10 Guitar Hacks You NEED To Know 

My first video course, The Tone Course, is now available. Check it out below! flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course

Good info. I’m a repair tech for Epiphone, and I’ve played guitar for 60 years. I can tell Dave knows his stuff. And yes, he needs his own RU-vid channel.

Here’s one I learned yesterday: Drier Sheets. While playing a Strat thru a vintage ‘65 Champ, I started noticing random scratching sounds. I assumed it was a patch cable or one of my pedals, so I fiddled with that stuff, but it didn’t do anything. I finally focused on my guitar and noticed it happened whenever I touched or rested my hand on the pickguard. Turns out it was static electricity that had built up in the plastic pick guard. I was happy to learn a couple strokes with a plain old anti-static drier sheet would cleans it up. And it did. Amazing.

I was setting up to play a gig and when I went to plug the cord into my arch top, the jack got pushed inside the body. I immediately shook the guitar like I was trying to make a pick fall out of a acoustic guitar, and got the jack to come out thru the F hole. And that’s how I played the gig! 😂

I'm a 59 year old disabled vet just learning how to play guitar. I love all these videos on tips and learning, years of wisdom at easy reach. thank you.

for cleaning frets, and the bridge, use bamboo skewers. Super soft wood, will never scratch anything. When it dulls or gets gunky, shave it down with a blade, keep going.

So you're saying I should STOP throwing my guitars away when they get dirty or scratched?!?

hack: tilt your cup gently when drinking water to save spillages!

Omg I didn’t even catch the part with the “just use a magnet to clean your pickups” any magnet as strong or stronger than your pickups magnets which aren’t that strong can very easily damage your pickups and with all the cheap rare earth magnets that are available today you could really degauss a pickup in a heartbeat!

Thanks to Dave Onorato from @dojoguitarrepair Follow him on instagram! Heres the supplies we mentioned in the video Amazon Affiliate Links Deoxit D5 amzn.to/2qgi1l3 Knob Puller amzn.to/2KzvUBu Meguiars # 2 Compound amzn.to/2pyWtQa Meguiars #7 Polish amzn.to/33X9imk

I once cleaned my fretboard with 0000 steel wool going perpendicular (crossways) and it completely dulled it. To get it back then it original look, I used 0000 steel wool and went along the grain. Lesson learned. Surprised an experienced luthier would do that.

0:35 hack 1 2:10 hack 2 4:18 hack 3 7:40 hack 4 9:35 hack 5 11:23 hack 6 13:31 hack 7 15:13 hack 8 17:15 hack 9 18:07 hack 10

You can also file off the edges on the bridge to prevent string breakage.A small round file is more effective and easier to control than a dremel with less risk of damage.

Dave is a great guitar tech, and a good all around guy. I had him dress the frets on one of my Jeff Beck Stratocasters and it was like new when he finished. Whenever I need major guitar work done that I don't feel comfortable taking on myself, such as re-fretting, Dave is the man.

Turn on captions/subtitles for 10:45 : "I don't go out on the road without having a cannabis"

Very useful video indeed, and thanks for being straight talking and to the point and not trying to be gimmicky and overly comedic. Really really felt like I got something out of this.

I think it’s worth mentioning that some knobs have screws on the side. I have a bass like that and a knob puller would be a bad idea for that. Check the knobs and see if they have a screw in the side first!

I've known and used some of these hacks for years but always open to new ones and this video is very much appreciated!

I would love to spend an afternoon with Onorato. So casual with his knowledge.

Nice job, very clear explanations. I appreciate guys like you who care about us and our equipment!

👏👏👏👏 to Rhett for first forcing Dave onto IG, I’ve loved watching and interacting with him. And then double 👏👏👏 👏👏👏👏 👏 for the future channel/merch for Dojo; this dude really is a wealth of knowledge, a wicked guitar player and from what I’ve seen, just an all around good dude. Can’t wait to see ya again and actually meet this dude. All Love, Aaron

Sweet! That guy not only polished the scratches off of your pickguard, but he polished the gold plating off of all the screws as well!

