My pooer DK2LE fell into a state of neglect

[Jack The Riffer]

I hadn't played my DK2LE since before I went into detox back in August. I've been playing my Fender that's always in the computer room. While I was in detox my wife decided to do some house cleaning and she moved my guitars to my youngest step-daughter's room. Apparently my step daughter opened the top of one of the windows and left it open and we didn't know it because it was behind the curtains and she moved to Louisiana back in September.

After some 80 degree days and 32 degree nights mixed with rainy days and such over the past few months there was alot of moisture in the room.

I went in there today and pulled out my DK2LE. It was horrible. The strings were rusted and the frets had alot of tarnish. None of my other guitars suffered these effects and 2 of them weren't in cases, the DK2LE was in a case. It was quite a depressing site. I would have taken pictures but it was too gruesome.

Out came the masking tape and steel wool and after a bit of elbow grease and steel wool treatment and a new set of strings I was able to bring it back to brand new condition. It's playing beautifully once again!!!!

You've all seen Pics of the DK2LE so I won't put any here. I'm just glad I was able to get it back in shape with minimal work. The neck didn't seem affected at all. No truss rod adjustment needed. Go figure.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Ouch it makes me cringe to know the guitar that took us over a year to get was suffering the elements like that for months. Glad you were able to get her back in tip/top shape.

[xenophobe]

My custom Warwick suffered a similar fate, but didn't take even nearly as much abuse to get rusted and molded...

I was coming back from the last show I played bass in, it was raining, the bass was in the back of my truck and when I got home I just put it where I normally do. All the next rehearsals and shows I was playing guitar, so I didn't touch my bass for several months.

I open up the case, and the strings are rusted. Some of the wood is discolored from moisture and mold, the frets were green and growing (they're brass frets), and the headstock had expanded and warped and the ebony headstock cap didn't, so it was partially pulling off the headstock. This was a totally depressing sight. My baby... $2100+ custom natural wood bass is starting to mildew and discolor.

I cleanded her up and removed the strings. Polished the frets, totoally steel wooled the oil-finished body free of discoloration and mold, and set the case open in a room for a week to dry out.

Still haven't fully assembled her. The wood dried out, the headstock returned to it's normal shape, and after it was dry, I re-oiled the body and waxed her, and she looks just like she did, for the most part.

Still need a new nut. Those Warwick Adust-a-nuts are kind of crap, I've busted two of them.

[HoWheels]

Still need a new nut. Those Warwick Adust-a-nuts are kind of crap, I've busted two of them.

Newer or older style?

I haven't had any problems with my original-style just-a-nut (from my 97 Streamer).

-a

[evolutionised]

how did you clean the frets? with steel wool? my warrior's kinda rusted too =]

[Jack The Riffer]

Yes, SuperFine 0000 Steel Wool. Just put a piece of blue painters masking tape on each side of the fret to prevent the fretboard from being scratched and then rub the fret lengthwise with even strokes to remove the rust and tarnish.

The guitars actually only took about 7- 8 months but it was all the BS in between that made it seem much longer. That's all I'll say about that...Don't want this to be a KE bashing thread. ;o)

[straycat]

You can go at it on an ebony fretboard with out taping it off.just go wth the grain.Same with maple fretboard.0000 steel wool will not hurt your inlays at least I haven't had any problems.

[Jack The Riffer]

I always use the tape, either that or 2 Post-its. The DK2LE has a Maple Fretboard. I just use a damp cloth on the fretboard to clean it. Maybe a bit of Windex.

[demeyes]

If you are going to clean your frets I've heard its a good idea to put tape over your pickups to make it easy to remove any bits of metal that get attracted to the magnets there.

[Jack The Riffer]

Yes that is a good idea. I didn't tape up the pickup on my guitar because it's a single hum in the bridge position, but when doing this type of maintenance you should definitely tape up the neck Pup.