A guitar can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the quality and brand of guitar. Regardless of price, just like the first car you buy or that shiny new iPhone, a guitar becomes a part of who you are and it’s value is much more than just the purchase cost. You are also likely to put that favorite musical instrument to extended play — which further means that you will want to take proper care of your guitar to maintain its sound quality.
With regular use, guitars will experience wear, which causes it to no longer produce the same sound quality. Also, most guitars are made out of wood and changes in the climate may require certain adjustments in the guitar’s settings regardless of use. Certain maintenance and repairs should not be attempted by the layman, it is suggested that guitar owners regularly get their guitars checked by a qualified guitar technician.
The following care tips below will keep your guitar in pristine condition:
Regular Cleaning
To keep your guitar and its sound quality in top condition, it is important to regularly clean it regularly. Every time you finish playing the guitar, the strings should be wiped with a clean piece of cloth. This will prevent string oxidation as cleaning will remove any oil or dirt on the strings. It will also maintain the sound quality as oxidized strings usually sound less vibrant.
Also, wipe the body of the guitar with a clean cloth regularly for spotless appearance. You can use polish as well, but avoid using furniture polish as the chemicals it contains may have a negative impact on the appearance of your guitar. Instead, you can use guitar polish that is especially made by guitar manufacturers and is free of waxes.
Loose Parts
Parts of all musical instruments may become loose after some playing time. Proactively check to see if parts of your guitar have loosened, so that you may take action before the problem turns into a major issue. If the problem is easy to handle such as the loosening of a nut, do it yourself. For complex problems, take your guitar to a guitar technician to have it checked. Having your guitar repaired on time will save you a good amount of money as major issues will take more time and also cost more to resolve. Do not delay small problems for later.
String Maintenance
A guitar may require adjusting certain settings or tightening a few strings while playing. Do not play with loosened strings as it may later cause tuning problems. Tighten the strings on your guitar carefully until they feel sufficiently tightened. Over tightening may cause the strings to get damaged.
It is suggested that guitar strings be replaced once every month — in case you perform quite often or play on your guitar a lot, you may need to change the strings more frequently.
Moreover, it is usually thought that guitars that have not been used for a while do not require much maintenance. Such guitars also need restringing as the strings start oxidizing the minute the equipment is retrieved from packaging. Ignoring care on seldom used guitars will eventually decrease its sound quality.
String Material
When changing the strings, make sure you use the right material for your guitar. If you own a nylon string guitar, replace the old strings with new nylon strings. Putting nylon strings on a steel string guitar will possibly tear off the nylon. For a steel string guitar, you can use string material like bronze or phosphor bronze. Phosphor bronze costs slightly brighter than bronze. You can also use steel or silk strings. These are recommended for older or cheaper guitar models as they decrease the tension and make the guitar easier to play.
You can check which kinds of strings are more suitable for your guitar by trying out various brands of strings. The string gauge or in other words, the thickness of the string also needs consideration. In case you choose a light gauge, the guitar strings will be easier to handle. A medium gauge, even though difficult to handle, will produce better tone and higher volume.
Take some time out every week and give your guitar a weekly checkup. Proper care and maintenance will extend the life of your guitar and keep it finely tuned to deliver good sounding music.
