Guitar Maintenance: Don’t Let Your Guitar Crack

Guitars can be very sensitive. You might lose the texture or playability if you don’t take proper care.  

That’s why beginners to pro guitarists, everyone should have a clear idea of basic guitar maintenance. Today, we’ll learn about some of the essential guitar maintenance tips for all players.

Generally, the guitar maintenance tasks are about cleaning it, changing the strings, conditioning the fretboard, or storing it properly. 

Also, the maintenance is different for acoustic and electric guitars. Well, no need to get confused. In this blog, we’ll try to cover everything about guitar maintenance. So, keep reading and don’t miss a single part.

Don’t Have Time To Read? Know Guitar Maintenance In 30 Seconds!

The basic guitar maintenance tasks include:

• Cleaning the guitar regularly using a dry and soft cloth.
• Store it in a proper environment with a suitable humidity level.
• Change the strings periodically.
• Moisturize the fretboard using the recommended conditioner.
• Adjust the truss rod and bridge when necessary.
• Use a proper cover and stand to store the guitar properly.

Why Does Your Guitar Need Maintenance? [5 Reasons]

Pro guitarists must laugh at this question. Still, all guitarists need to have a clear idea of why their guitars need proper maintenance. Well, this is all about knowing the enemies that cause your guitar to require special care and maintenance.

1. Humidity And Temperature Variations

Extreme fluctuations in humidity and temperature can affect your guitar’s wooden components in the worst possible way. It can cause wood to expand and finally result in warping, cracking, or even delamination of the guitar body and neck. You need to store it properly, especially in a place with a humidity level of 40-55% but 40-60%.

2. Dust And Dirt Accumulation

Dust and dirt love your guitar’s surfaces. When they gather in their favorite place, I mean, on the guitar’s surface, it badly affects its appearance, playability, and tone. This dirt can baffle the movement of different parts of your guitar, like tuning pegs and bridge saddles, and clog-up frets. It can also impact intonation and fretting action. 

3. Corrosion And Rust

Rust is the biggest enemy of your guitar’s strings. Other metal components, including frets can also be affected by corrosion and rust. It happens because of exposure to moisture and air. Corrosion can badly diminish the guitar’s visual appeal and affect string tone and playability. 

4. Physical Damage

Accidental knocks, drops, or hits can cause significant damage to your guitar. It can have dents, scratches, or structural integrity issues. That’s why proper storage in a secure case is a must-have especially to minimize the risk of physical damage.

5. Poor Setup and Adjustment

Incorrect setup facts like string height, neck relief, and intonation, can adversely affect your guitar’s performance. Even if you leave it openly in the wrong setup, it can get affected by all the above facts.

So, these are the facts that usually damage your guitar’s condition or affect its performance. Indeed, your guitars need proper care to avoid issues caused by these facts.

List Of Guitar Maintenance Tools (Extended!)

There are some tools you will need for your guitar maintenance. Let’s check out these tools in a list:

• Tuner: For accurate tuning to improve rhythm and timing.
• Guitar Polish and Cloth: To clean and maintain the guitar’s finish.
• String Winder and Cutter: For quick string changes and trimming excess strings.
• Allen Wrench Set: To adjust truss rods, bridge saddles, and other hardware.
• Fretboard Conditioner: To moisturize and protect the fretboard wood.
• Gig Bag or Case: To protect your guitar from dirt and damage.
• Capo: For changing the guitar’s key by clamping onto the fretboard.
• String Action Gauge: To measure string height for precise setup.
• Guitar Stand: For storing your guitar in the right way.
• Guitar Neck Support: For stability during maintenance tasks.
• Guitar Humidifier: Optional but suitable for maintaining a proper humidity level around the guitar storage area.

Basic Guitar Maintenance Routine

It’s always the best idea to follow a proper regular maintenance routine. No matter how many guitar maintenance tips you are aware of, they won’t work if you never utilize them regularly. That’s why you should make a routine of the basic guitar maintenance tasks and follow them regularly.

However, a basic guitar maintenance routine usually includes two facts: string changes and basic cleaning procedures.

1. Schedule Your Guitar Strings Replacement

You need to replace the guitar string regularly to maintain its fresh condition and vibrant tone. It’s also essential to prevent issues like string corrosion and loss of intonation. However, how often you should change the strings depends on your playing frequency, string type, and environmental conditions.

