How to Care for and Maintain Your Guitar
Just like we may need to sharpen hockey skates occasionally or clean dance shoes, we need to take care of our guitars! Ideally, the guitar should receive a full tune-up at least twice a year. There are two basic levels to maintenance. The first level is changing the guitar strings. The second level is a full tune-up of the instrument. Over time, strings lose their fresh tone and playability because of things like moisture, sweat, and exposure to air. They start to feel rusty and less pliable. In the beginning, I recommend taking your guitar to the shop for a string change. Although you can learn the skill of changing guitar strings with some guidance, it’s best to let professionals do it in the beginning! If you’d like to learn how to change your own strings, your teacher can show you how, or you can teach yourself using instructional materials. More about this a little later. The next level of care is a full tune-up or service of your instrument. What’s involved in a tune up,
