Beat logo

4 Healthy Habits When it Comes to Maintaining Your Acoustic Guitar!

A guitar is generally an expensive and close-to-heart purchase, so it’s no surprise that you want to take full care of it. You just need to follow certain maintenance tips and tricks.

By Eada HudesPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
Like

Do you own a guitar? Do you plan to own a guitar? Either way, you already know or will soon know that it’s quite an exciting and nice feeling when you bring home one. This musical instrument gives you the power to unleash your inner emotions. It helps to bring out your musical skills and creativity -- playing your first ever song on your first ever guitar is super special. If you have already played on multiple types of guitars such as acoustic, electric etc. you may already have a favourite.

We have our favourite too. Most of you might prefer acoustic over electric guitars, as they are super rewarding to play. But, at the same time, they can be quite uncomfortable. Most of the guitarists are forced to stop playing their acoustic guitars as they are hard to set-up. Don’t be one of them. With a little repair work and set-up, any acoustic guitar can turn out to be amazing. So, you just need the help of an acoustic guitar repair shop. Colourtone Guitars are one of the best guitar repair services in Melbourne. They have helped people with guitar issues for several years, and all it takes is a call to get their technician and premium services delivered.

Four Easy Acoustic Guitar Maintenance Techniques

Just like all other instruments, particularly the wooden ones, acoustic guitars naturally deteriorate over time. They may be used on stage, be in transit or stowed away; but in all times, there are factors which can have devastating effects on the health and sound of the instrument. A guitar is generally an expensive and close-to-heart purchase, so it’s no surprise that you want to take full care of it. You just need to follow certain maintenance tips and tricks; and in case of any serious issues, visit one of the best local guitar repair shops.

Restringing:

One of the most common causes of poor acoustic guitar management, especially among novices, is not knowing when and how to string the guitar. Restringing can be quite a daunting job, especially for those who don’t have a clear idea about the lifespan. They may get quite frustrated when their guitar begins to sound dull, just after a while post restringing. So, the general life expectancy of guitar strings is 3 months or nearly 100 hours of use, whichever one comes first. So, now keep this in mind and go for a restringing every now and then.

2. Cleaning Fingerboard:

Once you remove the strings, you might witness how dirty the fingerboard or fretboard has become. A dirty fingerboard is the clearest sign that tells you it’s time to clean the guitar. When dirty, fretting the guitar or playing the chords turns out to be quite difficult. To clean, you just need some guitar oils or conditioners, a super fine steel wool pad and a damp cloth. Just scrub down the fret and wipe away all of that dirt and grime.

3. Temperature/Humidity Control:

An acoustic guitar is made up of very thin pieces of wood. This makes it quite vulnerable to gradual or even sudden changes in the humidity and temperature department. The ideal conditions to store acoustic guitars are at 72-77 degrees Fahrenheit and 45-55% humidity. Guitars are also exposed to cracking when kept in dry areas or out in the cold for long. So, keep them away from drastic changes as much as possible. In case you live in an arid area, keep a humidifier in the sound hole and it will mediate the humidity as required.

4. Traveling Rules:

The acoustic guitar, may be, hands down one of the most travelled instruments in the entire world. This makes it all the more probable to horrors it can face during transit. Well, guitars are fragile instruments, and need to be distinguished from the rest of your baggage. If you are taking it in a car, an absolute thumbs rule is to never put it in the unventilated trunk. Also, while flying, keeping your guitar in the overhead bin is much better. The rough and rowdiness of the luggage conveyor system will do your guitar no good.

So, these were some of the must-follow tips if you want your acoustic guitar to be in good shape for years to come. It’s absolutely paramount that you know the ins and outs of these tips so that your guitar is all safe and in tune. Get familiar with these rules ASAP and it shall save you a lot of stress, money, and heartbreak later on.

instruments
Like

About the Creator

Eada Hudes

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.