Care And Maintenance Of The Guitar

By: Barbara Salerno

Good guitar care requires little time and effort but can reward
you with years of playing enjoyment. There is nothing like pride
of ownership in a well-maintained vintage guitar. If you
eventually sell it the profits can be just as rewarding. A
guitar is not just an investment of money. It can represent
hours, months and even years of hard work and study, and
neglecting it can also be very expensive in the long run.

So here are some easy tips for guitar care and maintenance:

Always keep it in a protective case, or in a sturdy guitar rack,
away from any source of dampness.

Keep the guitar away from extreme humidity - you can buy small
dehumidifers that fit right into the compartment of your guitar
case that will absorb damp air which can warp the wood.
Sometimes these accessories are included with the purchase of a
top-line guitar, or you can negotiate them with the purchase
when buying from a vendor.

Keep the guitar in a climate-controlled room. The rule of thumb
is, if the room it is stored in is too hot or too cold for you
to live in, then the guitar shouldn't live in it either. Trust
me -- I've made dumb mistakes storing guitars in hot attics and
then wondered why the necks looked a little off kilter. Bad
idea. Keep the guitar in a room where you are comfortable
spending a lot of time.

Guitar stores sell a lot of accessories like guitar polish,
string cleaners, cleaning cloths and such. I usually use a clean
cotton cloth to wipe my guitars off. When I change the strings I
will take a clean cotton or flannel cloth and wipe off all dust
and dirt from the nut and under the bridge area where it is hard
to reach under the strings. It's a good idea to change the
strings every few months or so -- the frequency really depends
on how much one plays -- but don't let the strings get a rusty
or scratchy feeling. The strings should always feel smooth and
almost silky, for maximum playability.

Do not leave anything stuck in between or on the strings, like a
pick or a capo (capotasto). Return the guitar to its case in the
same perfect condition as when you first bought it. Picks can
fall inside the hole, and capos can keep unnecessary tension on
the neck and strings. Remove anything you put onto the guitar
when you first removed it from its case.

Speaking of strings, don't ever store your guitar with high
tension on the strings. Keep the guitar in tune, or even better
still, lower than in tune, so that the strings are somewhat
relaxed. You'll get more play out of them, and better sound.
Replacing the strings frequently can be expensive, so their
maintenance is important.

With a little care your guitar will provide you with playing
enjoyment for years to come.