Thursday Lunch Report: 13 June 2013

Lunch was VERY special today. After spending the morning picking up a customer at the airport, I swung by my favourite local ramen shop, Kaizan Ramen. I was so busy slurping the noodles out of the fatback that I forgot to take a photo, but that's ok because they have a website:

http://homepage3.nifty.com/ramenkaizan/mokuji.htm

I do not recommend letting google translate the page unless you're looking for a cheap laugh or two. Normally, I never bother with this feature, but in this case I previewed it for the sake everyone who didn't waste thousands of hours at university and beyond studying Chinese pictographs like I did. So I can tell you that the only notable content on this site is that Kaizan has won several awards for best ramen.

Maybe better to just skip the site, and spend 5 minutes looking at this on Youtube:

[youtube]Gq4kcSlI1FA[/youtube]

Today's G&L topic is one that I know has been discussed at length before on the G&L Forum, but I also know that we G&LDP members don't mind repeating ourselves, right?

So if has anyone replaced their G&L's bridge/saddles/block, please share your impressions.

For today's non-G&L topic, I'd like to know everyone's favorite string cleaner/lubricants.

i used to use fast fret, but i have switched to finger ease. i don't have to worry about it drying out like fast fret did if the top fell off accidentally. it also seems to keep the strings sound newer, and is definitely more slippery, which i like. i hate strings sticking or squeaking.

[Craig]

For today's non-G&L topic, I'd like to know everyone's favorite string cleaner/lubricants.

Ballistol:

Code:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistol

Last edited by Craig on Sun Jun 05, 2016 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: unsafe link changed to non-clickable link

I have replaced the original pot metal saddles on two of my G&L basses with the new factory chrome plated brass saddles. I find the newer saddles to be a better quality and they are easier to adjust.

For finger grease I like to eat a piece of Fried chicken.
Then keep the bone in a bagggie in my bass case!

That there is the best bass grease a bassman can find!

Haven't needed to try any other bridge parts on my G&Ls, but I have a couple of guitars with heavy grooves in the saddles. I'm using the Big Bends Nut Sauce now, and they are fine but I'll have to think about saddles if I start breaking strings.

I have a routine for cleaning my guitars, and I try to always do it as soon as I get home from the gig. It's kind of a ritual and it helps me decompress. I use a soft damp cloth to wipe the entire guitar down including the strings. Then I wipe it dry. The watter removes all the dirt, sweat and grime from the guitar--water is the great solvent. I loosen the strings a few turns to do this, btw.

The next step is to clean and lube the strings, and I use the Dunlop 65 String Cleaner. Takes off any residual water, cleans off anything the water missed and leaves a protective film on the string to help prevent corrosion. This process really improves string life for me.

Finally, I might touch up the polish if I need to. The NCL finished guitars might get a little carnauba where my arm hits the body to protect the finish.

The guitars go back in the case, ready for the next night.

And yes, groupies have been known to alter timing of this ritual!

Ah Bill too funny about the ritual chaining for groupies .
I think G&L really got the bridge and saddles right .
Anthony

Haven't needed to try any other bridge parts on my G&Ls, but I have a couple of guitars with heavy grooves in the saddles. I'm using the Big Bends Nut Sauce now, and they are fine but I'll have to think about saddles if I start breaking strings.

I have a routine for cleaning my guitars, and I try to always do it as soon as I get home from the gig. It's kind of a ritual and it helps me decompress. I use a soft damp cloth to wipe the entire guitar down including the strings. Then I wipe it dry. The watter removes all the dirt, sweat and grime from the guitar--water is the great solvent. I loosen the strings a few turns to do this, btw.

The next step is to clean and lube the strings, and I use the Dunlop 65 String Cleaner. Takes off any residual water, cleans off anything the water missed and leaves a protective film on the string to help prevent corrosion. This process really improves string life for me.

Finally, I might touch up the polish if I need to. The NCL finished guitars might get a little carnauba where my arm hits the body to protect the finish.

The guitars go back in the case, ready for the next night.

And yes, groupies have been known to alter timing of this ritual!

does your wife alter the groupies timing?

Ah, LOL. Grease and groupies...GDP&L is caught in a time vortex.

I also like Fast Fret. It's easy to apply and smells nice, but even doesn't dry out when the cap pops off in your case, that tiny surface area gets dirty really quickly.

Another product I like is Kyser Dr. Stringfellow, which smells awful, difficult to apply (spray bottle), and makes an irritating squeaking noise when you do. However it's so slick that if you polished your wood floors with it, you could glide across. This almost happened when a bottle of the stuff was improperly packed, and leaked into the box it was shipped. After putting that box on the floor, that spot got so slick that I almost lost my balance standing on in it my socks.

There are so many similar products out now, but I want to avoid is just a bottle of overpriced alcohol (Planet Waves.) But I'll give the Dunlop a try next time. Thanks, Bill.

Decades ago, the guys at my local shop said Finger Ease reduces string life. Though I would assume this has not been your experience, Louis?

finger ease extends string life better than fast fret or the dunlop (i also used that for a while). it is also the fastest to apply, just spray and leave it.

finger ease extends string life better than fast fret or the dunlop (i also used that for a while). it is also the fastest to apply, just spray and leave it.

Good to know.

It doesn't bother you that the stuff gets all over the fingerboard and guitar's finish when you spray it?

GB, I have never replaced the bridges or saddles on any G&Ls other than installing a Bigsby on a Bluesboy. The classic is my least favorite bridge but it is great compared to a Fender classic bridge.

I am lucky in that my fingers do not sweat while I am playing. I don't use anything on them and rarely wipe them down. I do clean fingerboards but have not had an issue with string corrosion. No snake oil here but I would use it before a chicken bone!-- Darwin

finger ease extends string life better than fast fret or the dunlop (i also used that for a while). it is also the fastest to apply, just spray and leave it.

Good to know.

It doesn't bother you that the stuff gets all over the fingerboard and guitar's finish when you spray it?

i don't mind it on the finger board, and i don't spray it on the guitar finish, only over the fingerboard. i don't want it slippery for picking, just for my left hand.

GB, I have never replaced the bridges or saddles on any G&Ls other than installing a Bigsby on a Bluesboy. The classic is my least favorite bridge but it is great compared to a Fender classic bridge.

I am lucky in that my fingers do not sweat while I am playing. I don't use anything on them and rarely wipe them down. I do clean fingerboards but have not had an issue with string corrosion. No snake oil here but I would use it before a chicken bone!-- Darwin

i don't sweat while i am playing either, but the strings still get sticky feeling over time, dirt does accumulate. i am sure if you grabbed your strings with a wipe, and pull it up and down, you'll get a black streak if you don't clean them regularly. it's not corrosion that you guard against, rather the dirt and oil build up from fingers between the windings, that is what kills the tone of strings.