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Caring for your Classical Guitar

 This brief article pertains to what "you" can do to properly care for your instrument.

1. First and foremost, these are wood instruments.  Think about it.  Most times, there are numerous woods melded together to create your beautiful classical guitar.  Different woods react differently and at varying rates to temperature and humidity changes.  You may have 3 or 4 different woods (including bindings) reacting simultaneously to your conditions.  OK...so what does wood need?
   - They need a certain amount of humidity in the air or in the case!

   - 35-60% relative humidity should be sufficient.

   - Use a damp-it or a moist sponge in the case (wrapped in a soap box with small holes)...only when it is dry out...only!!!  See further below.

   - I recommend the Oasis Humidifier or the Planet Waves Humidifier

   - Get a small hygrometer and put it in the case so you can see, at a glance, what the humidity is in the case.

   - Get a digital hygrometer for your room.  Always know your conditions.

   - Humidifiers are relatively inexpensive, quiet and can give you piece of mind.

   - Keep the guitar in the case when you're not playing it.  Especially if your home is dry.  I can not emphasize this more.  Keeping the guitar in its case is its best defense against environmental conditions.

    

   - Please DO NOT humidify your guitar in the summer or if humidity is above 60%.  Take the Oasis humidifier out of the guitar and case!  Your guitar does not need MORE humidity.  Too much is as bad as too little.

   - An instrument's worst enemy is sudden change.  Too humid to dry conditions or vice versa and sudden temperature changes will crack your baby.  Guaranteed.

    

2. Wipe the guitar down after you play it.  Body oil, sweat, etc. and the fine finish on your guitar don't mix well.  Especially French polished guitars.  A soft shammy cloth wipe down is necessary to preserve this finish.  Don't forget to wipe the fingerboard and strings down also.  This will minimize buildup of oil and sweat on the strings and frets.  Hey....Don't be lazy.  :-)
3. Never use oils on your guitar that contain silicone.  Use natural wood oil polish.  DO NOT use Pledge...for chrissakes! 
4. I recommend Bee's Wax Furniture Polish for basic cleaning and protection.
5. Every year, or when you sense a problem with the frets, a bit of buzz, or just something that doesn't feel or sound right, get the guitar looked at right away by a luthier repair person.

   See our Luthier Repair & Service Page for those in the Long Island NY area.

   - Again, these are fine instruments.  They all require care, just as a violin, viola or cello require care and maintenance.  No guitar is going to stay perfect over the course of a year or two.  Get over it!  Get your instrument serviced!  Whoo...that came out wrong...but hey...you know what I mean!  LOL

6. To summarize....keep the guitar clean, keep the guitar in its case, keep the guitar maintained.  Don't be lazy and have fun.

All the best,

Richard F. Sayage

Savage Classical Guitar

631-335-5447