Dave Onorato isn't just a great guitar tech; he's also a cool guy who knows how to speak well and present information well. Yes, I hope you start a channel, Dave if you haven't already! 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

Can't wait to see the champ in action,really looking forward to seeing Dave and Dojos you tube channel,Dave your a natural and will do just fine,thanks to Rhett for helping you decide to help us guitar geeks get the much needed confidence to DYI our own fixes,tricks and guitar information.

Dave is just like a dentist with Rhett's guitars: "Oh, for shame, you need to floss better behind the last molars!"

DO NOT use magnets to get shavings off of pickups. This can change damage the magnets in your pickup

2:12 Hack #2: Locking the strings I'll have to try this one for sure. Thanks guys! Extremely helpful video.

Thank you so much guys. Rhett's right - we're very blessed to have RU-vid and videos like these to teach information so we can all be better at whatever art forms we practice.

I was on board for everything but not completely taping your pickups when using steel wool. The steel wool can eventually work its way into the windings and even cut through them in pickups that aren't extremely overpotted. Steel trumps copper in hardness. Normally its more of "when" than "if", if it makes it in there and the probability goes up the more you use this technique. Add even more if they are open coil. Micromesh pads do they same thing at the same or higher grits with no metal cast off. Dangerous tip.

Big thanks to Rhett for featuring Dave Onorato! This just proves we need The Dojo Guitar RU-vid channel. First subscriber right here.

The "lemon oil" referred to here is lemon scented mineral oil. Essential lemon oil would be very bad for your fretboard.

Thank you! I don't even have a guitar and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's great to know guitar is mechanical and something to work and build a relation on.

Went into the local guitar shop, asked for a knob puller and they threw me out! 😲

Thanks Dave, good stuff. Lindy Fralin advises to just tape over the pickups when using steel wool - no magnet. It is too easy to demagnetize your $$$ pickup with a strong enough magnet. Doh! Keep up the great channel Rhett- I just missed you in Richmond, VA the other week, so next time around bro!

Lemon oil & an old toothbrush has always worked for me on the fingerboard.

I highly recommend grinding the end of the socket FLAT and then carefully deburring the edges. This allows nearly full engagement with the thin nut flat of the tuning key. Normally, sockets are rounded on the inside to more easily fit over a full height nut. But with thin nuts, the engagement of the socket with the nut flats is reduced, greatly increasing the chance of damaging the flats of the nut. Box end wrenches can also be ground flat and deburred for use with thin nuts.

Careful with lemon oil on a bound neck, the fingerboard can swell and crack the binding at each fret. This happened to me with an ES 175 that had been hanging on a GC wall for three years before they sold it to me in 2000. They told me it was really dry send needed a lot of lemon oil for the rosewood. Rosewood is an oily wood by nature. That's why it's usually not covered in a finish. It doesn't need lots of oil. A little oil goes a long way.

Great hacks to share. I’ve played for 30+ years. Through them I have learned all of these the hard way. This will greatly help those less experienced. 👍🤘🏻🤘🏻

Thanks for the tips. I like that 5WW t-shirt! Keith would love seeing this! The sting-lock thing I was shown decades ago and have used it without a slip for all that time. It's a tuning trick everyone without locking tuners should use.

As a guitar tech, I HATE that string “locking” technique. It’s a pain to remove the strings and doesn’t hold tune any better than wrapping the first wind over the string that is exiting the tuning peg before continuing the rest of the wraps winding down towards the headstock.

Thanks so much. I thought I'd know a lot of these. Turns out I maybe knew one, about removing knobs, because I really f---ed up my pots switching knobs the stupid way. Thanks again. Saving this video for later.

Killer video!! Thanks for all the links! Dave rocks at explaining it too!

yes! tightening the screws on the tuning machine handles! I had a major problem with my tuning going flat - that's exactly what it was. thanks for sharing!!!

You can more safely pull knobs with a microfiber cloth. YES I said cloth! 1) Slide cloth under the knob 2) Keep cloth tight as you wrap all the way around under the knob 3) Twist excess cloth into a 'ponytail' TIGHT 4) Pull knob off. Knob pullers can damage the finish on that $4000 Les Paul! C'mon guys!

