Instrument Care

The three D'Addario polishes are numbered because they are meant to run in order: Restore lifts grime and hand sweat off the finished body, Protect leaves a layer of carnauba wax, and Shine is the quick gloss before you go on stage. The full sequence is a once-or-twice-a-year job; day to day a dry microfiber cloth does more good than any bottle, and the pre-treated cotton cloth is the one to keep in the case. Bare wood is a separate matter, as Lemon Oil cleans it and Hydrate puts the oil back, while polish should stay off those surfaces altogether. When the strings feel gritty under a shift, one small drop of XLR8 or LubriKit is enough, because anything more simply collects dust.