Guitar Maintenance:
Many new (and sometimes semi-experienced) players do not understand the importance of maintaining their instruments. Like any other piece of equipment, a musical instrument must be maintained in order for it to function properly. Even something as simple as wiping down your strings after you practice is essential to the “health” of your guitar. The oils and skin from your fingers can affect the strings and cause you to have to change them more frequently. Most manufacturers recommend you change your strings every 1-3 months, depending on how often/long you play. If you have an unfinished neck, they also recommend you oil your fretboard each time you change the strings (it doesn’t take much). There are various brands out there (I like Hydrate from D’addario but there are other quality brands) for you to choose from and most are fairly inexpensive. My instructor at guitar workshop taught me to use a soft bristled toothbrush to rub the oil into the board. I know. It sounds like it would harm the wood but trust me, it works great. Whichever product you use, it is crucial that you keep your fret board maintained which will make your instrument look and play better and it will extend the life of your instrument.
Humidity
Humidity is extremely important to the “health” of your guitar. Too much humidity can cause the wood to swell which can lead to the bridge lifting (causing high action), it can dampen the wood and affect the tone, and weaken the adhesives used to secure things like the braces and cause them to break loose. Humidity that is too low can cause structural damages such as cracked finishes, and can cause the fretboard to become too dry which can cause the frets to sprout and give you sharp fret ends among other things. The ideal humidity for guitar storage is 45-55% (some say 40 but I think that is too low). The ideal spot is 48% but anywhere in the 45-55 range is good. Dehumidifiers, as well as humidifiers, can be crucial to your guitars “well being”. If you store your instrument(s) in cases, there are products that help regulate the humidity there as well (humidipacks….). In essence, to maintain proper guitar health, be sure to keep the humidity at the proper level.