Here's another related to storing or displaying guitars. This is for electrics, but I'm sure it applies to acoustic as well. Make sure your humidity levels are always around 40% and 55%, too much or too little moisture in the air will damage, untune, mess up necks/fretboards and cause finish cracks in the guitar over time. Get a humidifier, dehumidifier and silica packs to combat this issue during different seasons if you like in places like the northern east coast like me.

Always learning something new. Thanks for the tips from the both of you.

Thanks for the video.. I used to work in the neck department for Taylor in the late 90s and had totally forgotten about a few of these tricks. Also learned a few new ones. Great video!

Hey Dave: Just do it. You have tons of knowledge to share. Thanks

Thanks for the 8 and 10. I’m in love with that tool.

Hack 2 is brilliant and something I did when I was gigging EVEN if I broke a string live and had to restring in time for the solo...

0:06 I love that Yoww

I have to disagree with locking the string like that due to the struggle to remove for next set.

Hey Dave, Well done. You speak to all the issues very well without making anyone feel bad, The string lock wrap I've never done and I've been playing like 50 years,. Gotta try that. Graphite on the nut I've done but it's hard to tell if it does anything. This was worth watching.

Great hacks I've been playing for over 50 years love the tips makes it easier to maintain my Guitars.Thanks

When Nashville winding/locking as shown 1/2 turn is enough. I've been doing this for decades

#10 Storing a guitar... a friend of mine had his Takamine in a dry unheated room for 20 years or longer (played aprox. 10 hours per year): 50 degree Celsius in summer, -20 C in winter. No cracks and the best sounding acoustic guitar i ever heard. just saying ;-)

I watchd this video when it first came out. In the time since this has come out all of my guitars have doubled (at least). In cleanliness and playability. This video really helped me a lot.

Gotta love Dave... Thanks for the tips, sir.

Always seeking to improve my playing and sound, and for that I salute ye. I also need such because I am a very cheap man haha. Great work!

Heat the tip of the applicator tube of the Deoxit, and bend it and let it cool. An angled tip makes it much easier to spray into the opening of the potentiometer. I also recommend adding absorbent packing material, such as a paper towel, around the pot to catch any overspray, instead of allowing it to penetrate into the wood and under the finish.

This is a terrific channel. Smart advice delivered by knowledgeable guitar people. What a concept!

Dave is a blessing to this channel

Some things I would like to know from a guitar tech like Dave: I have a nice acoustic with no pickups. I have heard various opinions. Is it worthwhile to put a pickup on it? If so, what is a good pickup and can I DIY? At what point is it worth upgrading a cheap guitar (

I'm not big on really over soaking the board with any oil 😣 a real thin coat and wipe it off quick because of the possibility of frets lifting up coming loose whatevermaybe I'm a little paranoid or just overthinking it but I don't go real heavy even if it's dry a little bit goes a long way but you still Rock Dave and Rhettkeep up the nice camera work read it really shows a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff that no one ever knows about, I kind of feel in my opinion that there is a plan b for some things 😉 thanks for all your help and support 😊👍

Awesome info. Thanks a million!!!

Thank you, this was awesome...and to Dave, yes, more please !!!

When he said “i see lots of guys...and girls with guitars...” I went 🥺 yes it is nice to be included lmao

Tightening nuts is an innovative hack. I love this modern age.

This is a great video used most of these tips this morning, my strat appriciated it

Thanks guys for the great tips!

He said "you don't wanna scratch your fingerboard" just after he firmly passed the steel-wool 90 degrees to the fingerboard veins.... OMG!!!

Dave definitely needs to have a RU-vid channel to show more of those hacks!

So great, thanks!

Great video Thanks Dave & Rhett!

Watching this guy scrub against the grain of the wood on the neck!4:28 Ouch. With steel wool! Holy shit, don't do this to your guitar!

for metal shavings on my pickups, I just use tape to take it off because the stickiness is stronger than the magnet.

so great 🎉🎉🎉🎉love the goodness of string breaks wow

Dave's channel will be a must watch for me.

D5 is pure magic, the best I ever had in 40 years of playing.

Awesome video---some great tips except I find that if you wrap the strings like that, taking them off becomes a major PITA.

Great information thanks for taking the time to show

Awesome video. Great info. Thank you very much.

