Hi again! I hope everybody had a chance to get out and try a few guitars, ask some questions, and maybe even go home with a new friend.

Summer is here again – here are a few tips to keep your guitar healthy all year long…

• Don’t store your guitar in any hot place, such as a car, or in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time. Guitars are made of wood and put together with glue, which makes them very vulnerable to extreme climate conditions. This is also true if it’s cold. Here’s a good rule to follow: never store your guitar in a place where you would be uncomfortable to stay.

• If you store your guitar in the basement, it’s a good idea to have a dehumidifier running to keep the relative humidity (RH) below 70%. The recommended RH value for both electric and acoustic guitars is between 45-65%. In the winter your RH may become too dry because of home heating. You may have to use a humidifier during that time to raise the RH value. Too wet: your guitar can absorb moisture and swell, which may loosen joints or lift acoustic bridges. Too dry: the wood can shrink and cause cracking. The fingerboard can actually shrink, exposing the fret ends, which makes it uncomfortable to slide up and down the neck.

             
sound hole humidifier          sound hole humidifier          in-case humidifier

• You can purchase humidifiers made especially for guitars. There are several types. Most fit into the sound hole or in your guitar case. (If your guitar doesn’t have a case, this is a moot point.) Guitar case de-humidifiers can be as simple as keeping a couple of silica gel packs in the case.

          
Guitars are made from wood, a living breathing creature. A guitar neck is under great strain from the strings as it is. When confronted with extreme continuous climate conditions, the neck can do some funky things. The neck can warp, twist, bow or even come loose. Even the slightest of any of these can cause annoying tuning problems. More serious issues can lead to a trip to the repair shop, and perhaps big bucks leaving your pocket –if it can be repaired at all! Be careful – if you suspect anything is wrong, there’s a good chance there is. Get it in to a good luthier before it becomes a bigger, more costly problem.

Let’s enjoy the season, the beach parties, the bonfires. Don’t forget your guitar. It’s hot. Keep both you and your guitar in good playing condition! ‘Til next time, play hard! 

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