Essential Guitar Care: Expert Tips

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Essential Guitar Care Expert Tips
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INTRODUCTION

• It is commonly understood that the installation
  of new strings can revitalize a guitar, and the
  routine practice of cleaning the body and wiping
  the strings after performances to remove
  perspiration marks is commendable. However, what
  measures should one truly undertake to properly
  maintain their guitar?
• Outlined below are ten essential recommendations
  for preserving the condition of your guitar while
  traveling, and ensuring that your cherished
  instrument is always prepared for immediate use.

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1. Stay on Top of Guitar Tuning

• The technician must be able to change a set of
  strings quickly and accurately, ensuring that the
  instrument is in tune for the artist's
  performance. New strings are prone to slipping,
  which can be caused by excessive winding around
  the string post. It is recommended to wind no
  more than three turns. Sweat residue can also
  cause damage to the guitar's hardware, including
  the fingerboard, frets, saddle, and bridge.
  Regular maintenance of the nut, fingerboard,
  frets, controls, and hardware is essential,
  regardless of how often the strings are changed.

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2. Brush the Fingerboard Neck
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• Both the fingerboard and frets take a lot of
  punishment, so a string change offers the ideal
  opportunity to get down and dirty with a
  toothbrush. That old worn one you thought about
  throwing away (dont get them mixed up) is ideal
  for gently cleaning away and loosening
  fingerboard dirt especially close to the fret
  edges.

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3. Keep Your Saddles Clean

• Saddles are critical to string height and
  intonation adjustments, so keep an eye on the
  Allen key head adjustment screws, they sit pretty
  tight in the saddles but are susceptible to
  movement, and if allowed to rust up will prove
  tricky to adjust.
• Applying drops of WD40 with a cotton bud (again
  dont get them mixed up) will also protect and
  help free-up stubborn screws.

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4. Keep an Eye on Your Guitars Nut

• Creaking strings as they catch in the slots when
  tuning or bending is the sign of a dry or worn
  nut, especially on three-a-side headstocks.
• There are plenty of lubricants for nuts on the
  market and a slippery nut will also help to
  ensure return to pitch when using vibrato
  systems.

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5. Adjust the Truss Rod

• String tension and extreme variations of
  temperature can cause movements of the neck that
  require truss rod adjustments, but unless you
  have a regular afternoon gig in the heat of the
  desert and up in the snow cap mountains in the
  evening, once settled, truss rods rarely need
  adjusting.

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7. Humidity In or Out the Guitar Case

• Do you affix it to the wall and pay obeisance
  every time you pass by, or relish the scent of
  cellulose as you unseal the enclosure on a weekly
  basis? In either case, it is noteworthy that wood
  is permeable, and to be precise, its moisture
  content is influenced by the ambient relative
  humidity and temperature.

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8. Repair Guitar Parts

• Taking care of your guitar and installing guitar
  parts when necessary is essential to maintain the
  instrument's playability, tone, and overall
  condition. Determine which guitar parts need to
  be replaced or upgraded. This could include
  tuners, pickups, bridges, nuts, pots, or
  switches. Inspect the guitar to ensure
  everything is secure and functioning correctly.
  Make any additional adjustments as needed. Keep
  records of any part replacements and setups for
  future reference.