Whether you’re always traveling with your acoustic guitars or just playing at home, it’s always a good idea to perform regular maintenance. It’s helpful to know some basic acoustic guitar maintenance techniques that will keep your instrument sounding and feeling great no matter how often you play.
Acoustic guitars are made of wood, and wood is sensitive to changes in climate. Shifts in temperature or relative humidity can affect your guitar in multiple ways, some of which can lead to costly repairs if you’re not careful. Solid woods in particular, such as the solid tops featured on all Taylor acoustic guitars or the back, sides and tops of our U.S.-made instruments, are especially prone to the effects of climate fluctuation. For example, extended exposure to low relative humidity (below 40% RH) can dry out the wood, causing it to shrink and run the risk of cracking. Similarly, excessive humidity can cause the wood to absorb moisture and swell, potentially causing other problems. Without adequate humidity control (especially in drier local climates), acoustic guitars can crack and their necks can warp, causing problems with fretting, intonation and playability.
So how do you prevent this kind of acoustic guitar damage? Easy: by keeping your guitar properly humidified (ideally between 40-60% RH). The easiest way to do this is by storing your guitar in a case with a case humidifier inside. A case humidifier will slowly release moisture inside your case, maintaining humidity to help ensure your guitar doesn’t suffer damage. Using a digital hygrometer can help you monitor humidity levels around your guitar.
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In dry conditions, it’s also possible for your guitar’s fretboard to dry out, which can lead to problems with your guitar’s neck (and makes the fretboard look less lustrous).
To prevent this, we recommend using a basic fretboard conditioner. Conditioning oil keeps your fretboard moisturized and smooth, ensuring a responsive feel while preventing damage.
Conditioning your fretboard is easy. Just apply a small amount of the oil to a soft polish cloth and rub the oil onto your fretboard, making sure you wipe down the edges of each fret (up against both sides of each fret bar, as that’s where residue from playing tends to accumulate most). Give the oil a couple minutes to sink in, then wipe it clear from your fretboard. Of course, you’ll want to take the strings off your guitar first. Which brings us to our next tip…
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Steel strings will collect oil, dirt and grime from your fingers over time, and may even begin to rust in humid climates. This can make your strings sound less vibrant the more you play. (Note: Every guitar player is different, and some love the mellow sound that can come from generously played-in strings. No judgment from us.)
So how often should you change your strings? It varies depending on how often you play, your local climate and other factors. If you start to notice that your strings feel dirty or if your guitar is starting to sound a little dull, it might be time to switch out those strings.
If you want to get longer life out of your strings, many brands offer coated strings that feature a thin polymer layer that keeps oils and grime away from your strings, preserving their initial vibrant tone for a longer period. Here’s another simple tip: Wash your hands before you play.
Acoustic Guitar Features Acoustic Guitar
First off, you’ll need a good polish or cleaner solution. Which you should use depends on your guitar’s finish. If your guitar has a matte or satin finish, we strongly recommend using a guitar cleaner formulated for that finish type. If your guitar features a glossy finish, use a guitar polish.
Next, you’ll need a microfiber polish cloth. We specifically recommend microfiber cloths because they’re much softer than standard cloth and are woven with materials that won’t leave marks or scratches. Using a regular cotton cloth or paper towel is likely to damage your guitar’s finish, so avoid these entirely. For satin- or matte-finished guitars, use a suede microfiber cloth. Polish a gloss-finished guitar with a plush microfiber cloth.
Typically it’s best to apply a small amount of cleaner or polish to your microfiber cloth and then wipe down your guitar (instead of applying cleaner or polish directly on the guitar).
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If you’re a player who lives in a dry climate or frequently travels with your guitar, it’s helpful to have a way to monitor the conditions around your guitar for any changes that could potentially lead to damage.
That’s what the TaylorSense guitar health monitoring system is for. It’s a small smart sensor box that installs neatly into the battery compartment of any Taylor acoustic guitar equipped with Expression System 1 or 2, ES-B, or ES-N electronics powered by a 9-volt battery. The unit detects temperature and relative humidity, transmitting that information via Bluetooth to the paired app on your smartphone. This allows you to keep an eye on the factors that can affect your guitar’s playability and will notify you if there are changes that require your attention. The sensor box also detects significant physical impact, and you’ll receive a push notification if TaylorSense detects a bump or blow that could cause damage to your guitar.
One of the best ways to keep your guitar in good shape is to make sure you play consistently. Playing often means you’ll know exactly what your guitar needs and when, and it’s always easier to take care of your guitar on a regular basis than to neglect normal maintenance and pay for repairs. That’s why our final recommendation is always this: pick up that guitar and play.With the weather getting progressively cooler in many regions during the fall months, it’s important to maintain a healthy relative humidity (RH) level for your guitar(s). The ideal humidity range for an acoustic guitar is 45-55 percent. Keep in mind that the more you heat your home, the more the indoor humidity drops. Dry conditions will not only compromise the playability of a guitar, they can also lead to more serious issues such as wood cracking and other damage. Here are some tips to help you keep your guitars in fine playing form during the fall and winter months.
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Unless you keep your instruments in a climate-controlled room, the enclosed environment of your case will provide a more protective environment for your guitar, particularly if you need to humidify it. As much as you might like to display your guitars on wall hangers or stands for accessibility, you’re better off stashing it in the case, especially if the air is dry.
Having an accurate humidity monitor puts you in the best position to know if you need to use a humidifier. Don’t rely on outdoor humidity readings; what matters is the environment where you keep your guitar. And be sure to use a digital hygrometer rather than an analog type with a needle; a digital unit is far more accurate. You can find one for $25-45, and we sell them through our online TaylorWare store.
You want the most accurate reading of the humidity conditions your guitar is experiencing, so inside the case is better than simply in the room where the case is (although it’s not a bad idea to place another hygrometer in the room as a cross-reference). One additional note: Don’t put the hygrometer inside the case compartment, since it’s a sealed-off area. It should be placed in the open section of the case. A good spot is the outside of the case compartment on the guitar body end. There’s enough room there to Velcro a small hygrometer in place without having it touch the neck heel.
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There are several products available. One that we often recommend is the D’Addario Two-Way Humidification System (formerly Humidipak) because it’s pre-formulated to maintain a humidity level of 45-50 percent, making it a low-maintenance solution. Keep in mind that the goal is to humidify the entire guitar (including the neck), so, depending on which type of humidifier you use, be sure to avoid sealing it inside the body with a soundhole cover. Part of the appeal of the Two-Way humidifier is that it includes humidification packets for both the soundhole and headstock areas.
If you’re using a guitar humidifier, you’re also humidifying the case, so you don’t want to give up that moisture when you take out your guitar. Close the lid during your playing sessions to preserve the humidification.
These include sharp fret ends (the result of the fretboard shrinking, which causes the frets to protrude), string buzz, and in extreme cases, cracks. If you experience this, your guitar probably needs to be humidified.
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If you maintain a healthy humidity range, you’ll be able to keep your guitar feeling and sounding consistently great all year round.
For more information on humidity control, refer to the Taylor Tech Sheets on our Support page, or contact our Customer Service department and our service experts will be happy to help.
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