[JessThrasher]

Ok so I stopped using cooking oil for awhile now after all the damage it does. I'm lucky I didn't get cooking oil in the pickups. Then I switched to using fast fret string cleaner and the only pet peeve about it I have is how it makes your strings sound squeaky. Does anyone lubricate their strings/guitar at all? I heard youre supposed to but I'm not sure what to use.

[wjp01908]

I wouldn`t bother with lubrication - despite the blurb on the tub, I have never found that stuff like FastFret makes the blindest bit of difference to tone, playability or string life.

Keep your strings clean by wiping them down with a cloth after playing and change them regularly ( how often will depend on your body chemistry, how much you play and personal preference ) and you`ll be fine.

Will

[lorispencer]

Don't use anything. keep your string clean and dry and as they say, change them often. Some days your strings are noisy, some days not and speed comes with practice. If there is a spray out there that can make you faster, pass the tip along - old fingers need help keeping up.

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by lorispencer

...and speed comes with practice. If there is a spray out there that can make you faster, pass the tip along - old fingers need help keeping up.

Too true. The most important ingredient for speed and proficiency doesn't come in a bottle, or a spray, or a wipe - it's called practice. I could spray my strings until they were dripping with whatever magic snake oil any manufacturer sells, and it wouldn't make me play any faster or better.

It's the same old thing as people looking for weight loss in a bottle - "take this pill and you'll lose 50 pounds, guaranteed!". The only thing that will be lighter is your wallet. If you want to lose weight, get off your butt and EXERCISE. If you want to get faster/better on the guitar, get off your butt and PRACTICE. These activities will create a 100% natural lubricant called "sweat". In either of the above cases, "sweat" gives better and faster results than anything you can buy.

[JessThrasher]

So don't put any lubricant on your guitar then?

[Rockerbob]

I don't know of any good players that put any kind of lub on their strings. There are likely some out there, but not many.

[JessThrasher]

I heard using some sort of lubricant acually prevents the strings from snapping as easily and the friction that causes them to snap?

[SprayTech]

I dont think any type lubricant will help in the snapping of strings ,
its just the nature of the beast with any type metal , the bending back and forth from bending strings .ect..... , and the rubbing of metal against metal causes fatigue , therefore weakening the strength of the string .

Take any type metal and bend back and forth , eventually it will break The more violent you get with the process the faster it will deteriorate