Take Care Of Your Guitar
How to take care of your acoustic guitar this summer
Summer is almost here and for many guitarists that means breaking out the acoustic guitar and getting outside to make some music in the sun. With the warmer weather all the traveling with your guitar, it’s important to remember that your acoustic needs love. Changes in temperature and humidity can affect your guitar, and in some cases can cause damage. So how do you take care of your acoustic guitar during the summer? You will not just receive guitar lessons from Philadelphia’s David Joel, but you will learn invaluable tips along the way.
Don’t leave your guitar in a hot car
Think of your guitar like your pet. If it’s too hot to leave your dog in the car, don’t leave your guitar there either. When traveling with an acoustic guitar on a hot summer day, exposure to extreme heat inside a car can cause a guitar’s wood glues to soften and the bridge to come loose under the pull of the string tension.
Use care when flying
Ideally, you’d only take your acoustic guitar with you on an airplane if you have a TSA-approved flight case. These are built to take care of your acoustic guitar, and withstand falls and impacts without damaging your instrument, and are equipped with locks that TSA won’t have to break when they examine your case.
Use a humidity detector
Understanding the humidity conditions around your guitar and how they can affect your instrument is the first step toward understanding how to take care of your acoustic guitar. Depending on where you live, it can get really humid. Be sure to use a digital hygrometer and keep it in the room where you store your guitars. You want to know where you stand so you can humidify or dehumidify if needed.
Clean your guitar and change your strings
Warm weather leads to more perspiration on your strings, neck, and guitar body as you play. As you wipe down the strings, keep an eye out for the buildup of grime on the fretboard. This can be transferred to the underside of your strings and compromise their tone or ability to stay in tune. When strings collect moisture from sweat or finger oils, they can begin to rust if left on the guitar for too long. Changing your strings often is a great way to keep your guitar feeling and sounding fresh.
Condition your fretboard
Once you’ve removed the strings, cover the guitar’s soundhole with a towel and clean the fretboard with steel wool. Rub lengthwise with the grain. If the fretboard looks dry, add a little fretboard conditioning oil.
Playing the guitar is a great way to pass the time during this extreme time. Taking care of it is extra important. If you are just learning to play, consider taking guitar lessons in Philadelphia online with David Joel. You will get one on one learning and will not only learn how to play that beautiful acoustic, but you will also learn how to take care of it.