How to Do Basic Maintenance on Your Guitar

Elevation Music Store

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Guitars are hardy creatures. If you don't abuse or accidentally destroy your guitar, it may well stay with you for the rest of your life. Even so, you should perform some maintenance to keep it in excellent health.

Cleaning the Strings

Steps:
1. Dust under the strings and under the bridge with a feather duster, soft cotton cloth or a clean, cotton diaper.

2. Wipe the strings after playing to prevent the buildup of grime. Otherwise, the natural oil and sweat on your fingers will cause the strings to become dull over time.

3. Use a small, camel-hair paintbrush to dust the bridge and pickup areas.

Warnings:
Do not touch the pickups of an electric guitar with anything other than a dry cloth if you don't want to risk upsetting the pickup's sensitive magnetic field.

Cleaning and Polishing the Wood

Steps:
1. Blow excess dust off the wood.

2. Gently rub the guitar with a dust cloth.

3. If dullness persists, use a soft cloth to rub furniture or guitar polish on the body of the guitar.

Warnings:
Never pour polish directly on the guitar. It may leave permanent stains.

General Maintenance

Steps:
1. Store your guitar in its case whenever you are not playing.

2. Keep your guitar out of direct sunlight.

3. Keep your guitar in a room with 45 percent to 55 percent humidity, a level that is also comfortable for humans.

4. Avoid exposing your guitar to extremes of temperature.

Warnings:
Do not attempt any major repairs unless you know exactly what you are doing. Go to your local guitar shop instead.

More Tips:
Don't use silicone polish!
Silicone polishes such as Pledge will make your guitar extremely difficult to refinish.