Maintenance of the guitar is a crucial aspect of ensuring high performance each time while you use the instrument. There are many aspects to consider in the proper care of your guitar. Here are a few key aspects to think about when it comes to taking care of and maintaining your guitars.
You need to choose instrument maintenance kit
There are many tools that help you fix your instrument and maintaining your guitar yourself is now easier than ever before. Numerous online guides and videos can help get up on the proper course. A basic toolkit can be useful in many ways because it has the tools that you need. There are two types of tools that are available: a repair kit and an overall instrument maintenance kit.
In a repair kit for guitars, it is possible to discover Allen keys, gauges for feelers as well as small screwdrivers, string winders and pliers as well as other instruments. This set is ideal to adjust and tweak the guitar, as well as changing the strings.
An instrument care kit should include polishes and cleaning products to keep your instrument clean and maintained. your guitar. The kit may include the cleaning cloth and possibly an even neck rest, so you can relax while taking care of your instrument.
Cleaning your guitar
An instrument repair kit or maintenance kit is an excellent item to have to help you maintain your guitar
Cleaning your guitar is crucial but we tend to overlook the procedure. The thrill of playing music is more than the effort required to provide your guitar with a thorough cleaning. But it’s an essential process, so think about scheduling some time before or after playing your guitar, or scheduling an annual maintenance session.
If you buy the instrument maintenance kit such as I’ve described above, it will include the different polishes and cleaners required to keep your guitar in great shape and appearance. In this article, I’ll outline an easy cleaning and maintenance regimen you can employ to keep your guitar in good condition. A few steps, such as wiping, require a few seconds while others, like polishing, require more time.
Make sure to clean your guitar before and after every use.
Cleansing the guitar prior to and following every use. With a cloth free of lint make sure to clean the fretboard as well as the strings and your instrument’s body prior to and after each rehearsal or performance. Wiping away dirt, oils and old skin cells which rub off while you played.
The opinions of people differ regarding the topic of cleaning your guitar. It is possible to do a thorough clean at the beginning and end of each session or maybe choose to do it either before or after. Some prefer less dust while others prefer to leave evidence of a great performance or rehearsal!
Polishing to preserve and protect the body
Regular polishing is an excellent method to keep you’re the guitar in good shape and looking fantastic. My recommendation is to apply a polish for your guitar and avoid furniture polish. Polishes for furniture can cause damage to the varnish of a guitar. It is a good idea to avoid it to avoid an issue. There are plenty of guitar polishes on the market. It is important to select the best polish to match your particular guitar.
Various guitar polishes
Utilize polish and cleaners to keep your guitar looking good!
When applying polish, make sure to apply the polish onto the rag, not directly onto the guitar. This will prevent polish on pickups, strings, and other metal components.
Be sure to use different types of cloths to wipe as well as polishing your instrument. The reason for this is because you should avoid placing polish onto the guitar’s fingerboard, to stop the polish’s oils from getting onto the surface. One cloth could be used solely for the fingers and another one to cover the remainder of your guitar. One cloth can be used for wiping and polishing, however, be sure to keep away from the fretboard!
Scrubbing those difficult-to-reach places
An old toothbrush is beneficial in the care of your guitar. Make use of it to clean dirt and dust from difficult-to-access places around the pickups as well as the bridge. When you switch your strings, also give your frets a thorough cleaning, too.
Polishing metal
To clean metal components, an effective metal cleaning compound is the best choice. They are not very rough, so you should be cautious not to use too much of them. Also, you should avoid applying polishes with abrasive on metal (wood) component of your guitar. The likelihood is that it will harm the varnish, affecting the look and appearance of your guitar.
Cleaning electronics on guitars
Be cautious when using liquids close to electronics such as your pick-up and the volume or tone controls. I recommend using compressed air to cleanse these areas. Because there isn’t liquid (only air!) It is not necessary to concern that it could damage the electronic components.
Controlling your guitar’s surroundings and the humidity
A major area that is of concern to maintain the guitar is the setting where the guitar is kept. The right storage conditions on stage and out of the rehearsal room can provide a sense of security to the instrument if it’s exposed to poor environments. It can be difficult to manage the guitar’s surroundings when it’s not in storage and is being used.
My home is where my guitars are exposed to a wide variety of conditions. In winter the humidity can be quite low, and temperatures are cold. When its summertime, humidity increases, and the temperatures can climb to hot highs. Therefore, I must monitor my guitar’s surroundings to maintain a comfortable atmosphere. It’s quite easy to control. Here are some important points to keep in mind.
Extreme temperatures
Make sure that the guitar is protected from expose to high temperatures or extreme cold. Extreme cold and heat can cause wood to shrink which can cause damage that is difficult to repair and, in some cases, unrepairable.
Cold is the most damaging of both because it could cause cracks to the surface of the instrument as well as warping. It can also be harmful to heat particularly for hollow-body acoustic guitars because they are less brittle than electric guitars that have solid body construction. To help you I’ve got two basic guidelines.
First, take the guitar inside during the winter. Many people make the mistake of putting the guitar in their car for the night to save time. The cold can affect the guitar in this instance. Do not use it if you can!
Then, make sure you take care of your instrument by storing it in a protected area for outdoor concerts and sessions during summer. The direct sunlight can cause serious harm to your instrument. The instrument can withstand only a brief exposure, however the risk is much greater the longer it is under direct sun.
Sudden temperature changes
It is important to not expose the guitar to abrupt temperature changes also. The guitar will be affected by any sudden change in surroundings. At the very minimum the tuning will change. In other instances, there is the possibility of damage.
It is recommended to allow an extra 5-10 minutes to allow the instrument to adjust to its new environment. Ideally, leave it for 5 minutes in its case before taking it outside for five minutes completely exposed prior to practicing or playing.
Humidity
This vital aspect is often neglected. A lack or excess humidity can cause extreme fatigue or even damage to a guitar. For instance, in the area in my home, winters are extremely dry. To fight the low humidity, I make every effort possible to keep my instruments in one room that is humidified. I use a humidifier to maintain the humidity to around 50 percent. The opinions differ on this issue. 50% humidity could be too little or excessive. But it appears to be a good fit for my instruments.
However, it is usually extremely humid in my area in the summertime. Depending on how strong the humidity is I prefer to use a dehumidifier. Most of the time an air conditioner is sufficient to decrease the amount of humid air and thereby creating an environment that is manageable for instruments.
My preferred method for humidifying guitars when I’m away from the home.
If your guitar is usually removed from its main storage area, it’s an excellent idea to have a portable humidifier. I’ve tested several devices, and my favorites are those that both dehumidify and humidify in accordance with the current need.
Measurement of the level of humidity
Insufficient or excessive humidity can cause damage to the instrument. How do you determine the humidity? It’s an easy procedure. I use a hygrometer to do it. Both digital and traditional models of hygrometers can be found.
Maintenance preventative
Maintaining your guitar in a preventative manner is an important aspect of care for your guitar. Make sure to check frequently (every month or at least once a month) to ensure that all screws are secure. Examine the for loose tuning heads, pickguards and strap pins. Tighten any loose screws that you spot.
I generally take a short glance at the pickups to make sure there is nothing loose. This simple, yet crucial check can save you from a long searching for a screw that is missing in the future. If the strap has pins, it could prevent some damage to your guitar. Nothing is more embarrassing than the guitar falling off in a mysterious way (and in a way, embarrassingly) after a screw is loosened loose from the strap!