Guitars usually have the following types of strings:

• Steel Strings: Fund on acoustic and electric guitars, creates bright, crisp tones. It needs replacement relatively sooner.
• Nylon Strings: Found on classical and flamenco guitars for warm, mellow tones. This one is sturdy but may not last longer like the steel ones.
• Coated Strings: Comes with a protective coating that prevents corrosion and dirt buildup. The best type that doesn’t need a replacement so easily.

Regardless of the type, you need to change the string at least once every three months.

2. Routine for Basic Guitar Cleaning

Besides replacing the strings regularly, you should also make a routine of cleaning your guitar. Here is a cleaning routine that you can follow to make your schedule:

3. Wipe It Daily If Possible

If your place has dust, you should wipe the guitar surface daily. Also, after using it, you should give it a good wipe to remove fingerprints and sweat. If you don’t use it for a few days, you should clean it at least twice or thrice a week to make sure that it is not full of dirt and dust.

4. Clean The String Weekly

You can use a string cleaner or a soft cloth dampened with string cleaner solution to wipe down each string individually. It will help remove dirt and sweat around the strings and keep the fretboard clean. Make sure to clean the strings once a week.

5. Clean Fretboard Once a Month

At least once a month, you should clean the fretboard. For that, it’s always a good idea to buy a fretboard conditioner. You can rub the guitar using the conditioner on a soft cloth. This conditioner is good for moisturizing the wood and preventing it from drying out.

6. Polish It At Least Once A Month

To polish the guitar surface, you can use a guitar polish, recommended for your guitar’s finish. Make sure to apply a small amount of polish using a soft cloth and gently polish the body, neck, and headstock of the guitar. 

7. Deep Clean Once in Three Months

No matter if you use it regularly or occasionally, you should deep clean the guitar quarterly. For that, you have to:

• Remove the strings.
• use a soft, damp cloth to wipe down the entire guitar.
• Wipe the body, neck, and headstock. 
• Pay extra attention to hard-to-reach areas like the pickups, bridge, and tuning machines. 
• Use a small brush to remove dust from these areas.

8. Inspect the Setup Yearly

You should take your guitar to a professional guitar technician for a yearly setup inspection. They can check the neck relief, action, intonation, and other critical components to ensure your guitar’s performance is good.

9. Electronic Checkup (At Least Once A year)

If your guitar has active electronics, like pickups, or onboard preamps, you need to take it to a qualified technician to inspect the electronic setups. They will use several tools to check the electric components in this case.

So, these are the basic cleaning routines you should follow. Now, you can make your schedule following the routine tasks.

How To Maintain The Guitar Woods? (In 3 Simple Steps)

Even though you follow a proper guitar maintenance routine, there is still something you need to make sure of for the guitar’s wood. You must know that the thin slice of wood is used to make the guitar surface produce the best sound quality. That’s why the wood needs extra care so that it can’t be crisped or rotten in any way. 

Here is a guitar wood maintenance guide you should follow:

1. Humidity Control

I’ve talked about the humidity before. Well, a proper humidity level is essential for the guitar wood maintenance. The suitable humidity level to store your guitar is 45-55%. You can use a digital hygrometer to monitor humidity levels. Also, to balance it, you can use a humidifier or dehumidifier.

2. Conditioning the Fingerboard

They usually use rosewood or ebony to make the fingerboard of most guitars. This part requires conditioning periodically to maintain its moisture balance. Conditioners can save the wood surface from drying out or cracking. 

However, you can’t use just any conditioner you find on the market. Make sure to use the recommended one for the wood type. Use it in a small amount to rub the fingerboard with a soft cloth. Once you are done, wait for a few minutes to let it dry.

3. Cleaning the Surface Regularly

If you don’t clean it regularly, dust will cover the guitar’s wood surfaces over time. It can affect its appearance and playability. So, to prevent dirt on your guitar surface, you have to wipe it regularly using a clean cloth. It will also remove spots and fingerprints. 

If there are any stubborn dirt or spots, you can use a damp cloth or a mild guitar polish to clean it. However, don’t use harsh chemicals or products unsuitable for the wood type. Remember that these chemicals can damage the wood and its finish overnight.

Also, you can use a guitar polish or wax to preserve the finish and prevent scratches or damage. Well, be careful of what product you are using no matter for what part of your guitar. Always try to use the recommended cleaning product by the manufacturer.

You Need Advanced Guitar Maintenance Too!

All the essential guitar maintenance tips mentioned above are easy and anyone can try them. Well, there are some advanced maintenance tips that even beginners should learn to fix issues at home. However, truss rod and bridge adjustments are complicated, I know, but they are your must-have.