The five watt world shirt secret plugin yes 🤘🤘

Great hacks, lots of common sense. With that said, if the "sharp" corners in the saddle are causing string breakage (which seems to be a major problem), why wouldn't the manufacturers correct that issue before it gets to the customers? Your idea of slightly rounding those sharp edges in the saddle where the strings ride is a no brainer to me. But a slightly better saddle design from the manufacturer with less sharp corners would eliminate that potential.

GREAT Video Dave, Very Informative, Stuff I Didn't Know

The DEOXIT hack for pots and switches just saved 2 of my guitars. I know this video is 4 years old. Thanks Rhett!

He literally gave that guitar a MANicure🔥🎸

OMG... ..... lets tune up this video 1. i do not see him adjust gear lash / is tightening machine head /tuner ! 2. is pretty good / but is a lot of fighting the strings and can not re·wrap if needed/ ......2.1/2 to 5 wraps depending string on size as it is supposed to be, is best/ 5 for thin string. 3. do not use steal wool like this premature ware / use wd40 or any other gun stock wood oil for cleaning./ do not use lemon oil it will dry out (limonene oil is company brand of mineral oil) mass people get this mixed up) use gun stock oils. 4. do not use car polish/ petroleum solvent is not to be used / very clean pure carnauba wax is a possibility. i use wd40 on plates as well for 40 yrs no problems (the only petroleum product i know is safe on guitars). 5. deoxit is good , tf cleaner better but was outlawed in spray cans 1990 / is not plain grease in pots, bug is carbon piles braking down do not use unless you have scratchy pot/you will have to spray every 6 months or so in this case/ the but companies spray tip nozzle leak 90% of time, buy buy $30 can of gold deoxit . / real fix get new pot $5 do not over heat the pots soldering. 6. string cutting = bad saddles and or bad string stretching / use Ernie Ball RPS. i have never had this problem with the 5 major companies of strings ever. / SRV must of had bad techs. dremel is crude / used jewelers files. /plastic will dampen sustain, and not a fix, not for me. 7. oil strings under nut is good/ other is to much work. do not sand , premature ware string height/ dry chattering is the real problem. 8. knobs use 2 butter knives , the steal is soft 9. lock tight blue , lock washers that are made are scratchy and come loose on me after 1 yr. 10. this ones right for all finishes / pouch is good, make sure to read how to maintain the pouch/ do not use humidifying regulating tools!!! unless its for repairs / a fast shift in temp and humidity cause to crack faster, about 4 degrees an hr max. and about 40% humidity + /- 10 ....../ real cause is bad lacquer paint mixes. i have worked with fender and gibson custom shop s closely for over 30 yrs . .

I love this tech stuff! Thank you, thank you!! Bravo! Encore!

Wow, super helpful information. Straight forward, no BS. Thanks.

Although I understand the stability of wrapping a string like that, you sacrifice a lot of speed in string changes especially in a crunch when you break a string. If I had done this back in the day my on-stage tech would have punched me. A well wrapped string on the post, just like suggested of no more than two wraps and stretching the strings after installed will work just as well. Of course this is just my opinion.

The Honorable Onorato.

Awesome video and thank you for sharing your guys 👍👍💚💚

Great to see you getting in more videos, Dave. Keep it coming brother 🤘🏼

I don't want to get a reputation for being a groupie but the Beato extended gang seems like a really cool bunch of sweet guys. It is difficult to ignore how earnest, endearing and provocative all of you are. So fascinating to watch. It's like having a crush on your teacher at school. It's really weird. Maybe I'm too sensitive or something. lol.

Dave must be a good fella, 'cause he's wearing a Kieth Williams 5 watt world shirt. K.W. is the go to guy for gear history on tube. I knew the hacks, but then I'm not your target audience. Thanks buddy.

Order the knob puller as soon as I saw this video!!! Thanks for the great tips...

FANTASTIC!!! THANK YOU

I’m always dumbfounded when I find out someone who’s a really good guitarist is clueless about the tech aspects of guitar. My older brother, who taught me to play, is the same way. He’s been playing since he was 13 and he’s never adjusted a truss rod, never taken the pick guard off by himself. His friends or teachers have always done that stuff for him. It boggles my mind.

1 hack that makes the most difference in how your guitar plays and sounds is to get good. If you know how to play your guitar will sound WAY better.