We have assembled the best ways to keep your guitar in perfect condition – follow these tips and your guitar will last as long as want it to! In order to enjoy the full life and playability of your instrument, it is paramount that you keep it is the best possible condition. Often, it can come secondary to playing, but if you want to continue to play for a longer time, then keeping it in the best condition is vital.

·    After Practicing
If the strings start to rust, then they become very rough and have a higher propensity of cutting into your fingers. The deterioration of the strings is a common problem amongst guitarists. A guitarist with cut fingers is not going to play as well, so it is important to make sure that the strings of your guitar do not get to this stage. To prevent this, make sure that as soon as you have finished practicing take a soft cloth and clean the strings.

Before you re-case your guitar, you might want to think about applying a thin layer of string conditioner – these solutions are relatively inexpensive (a good one will cost less than ten US dollars) and they do a great job of preventing the oxidization of the strings that causes them to rust. This is a very simple action, but it will get rid of all the oil, dirt and sweat that can accumulate on the strings.

·    Clean the fretboard
The next time you change your strings, take a look at the fretboards and clean them with a damp cloth. As well as the strings, there can often be an accumulation of dirt and grease around the fretboards. If unchecked, this can damage the sound of the guitar, and eventually the integrity of the instrument.

·    Polishing
The body of the guitar can often be neglected, as people tend to focus on the strings and the fretboard. However, by paying attention to the body of your guitar, you are more likely to sustain the overall life of the instrument. Polish it regularly with a lint-free cloth, using only guitar-specific polishes. Some more widely available household polishes arte too abrasive, and can cause damage.

·    Storage
For ideal conditions, you should be looking at storing your guitar at around 50% humidity and a temperature of around 25 degrees C. Your guitar is a very sensitive instrument, and is extremely sensitive to the environment in which it is stored. Wood is a porous substance, which means it can absorb moisture. Whilst most guitars are tolerant to a range of temperatures, excessive moisture will cause swelling which in turn causes the wood to warp and affects the overall sound.

·    Scratches
Before you begin to play, make sure you remove all jewellery and other accoutrements that might scratch your instrument. It seems an obvious thing to say, but I have seen so many people make this mistake! Obviously, rings and bracelets could do this, but I have seen many people scratch or damage their instruments through simple things like belt buckles or the buttons on their jeans!

Guitar maintenance is not rocket science, and by treating your guitar with the respect that it deserves, you will prolong the lifespan of your guitar. For the majority of the time, simply by applying common sense you will get better rewards out of playing it.

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson

My Guitar – Jump, Little Children live at the Music Farm

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