Hammond Music

Posts Tagged ‘how to care for your guitar’

Care and maintenance can sometimes seem secondary to playing, but if you want to continue playing for a long time, then it’s absolutely vital. We have assembled some of the best tips to keep your guitar in tip-top condition. By following these steps, you will find that the guitar will last as long as you want it to! Keeping your guitar in the best possible condition is paramount to enjoying the full life and playability of your instrument.

·    After Practicing
The deterioration of the strings is a common problem amongst guitarists. If the strings start to rust, then they become very rough and have a higher propensity of cutting into your fingers. To prevent this, make sure that as soon as you have finished practicing take a soft cloth and clean the strings. A guitarist with cut fingers is not going to play as well, so it is important to make sure that the strings of your guitar do not get to this stage.

This is a very simple action, but it will get rid of all the oil, dirt and sweat that can accumulate on the strings. You might want to think about applying a thin layer of string conditioner before you re-case your guitar. These solutions are relatively inexpensive (a good one will cost less than ten US dollars) and they do a great job of preventing the oxidization of the strings that causes them to rust.

·    The fretboard
When you next change your strings, simply clean the fretboards with a damp cloth. There can often be an accumulation of dirt and grease around the fretboards, just as there is on the strings. If this is left unclean, it can lead to serious damage for your guitar, compromising the integrity of the instrument.

·    Polishing
The body of the guitar can often be neglected, as people tend to focus on the strings and the fretboard. However, by paying attention to the body of your guitar, you are more likely to sustain the overall life of the instrument. Polish it regularly with a lint-free cloth, using only guitar-specific polishes. Some more widely available household polishes arte too abrasive, and can cause damage.

·    Storage
Your guitar is a very sensitive instrument, and is extremely sensitive to the environment in which it is stored. Wood is a porous substance, which means it can absorb moisture. Whilst most guitars are tolerant to a range of temperatures, excessive moisture will cause swelling which in turn causes the wood to warp and affects the overall sound. For ideal conditions, you should be looking at storing your guitar at around 50% humidity and a temperature of around 25 degrees C.

·    Scratches
It seems an obvious thing to say, but I have seen so many people make this mistake! Before you begin to play, make sure you remove all jewellery and other accoutrements that might scratch your instrument. Obviously, rings and bracelets could do this, but I have seen many people scratch or damage their instruments through simple things like belt buckles or the buttons on their jeans!

It’s not really rocket science – and if you treat your guitar with the respect that it deserves then you will find the rewards are much higher. You can prolong the lifespan of your guitar by applying simple common sense in the majority of cases.

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson