We have all had the experience of picking up an acoustic guitar that has “had it”: High action makes it hard to play, top’s cracked, neck is bowed, etc.
There are lots of ways to make an unpleasant or even impossible playing experience. It’s kind of sad because it didn’t need to turn out that way. With some basic knowledge, tools, and care, you can easily maintain the condition of your acoustic guitar. Here are some tips to help you keep your acoustic guitar in top notch shape so you can get your best practice and performance for years to come.
Tip 1: Know Your Wood
Let’s start by talking about wood. When your guitar was in its original tree form, it was made up of cellulose and water. When it was harvested and milled into usable bits, the natural hydration process was interrupted.
Construction lumber is usually kiln dried to prevent shrinking and twisting. The wood we need to build an acoustic guitar would be much thinner than structural lumber and would be too fragile if it were dried, in fact we need to keep the hydration process going by using humidification.
Solid vs Laminated Acoustic Guitars
Back in the day, guitars were constructed entirely of solid wood. The soundboard (top) was usually made of spruce, and the back and sides typically a denser hardwood such as mahogany, maple or rosewood. The development of laminated wood (plywood) made the materials more affordable and less humidity-sensitive.
Most guitars constructed these days are a mix of solid and laminated wood; the top, neck and internal bracing being solid, and the back and sides being laminated. All-solid construction is generally the premium end of the market, all-laminated construction would be in the more entry level budget.
Tip 2: Keep Humidity in Check
No matter what bits of your guitar are solid or laminated it is very sensitive to humidity. Acoustic guitars like it to be about 45% humidity.
Depending on geography, the relative humidity where you live will vary seasonally. Heating and cooling systems also reduce humidity. The guitar wants consistency, which is why it’s super important to have a case or gig bag. That way you are only adding humidity to a confined space, which is much easier than keeping an entire room in check.
You’re welcome to use a whole-room humidifier (or dehumidifier, depending on the season), but it’s always a good idea to get an acoustic guitar humidifier. They typically either sit in the case with the guitar or inside the guitar itself — either in the sound hole or inside the cavity.
As beautiful as your acoustic guitar may be, resist the urge to display it when you’re not playing. The stand is only a safe place to put it when your practice is interrupted.
How to Gauge Your Acoustic Guitar’s Hydration
The best way to see if your instrument is dry, normal or over-humidified is by looking at the top from the side. The part of the top that holds the bridge should be a little proud or convergent. You can use a straight edge like a yardstick to check this across the lower bout by the bridge. If the top is drawn into the body, humidity is needed. If the guitar is over-humid the top will be a little swollen and will protrude too far, causing playability issues. There are several ways to check this with humidity sensors. Taylor has a great reference to help with humidity issues.
Tip 3: Wipe Down Your Guitar After Playing
Most guitars have a gloss lacquer finish and do not require a lot of care beyond a light wipe down with a polish cloth after playing. Avoid using household cleaning products or waxes. A light polish spray will help with stubborn bits.
Some people have different chemistry that may interact with the metal of the strings — aka the oils on your fingers can rust the strings. It helps to use a string cleaner after each jam session.
Other than that, your guitar doesn’t demand a lot of day-to-day care. Depending on how much you play, the strings will eventually need to be changed. A good way to assess the condition of the strings is to run your finger down the plain high E string. It should be perfectly smooth. If you feel any nubbles or slight kinks at the fret positions it is time for a fresh set.
Tip 4: Change Your Strings
Sure, you can play on those old rusty strings. But it’s not doing your guitar (or fingers) any favors. Whenever you feel rough patches or kinks, it’s time to change the strings.
Loosen the tension on the strings, remove the bridge pins using a bridge pin puller, and take off the strings.
Now that you have the strings off, use fretboard conditioner on the fretboard and the bridge. Let it sit for a while and absorb the oil. Wipe down excess oil with a cloth (not your polish cloth, please).
This is a good time to check the tightness of the collar bolts that hold the tuners on the headstock. Don’t torque them down like crazy; finger tight is fine. Most string winders are the same size as this nut. This might also be a good time for a fresh battery if you have electronics on board.
Take a minute to polish the guitar unstrung, since you can’t really get at the headstock and top when the strings are on. Be careful; the saddle in the bridge is usually a loose part and may fall out.
Put each string’s ball end into the bridge a seat the bridge pin. Triple check the order, so you don’t misplace a string.
Pull each string to its respective tuner it and cut about three finger-widths long. Using a string winder, wind the string downward on the tuner shaft. Mind the bridge pin while you’re doing this because they tend to want to shoot out of the bridge. I put my polish cloth over the bridge, so the pin won’t end up under the sofa.
Pay attention to the direction you’re winding. The strings should be oriented on the headstock like the petals on a flower, with the strings coming off the tuning peg, going down the middle of the headstock, and into the nut slots. It might be a good idea to take a picture before you start.
Once all the strings tuned to pitch, pull on them to get any stretch out and retune.
Tip 5: Understand the (Dreaded) Truss Rod
The truss rod lives inside the neck and helps to counter the tension of the strings. The idea is that there needs to be a little bit of “relief” in the neck so the strings can resonate without buzzing on the frets. The truss rod adjusts the relief. It can sort of bend your guitar’s neck forward and backward to adjust string height. If your strings are too high, you can tighten the truss rod to bring them down. If you hear buzzing from the frets, loosen the truss rod to raise string height a bit.
A good way to look at amount of relief in the neck is to use the low E string like a straight edge. Fret the lowest and highest note and look at the middle of the string. It should have a space about the thickness of a credit card. If it is touching the fret, the truss rod is too tight and needs to be loosened. Conversely if the space much larger the truss rod needs to be tightened.
This is an area where you could potentially damage the instrument if you over tighten the truss rod, so definitely take your time on this one. Read this guitar truss rod adjustment blog for more details about this potentially tricky acoustic maintenance task. If you’re still uncertain, it might be best to take it to a qualified repairperson.
Tip 6: Save Batteries and Unplug Your Guitar
Most acoustic guitars are set up with electronics if you want to plug into an acoustic guitar amp. Most of these systems utilize a battery to power the preamp. When you put a plug in the output jack, you activate a switch that turns on the preamp. When you are finished with your session make sure you unplug, or you will likely return to a dead battery — another good reason to put it back in the case!
Tip 7: Practice Safe Travel
There’s one thing that has probably killed more acoustic guitars than anything else: The hot car in a parking lot on a sunny day.
Your guitar used to be in a tree, so it has already experience being cold and even frozen, but it has never been heated much. The temperature inside a parked car can easily exceed 120 degrees, which can cause failures in glues joints and distort wood panels.
Don’t leave your guitar in a vehicle, even for a short time.
Plus, it’s also a huge theft risk. With that in mind, I prefer to use a gig bag when I travel, so I can keep my guitar on my shoulder securely. The bad guys don’t care what’s in a guitar case; they just know it’s good thing to steal.
And When You’re Looking for Your Next Acoustic Guitar…
At American Musical Supply, we have an insane selection of acoustic guitars. And when you’re ready to take care of said guitar, we also have a great selection of maintenance supplies and storage solutions to keep all your music gear in top order.
If you have any questions about gear or gear maintenance, please call one of our experts toll-free at 800-458-4076. And hey, don’t forget about our 0% financing and VERY fast free shipping! Now that you know how to care for your gear, you and your acoustic guitar can spend years and years and years making sweet, sweet music.
