The Guitar.

Hey There!

Before we move on to the maintenance part,lets do a quick review of what the guitar is made up of.Firstly let us know more about the Acoustic guitar.

The Acoustic Guitar:-

The word  "Acoustic" basically means that the sound produced is not amplified by any electric means and is dependent upon the natural frequency of a guitar.The "headstock" reffers to that part of a stringed instrument which is attached to the lower neck of the instrument.

On the headstock are "tuners", which you will use to adjust the pitch of each of the strings on the guitar.At the part of the guitar where the headstock meets theneck of the guitar,you will find a "nut" which is basically a small peice of material(steel or plastic) that is used to guide the strings upto the turners.The "neck" is that part of the guitar which enables you to  play different notes.The neck is divided into different sections called the "frets".Each fret represents a specified range of frequency that can be produced by strumming the strings at that particular fret.The "sound hole" is a hollow enclosure in the body of the guitar which is responsible for the sound produced by the guitar.When a string is plucked,the air column enclosed by the  body of the guitar vibrates thereby producing an amplified sound.
The strings of the guitar run from the tuning pegs, over the nut, down the neck, over the  body,  over the sound hole (or pick-ups), and are anchored at a piece of hardware  attached to the body    of the guitar, called a "bridge".The tension in the strings can be altered(i.e tuned) by turning the"turning machines"  situated on the headstock.So now as we are familiar with the most important parts of the guitar that are responsible  for how the guitar sounds lets move on to the maintenance part.

Maintenance

 Well, as most people are unaware of this, the sound produced by a guitar is very much dependant upon the environment in which it is placed.

Here are some of the things about your guitar that you must take care of:-

1)Carrying & Storage ~ It is always better to carry your guitar in a case - whether soft or hard. However, a hard case is better because it will provide for your guitar maximum protection from bumps, temperature and fluids.

At times, putting your guitar into its case may be inconvenient to you, but laying it around or leaning it against the wall can be a set-up for accidents. A good invention that solves this, by providing support for your guitar and easy access for you is a guitar stand.

2)Temperature & Humidity ~ Enemies of your guitar are extremes in temperature and humidity including when they change rapidly. Shifted necks, cracked finishes, slackened glued joints are all examples of damages that can happen to an acoustic guitar due to environmental changes and conditions.

A stable environment of controlled humidity and temperature is ideally what your guitar needs. A humidifier is an effective device that can be placed in the sound-hole of your guitar that can be set to maintain humidity at a particular level. An acceptable level of humidity for guitars is 40% - 60%. Humidifiers won't interfere any at all with your playing.

When carrying your acoustic steeled string guitar on a flight, it is advisable to slacken the strings as the lower temperature may cause the strings to contract (i.e. tighten) and place too much force on the neck of your guitar. Too much force on the neck may cause it to be displaced.Here's a pic of an acoustic guitar humidifier system.

3)String Care ~ Wipe your guitar strings with a cloth to get rid of deposits of dust, dirt and oils from your fingers. Use a string lubricant if you have metal strings to keep them shiny, light and bright.

Before playing, you can clean your hands with a small amount of hand sanitizer and wipe them in a cloth. The natural oils from your hands will transfer to the strings and bog them down, so you will have to avoid this.

4)Cleaning ~ Your guitar is quite easy to clean. Guitars are not high maintenance, so what you will need to do is to wipe your guitar with a damp cloth to get rid of smudges, elbow grease and dust. Wipe the body, neck and fretboard.

Occasionally polish your guitar. Many Guitarists abuse their guitar by over polishing, lubricating and waxing. Some experienced guitarists suggest that keeping the wood of your guitar dry is great for the increase in quality of sound. The deposits of products used on the guitar can change the natural resonance of the wood, and reduce the sound quality over time.

You can vacuum the inside of your guitar via the sound-hole to get rid of dust and other unwanted particles.

Here are some miscellaneous tips :-

• Avoid over-tightening your guitar strings, as this can cause excessive strain on the neck.

• Be extra careful when walking around with your guitar from room to room to avoid bounces and scratches.