
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Donny, I take onboard your advice, I think what I was thinking was I havn't used the steel much for over the last three plus years.
Due to other work commitments its been in its case some of that time and when I got it out recently it was ok for a few weeks then not.
From now on its ptfe once a year. |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 24 Aug 2009 12:16 pm Gun Cleaner
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Has anyone tried any of the new gun scrubber aerosols on a gunked changer?
When used on an assembled handgun, it takes ALL of the nitro powder residue, and the oils, and leaves a sqeaky clean dry metal with no residue...Im thinking this might be the ticket to a no-takedown cleaning...JMHO
_________________
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 24 Aug 2009 12:23 pm
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Greg, excellent photo's and presentation, as usual !
thanks
t |
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