daily clean after play = WD40 or any metal conditioners , cheap, get from hardware tool store.

I apply on tissue then slid it under the strings and grip/clean for the 3 thinner strings.

I never bother with the wounded strings since they never rust and could last very long time. It's the non-wounded strings that rusts.


And when they discolor badly and starts showing a bit of rust, I use Brasso metal polish, same process, and this took out all the rust and discoloration in seconds, then I continued with the WD40/metal conditioner method.


I've never changed my electric guitar strings since I bought my strat in 2006.


Now is 2008, I never knew my string could last almost 2 years, and the non-wound strings are still shiny as new after the brasso treatment.


The wounded thicker strings, no rust or discoloration, never bothered to clean them.

My brasso is only 6 ringgit.

WD40 or similar metal conditioner is under 8 ringgit.

But they'll last a LOOOoooongg time and I could continue using them on my current strings for as long as the rust don't appear (can get rid with brasso anyway).

Nope, never snap, got rust also a bit only but i treat it in time. I still have a new pack of a'addario string i bought a year ago which never used yet.

Some more the stock strings are unbranded cheap steel strings, I also no idea how they could last so long, must be the brasso, every cleaning session with brasso the string became shiny again.

Not a problem, tone is not important when you start out. Not gigging or playing for anyone, just for training fingers, strumming/picking etc, so not a big deal for tone issue.


Just don't let them get too much, as long you regularly wipe and clean the strings and apply brasso before actual rust, should be fine.

I wouldn't recommend this when you actually gig/record but if it's just for practising, who cares?


I am not too particular about tone, at least not yet.

brasso is a mild abrasive, it wont eat much. I've checked the string gauge of the strings before the nuts and at places i've brassoed on. Not big deal, same gauge but the one before the nut is quite oxidised.


Almost 2 years. I play 5 times a week for 90 minutes a day then wd40 the string. I use brasso only when it changes to dark color, i wont wait until it rusts. It only happened once, mild rust.

I don't bend much, but i do vibrato though. No hardcore bending to 1/2 or full step.

I dont have a good pickup anyway (cheap squier california strat) or i cant be bothered with tone quality.

When I clean my strings, I slide tissue under them, grip and pull back/forth from various angle. I start out with brasso, but only when very serious discoloration is seen, else I just use Qplus squeaks terminator, something similar to contact cleaners but also lock out moisture.

I never had problems with rust eating my frets. The catch is you may need to coat the strings with a bit of mineral oil when you want to do some very smooth slides. You can buy those from pharmacies for 3 ringgit. I used them to oil my maple neck too, after cleaning with alcohol+rag. Do this only if you can tolerate the baby smell, I love the baby smell. haha.

When my string broke (about time), it didn't break at the area where I clean, but at the joint near the bridge where I could never reach, so they corrosion of the strings there cannot be helped unless you detune completely to clean.

Now that I slapped on a new set of D'addario 10s, the tones are very bright, so bright that I am not used to it, because I kinda like the sound of old muddy strings, sounds more warm to me.

As for brasso changing the gauge of your strings, it's not a significant issue, because you're not supposed to gig with those strings, you just need to save money so you can practice your technique then I guess when you wanna gig, then slap on a new set of strings.

I don't use brasso everytime I clean, only when it's badly discolored, else usually I just stick with something like qplus squeaks terminator or contact cleaners.