What Can I Use To Clean My Gutsir Other Than Polish

I noticed that there isn't a ton of information out there on how to clean guitar pickups. And while I think the wrongways should exist adequately obvious (soap and warm water are out), the most optimal methods aren't actually discussed. On all my electrical guitars, that surface area gets really dusty and - later on awhile - that dust sort of thickens and literally needs wiped abroad.

Inevitably, it impacts the pickups which - if you know how guitar pickups work - demand to take a make clean magnetic top to properly transmit the vibrations of your guitar strings.

For this reason, I think it's helpful to know how to make clean guitar pickups, at to the lowest degree at a basic level.

And information technology'southward simpler than you lot might think.

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Footstep by Footstep

For starters, nosotros'll look at iv simple steps to make clean your pickups, regardless of the type of electric guitar you're dealing with. This method works best with covered humbuckers, only tin can too piece of work with single coil rails.

Remove the strings (best to exercise when changing strings)
Use a soft, dry out textile to wipe abroad the dust and clay
Use compressed air to clean the cracks and crevices of the pickup
Wipe with cloth one more time and then put strings back on

Closeup of Guitar Humbuckers

Some compressed air can go a long way. Flickr Commons epitome via R Halfpaap

With the compressed air tin (something like Dust-Off for electronics will work fine) make sure you agree it far enough back from the pickup before spraying. This isn't a totally crucial role of the process, just helpful if you want to be thorough. Otherwise, your easiest solution is just the dry out material in a sort of dusting/polishing office.

What virtually rust or oxidization?

If you have excessive rust effectually your pickups, you might exist tempted to clean that off equally well. Continue in mind, a small amount of rust isn't necessarily going to compromise your tone. Some people prefer it from an aesthetic perspective, like the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickup sets.

Should you lot decide to make clean the rust, attempt a rust remover solution like Evapo-Rust which is non-acidic and not-toxic.

Humbuckers on a Gibson SG Electric Guitar

Given plenty time and sweat (gross) pickups and humbuckers can build up rust. Flickr Commons image via The Tronodon

Only dab a pocket-size corporeality on a cloth and use it like a polish on the pickup'due south magnetic poles. Avoid getting whatsoever of this on the paint or the body of the guitar.

From at that place, you lot'll need a dissimilar (dry out) material to wipe abroad the remaining rust remover and loose particles.

Am I improve off just replacing the pickups?

If the dirt or rust has gotten so bad that the aesthetics of your pickups are significantly damaged, or maybe they just don't sound as good anymore, information technology might exist fourth dimension to supercede them.

Checkout our best guitar pickups roundup for help in that expanse.

In most cases, I'd say cleaning your pickups should exist an issue of maintenance and non a last-itch effort to "resurrect" their sound. If a pickup is so old, rusted, and dirty that it no longer sounds as proficient equally it once did, it's near certainly time to replace it. This is especially true if they're the stock pickups that came with the guitar.

For some reason those tend to build up rust and grime a lot quicker than the nicer pickup sets, peculiarly the humbuckers.

Decision

But in terms of how to clean guitar pickups, start with a soft grit cloth and go from there.

If you want to exist actually thorough you lot can add the compressed air and peradventure the rust remover, if things areactually dire.

Otherwise, a little bit of dust and dirt isn't going to cause you a ton of trouble.

Equally far every bit how often to clean your pickups, I'd recommend just doing it whenever you take the occasion to change strings, perhaps once every three months or so.