I have added a simple guide on how to try them, but if you find it difficult to understand, you can ask a professional to do it for you.

Truss Rod Adjustments

Even though adjusting the Truss rod is a complicated task, you should learn it for advanced guitar maintenance. This adjustment is necessary to fix neck relief, which affects the guitar’s performance and intonation.

For that, you have to first assess neck relief using a specialized tool to measure the neck relief. Then find the Truss Rod adjustment nut. In most cases, the nut will be at the headstock or inside the soundhole. To adjust the nut properly, you will need the right size Allen wrench or hex key.

For incremental adjustments, you have to turn the truss rod adjustment nut clockwise to tighten or counterclockwise to loosen. After each adjustment, make sure to recheck the neck relief using the straightedge or specialized tool.

Bridge Adjustments

The bridge of the guitar is important, especially for setting the action (string height) and intonation (accuracy of fretted notes). Bridge adjustments are essential for fine-tuning these parameters to fix the tone. Here is how you can adjust it:

Adjusting Action

Use the bridge saddle height adjustment screws to raise or lower the string saddles. If you lower the saddles, it will reduce action and finally make the strings easier to press down. On the contrary, raising the saddle will increase action to enhance sustain and tone.

Setting Intonation

Next, you have to set the intonation. This part is relatively less complicated and you can use a guitar tuner to compare the pitch of each string’s open note with its corresponding 12th-fret harmonic and fretted note. Then, adjust the saddle position forward or backward as needed to align the pitches.

Maintain Stability

After making bridge adjustments, check tuning stability and playability. Ensure that the bridge remains securely fastened to the guitar body and that all adjustments are balanced across the strings.

You can fine-tune your guitar once you properly learn the truss rod adjustments and bridge adjustments. So, you should try it out on your own.

Acoustic Guitar Maintenance Tips [Bonus]

You have already learned almost everything about the guitar maintenance tips. Still, let me be more concise for you. If you are using an acoustic guitar, make sure to follow the below tips regularly:

• Clean it Regularly: You should clean your guitar regularly and for that, it’s better if you make a routine. Clean all the areas including the fretboard and the surface. For stubborn spots, use dump cloths. For dust, use dry and clean cloths.
• Change the Strings: You should make sure to change the strings of your acoustic guitar regularly. While changing, give it a good wipe as the fretboard is open at this time. Also, be careful of choosing the right string for your guitar.
• Be Careful of the Humidity Level: For acoustic guitars, humidity is like an enemy. Try to maintain the level between 45-55%. If it’s difficult because of the environment, use a humidifier or dehumidifier.
• Take Care of the Fretboard: Cleaning the fretboard using a cloth is not enough. Try to invest in a recommended conditioner to clean and moisturize the fretboard. It will improve the durability of your guitar material and keep it in a fresh condition.
• Inspect the Bridge and Nut: You should also check the bridge and nut on your acoustic guitar. If there are any cracks or loose parts, take the necessary steps to fix them. Besides, you should look at how the strings are seated on the bridge.

Electric Guitar Maintenance Tips [Bonus]

Now, let’s see what to do for an electric guitar maintenance:

• Cleaning the Guitar: As usual, you need to clean it regularly. In this case, you shouldn’t use damp clothes or liquid cleaning agents. 
• String Care: Like the acoustic ones, you need to change the strings of an electric guitar regularly. While replacing the strings, clean the fretboard and other parts properly. Also, choose the right strings 
• Inspect the Hardware: You need to check the condition of the electric guitar’s hardware periodically. Make sure to check the bridge, tuners, and pickups. Fix the part that has any wear, loose parts, or corrosion. Also, use lubrication to the moving parts for easy tuning.
• Electronic Maintenance: Check the guitar’s electronics, like the volume and tone controls, pickup selector switch, and output jack. If there are any issues like crackling or poor connection, fix them immediately. 
• Adjust the Setup: You should also check and adjust the guitar’s setup parameters. Properly inspect the string height, neck relief, and intonation. You can use a ruler to measure these parameters and make adjustments if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Maintenance Is The Key For Your Guitar

These are the essential guitar maintenance tips for all players. As you see, all you need is to clean the guitar regularly including every single part, store the guitar properly in the right humidity level, and fix parts like old strings, as needed. For advanced maintenance, you need to adjust the truss rod and bridge nut.  

Well, I agree that the total process is time-consuming. But that’s how you should maintain your favorite guitar. So, if you want it to stay in fresh condition and last longer, you should try all these tips. Best wishes.