Guitar Maintenance 101
Chances are, your guitar isn’t going to arrive perfectly set up, nor will it stay in that condition. Even if it’s not right away, your guitar will probably need maintenance work at one point or another. Here is a basic overview of what your guitar will probably need done at some point and how to handle it. I want to mention that this article specifically refers to guitar, but pretty much all these points can be generalized to bass guitar as well if that’s your thing!
1. Tuning
There is a very great chance your guitar will not come in tune. Even if it does, it will need to be re-tuned pretty much every time you play. Tuning is also very simple. Simply buy a tuner (I like clip-on ones like Snark tuners, but there are others and most are under $20 if not under $10). If a string is “flat” meaning it is too low, twist the tuning knob to tighten the string (this will depend on how your guitar is strung). If a string is “sharp” meaning it is too high, twist the tuning knob to loosen the string.
2. Strings/Re-stringing
The strings that come on guitars fresh out of the store are notoriously bad and you will probably want to change them out early on. The good news is, this is a fairly easy process and one for which you can find infinite YouTube videos. This process will entirely depend on the specific anatomy of your guitar, so don’t be discouraged if the first video you pull up is for a different build of the guitar. On some guitars you have to pull the strings through the back, on others just through the bridge, it just depends.
When it comes to buying your new strings, there are a few things you want to keep in mind. The first is a string brand. This is entirely a personal choice. I prefer D’Addario, I know a lot of people who prefer Ernie Ball, just try out different ones every now and then to find what feels best for you. The second thing is string thickness or gauge. If you play a lot of songs with bends or anything that makes you want really easy control of strings, 9-gauge strings are probably for you. If you are going to be down tuning your strings a fair bit--think metal, hardcore, anything in a lower register--you will definitely want to go heavier, possibly 11 or even 12-gauge. These strings provide a fuller sound with distortion and aren’t as easily moved in the sense of bending if playing fast chords is your thing. You’ll probably want 10-gauge strings for everything in between.
3. Material Care
Fingerprints dulling your guitar’s shine? This can easily be fixed with some guitar polish and a fiberless cloth--think what you use to clean glasses. I personally like the Dunlop Formula 65 polish, though there are lots out there.
As you probably know, your fingers produce oil just like the rest of your skin. Over time, this oil builds up on the fretboard of your guitar. Not only can this buildup damage your guitar, but it can also simply make the fretboard feel sticky and gross. You will probably want to combine this process with when you change your strings because you will need to take off the strings to clean the fretboard properly. All you need to clean the fretboard is some cleaning oil. You will want to avoid ones with a lemon oil base, as they can be quite damaging. I personally love the Music Nomad F1 oil. Simple apply a LITTLE bit of oil to a paper towel and run it up and down the fretboard until it looks clean. You might even see dirt on the paper towel. You can also find tutorials for both these processes on YouTube.
4. Intonation/Electronic Care
Intonation is simply how in-tune your guitar is up and down the neck. If your guitar only sounds in tune in one part of the neck, chances are you need to get your guitar intonated. This is actually a more complex process. If you are newer to guitar maintenance, you will probably want to have someone more experienced do it, ideally a guitar tech. You can, however, also find YouTube tutorials for it.
On the same note, there is a possibility if you play an electric guitar that at one point or another your guitar will have an electrical issue. If you play with active pickups, you might be able to fix the problem yourself by simply replacing the 9-volt battery in the back of your guitar. If this doesn’t work, or if you don’t play with active pickups, then you will probably have to have someone check the wiring of your guitar. This is a rather difficult process and requires a great deal of electrical know-how and knowledge about guitar anatomy. Again, this is probably not something you want to try at home.
If this article didn’t answer your question, or if you just wanna talk gear and guitars, feel free to DM me @soleileileileileil