Dr Ducks

fused

fused

Improvisationalist
At the recommendation of a few axe wielding string sliding maniacs.....
I purchased some Dr Ducks Ax Wax...

Now I have been using WD for over 30 years, spray on hand and wipe on strings method, not drenching the neck... Just sayin..

So finally, was placing an order, saw the stuff and 2 bottles landed in my mailbox.

So....lastnight, (remember that $50 roadside First Act prize?) I tried it as a string lube (main purpose) and as a wax.
Some said that as a wax it gave swirlys...and it does... But don't overdo it and its not all that bad...

As a string lube on the First Act... HORRID! But wait! It wasn't the wax's fault, can't polish a turd and that certainly includes that First Act used sitting out in the sun particle board plank with strings...

Knowing those that recommended this stuff well enough, some years on line anyhow, I trusted them and yes, out came the Gibson Paul. Same application method, apply to hand and then to strings and back of neck...
Well I puched in a patch that I use for shred and got the recording deck cranking some backings and 90 minutes later I was still shredding with great ease.... And I had forgotten about the Ax Wax until it dawned on me, 90 minutes, still slick and sliding and bends were so easy and ya know, I haven't added any more.. .One application was still going strong 1.5 hours later...and probably would had long after if I wasn't so worn out from 90 minutes of shredding non stop... And I do mean..NON STOP!

Now time will tell if it gunks up or anything but first impression is....well... impressive.

I did compare to baby oil as I use that to treat the fret board a few times a year.
Its is close...its like baby oil but way way way thinner....
Doesn't smell like diaper changing time either.. a serious ++++++++++

When I tried to use baby oil as a string lube, rather quickly it gunked up the strings.
This stuff, thus far, has not.

Ok, thats my review....


The First Act...no amounts of any kind of magic are gonna help that thing...
A good guitar with expert setups etc....this stuff kicks fking ass!!!!!!!
 
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Ok, an update...since I've been using this stuff for a few weeks now.

On the Paul and the Martin, both were needing a string change... SO I decided, why not see what this can do to revive old dead fused beat to death strings... And quite honestly, it has revived them to like new. They sound great. Put Dr Ducks on and left it on overnight, wiped them down an they are seriously like new again...

Now with WD, I had to re-apply about every 20 minutes or the strings would get dry and I hate dry strings.
Dr Ducks... I have a rag that I put about 6 drops on, and I use that to wipe the strings down before and after playing and that rag has been going strong for over 2 weeks now. And the strings are as slick as newsly applied WD and it doesn't dry up at all during improving....

The other thing that I was watching for was gunking up the strings or the fretboard.... Not happening...

Take it for what its worth, I've been seeking the ultimate string lube for 40 years... Tried many and always ended back to WD...
This is the longest that I've been away from WD and using another product. But I seriously love this stuff.

NOW I want to guarantee that I have a lifetime's supply. Hunting for a place where I can buy it in gallon size... You know, just to have around in case the Duck should decide to stop making it....

OH almost forgot...
Its now on the 12, the guild and the L5 and the ES150 as well....
Now I haven't tried it on the vintage 1910 banjo.....yet... But then, I don't play the banjo :wink:

AND it sucks as a wax.. But its excellent as a string lube...
 
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I use it for cleaning fretboards and for cleaning any part of the guitar that is a little grungy but I never use it as a string lube and rarely as a wax. On a toothbrush it is excellent for cleaning around frets and bridge components or tuing machines or other tight spots.

As a wax I find it leaves hazy spots so you have to 'nmot make contact' with areas that have some still on them or you'll likely get a mark or smudge in that spot.

For 'string lube', well, I like clean strings with no corrosion so I use Finger Ease and I spray my strings before they even go on the guitar. As time goes on I give the strings a spray once in a while but I wipe my strings down every time I play so the longevity and the cleanliness of my strings is high.
 
Well I'm satisfied enough to stock up on the stuff.
Just purchased 6 more bottles... gotta stock up on the good stuff.
I like it better than WD... months of usage now and no gunking up, strings are lubed and stay that way without constantly adding more stuff...

Yeah, kind a liking this stuff :)
 
Very much like baby oil but really thinned down. I mean, I suppose you could take baby oil is cut it with something to get this consistency and thats probably what the Dr does. But he's figured it out already so I'm on board. And besides, he won't talk.....he's not tellin what he is using to cut it :wink:

I'm good to go for a pretty long time..... Now back to pick making and improving :lol:
 
It may not be cut with anything except fragrance ingredient/essential oils; mineral oils can be found in different viscosities too.

In the end, you can get it for not a whole lot more than a similar sized bottle of mineral oil from the drug store (~$5) so it's kinda moot. Course, if you pay $9+ for it, then that's a different story.
 
Paying less than $5/bottle.... And it seems to last a long time. I just like stocking up cause every time I find something that really works, they either stop making it or the company goes out of business :facepalm:
 
That stuff is good. I've got half a bottle left (I only bought 1) and I've been using it for a couple of years. To clean guitars with, it's one of those "lil' dab'll do ya" kind of scenarios. Just a tiny bit on a cloth will work. If you put way too much, you'll have a lot of wiping ahead of you. I mostly use Gibson spray-on polish to clean the body of the guitar and the Axe Wax to treat the necks and fret boards. It can really work wonders for a dry fret board.

EDIT: Shoot... I didn't notice how old the thread was. I didn't mean to necro. :-/ Sorry. :embarrassed:
 
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Still using it, great stuff. Another Bon Fire gig a year later and it kepts the humidity from making the neck go nuts....
Goooood Stuff.........
 
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