MAINTENANCE
Here are a few maintenance tips to keep your instrument fresh and awesome, just like you! Don't worry, these few steps are easily done by anyone, and what better way to show your instrument some appreciation than with some TLC?
OIL YOUR *FRETBOARD
Get your hands on some Lemon Oil (Dunlop, Lizard Spit, etc) and oil your *fretboard as and when it is needed. Fretboards are under a lot of pressure from both string tension and fret wire, and it is of utmost importance to keep the fretboard properly oiled to prevent it from drying and breaking down when dry and brittle.
* Only applies to Pau Ferro, Rosewood, Ebony and other porous woods. Do NOT oil maple fretboards.
For raw maple fretboards, use a clean dry cloth to clean. For lacquered maple fretboards, use instrument polish to clean.
WIPE YOUR STRINGS
Everyone wants the fullest out of their instruments, and to be able to do that, you need to prolong the life of the very thing that constantly comes into contact with sweat, grime, gunk and all that nasty stuff - strings.
Some people swear by uncoated strings because they sound livelier, some people preferred coated because they'll last longer. Whichever your prefence, always remember to wipe your strings after playing. Use a clean dry cloth and run it through the entire length of the strings to remove all that nasty stuff. Preferably clean with the help of string cleaners.
UNPLUG YOUR CABLE
This only applies to active instruments - the ones with batteries needed to operate. EMG-equipped instruments and majority of today's basses are active instruments, so battery life becomes an issue for these players. To prolong battery life, ALWAYS unplug your cable from your instrument when not playing, even if it's just for a short restroom break.
Leaving the jack in your instrument completes the circuitry in your electronics compartment, thus draining power without you even playing it.