Guitar Maintenance: Humidity

          Like any other hobby, your tools of the trade will need some tender loving care to stay in optimum performance condition. The guitar is no different. What is interesting though, is how the smallest things can make the largest difference.

          By far, one of the most important concerns for your guitar is the relative humidity that it is stored. You have to remember that your instrument is made mostly of wood which is a natural material. It can expand and contract with the temperature as well as swell or shift with the humidity. This is why you must maintain the relative humidity that your guitar is exposed to.

          During an East Tennessee winter, we all love to crank the heat. In doing so, we lower the amount of moisture in the air. If your guitar is exposed to this environment for a substantial amount of time, it will have some obvious issues.

          First and foremost, the top of the guitar, also known as the soundboard, will begin to crack. Seeing that the top is where all the volume stems, this can be hazardous to the overall tone of your instrument. The heat that creates this dry air can also begin to slowly dissolve the bonds between the bridge and the top of the guitar. Mix this with the cracks and your bridge begins to peel up. This makes the guitar much harder to play (by raising the height of the strings) and can potential cause the bridge to come off completely.

This is a text-book case of a crack caused by dryness

This bridge has peeled up fairly high.  This repair can cost over $500.

          To avoid this potentially costly damage you simply need to add moisture to your guitar. This can be accomplished by using a humidifier. In our store we use four, eight-gallon humidifiers to keep our building at about 55% humidity. This is overkill for your new guitar. Try using a sound-hole humidifier available from many different manufacturers. They have a small sponge that you soak with water then insert into a plastic housing. This then rests inside the sound hole when you are not playing.

The Planet Waves sound-hole humidifier.

This system is very easy to use and install.

          This simple tool can save you and your guitar from some costly fixes and keep the instrument in tip-top shape. For more symptoms of a dry guitar, check out Taylor Guitars’ resources page.

Lessons, Books, or Videos?

           So you have a cool new guitar and all the accessories to go with it.  Now you are ready to sit down and start learning the guitar.  In our heavily wired world there is no end to the websites, blog posts, YouTube videos, and digital downloads that are geared towards teaching folks how to play the guitar.  Although many of these resources are affective and convenient, nothing beats having an instructor.

            In attempting to learn any instrument lessons are by far the most effective form of education.  This doesn’t mean that you have to go to a local college, sign up for some musicology class, and pay a Ph.D. to teach you.  Any form of one-on-one instruction can work wonders.  This can be from a family member, friend, or a professional player.  The point is to have someone that can help you knock out all the beginner bad habits and to answer all the little questions that will pop in your head while your playing.  Many local music shops offer lessons from passionate and accomplished players.  My own family’s shop employs Pat Corn and JeffGriffin.  Both of these men have years of experience both on-stage and in the studio, and can teach you to play many different styles.

An instructor can be more efficiently then any other form of learning.

            For some people, lessons are not in the budget or they simply do not have the time.  If this is that case for you there are some very good resources to help get you started.  However, none of these are on YouTube or any app store.  The key to learning the guitar is muscle memory.  Your hands need to be in contact with the guitar’s neck, body, strings, and sound board for this memory to take hold.  It is very difficult for this to happen if you constantly have to pause a video and rewind, or swipe back and forth on your phone to get the next snippet of the lesson.  Instead find a beginner’s book or a strong website that has the lesson written out so that you can move at your own pace. 

The Acoustic Guitar Primer from Watch and Learn, is the Music Outlet's number one selling beginners book.

            Either way you choose to go, there is one piece that is the most paramount: PRACTICE!  This is the one thing you must do to learn the guitar.  If you can set aside 30 minutes everyday to sit and practice your chords and strumming, you will truly be amazed at how quickly it all comes together.

Must Have Accessories

           Like any hobby, there are some key accessories that you need to have before you can dive into the guitar.  Think of them as part of the guitar and not as a separate thing.  This way you will never be without them.  A golfer would never go with out his club bag, a cook would never be without their knives, and a guitar player will always have these accessories.

            The first thing you should do whenever you pick up your guitar to practice is to check the tuning.  Tuners come in many varieties, brands, styles, and price ranges.  Current trends lean toward clip-on chromatic tuners.  These devices are small, accurate, and affordable.  Simply clip it on the headstock, pluck the string, and dial it in.  The most important part of the tuner, though, is that it stays with the guitar.  This way your guitar always has the correct sound, and will make you sound even better.  Don’t know how to tune your guitar yet? Check out this website.

GoGo Tiki Tuner

            Another important accessory is a guitar strap.  The strap not only adds a lot of function but also some personality.  A guitar strap can serve to support the neck of the guitar so that your hand can be free to fret the chords.  The strap also allows for the guitar to be positioned so that it is more comfortable to play.  Most beginners naturally hold the guitar with the neck low and find that it is uncomfortable on their wrists.  So they inevitably raise the neck up; a strap can do this for you.  Check out players like Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, or John Mayer and you will always see them with a strap and the neck tilted up. 

Dave Matthews

Eric Clapton

John Mayer

         

   Last but not least, is a guitar stand.  The more you can have the guitar in your hands, the faster you will progress.  Having a guitar stand is the best way to get in more playing time.  Put the stand next to the couch, when commercials come on, mute the TV and strum some chords.  You will find that having the instrument readily available makes you much more likely to practice.  You will not have to mess with a big bulky case all the time, and you can just leave the strap and the tuner on the guitar while in the stand.

            These accessories are small, simple, and cheap ways to greatly improve your chances of succeeding at the guitar. 

Your first guitar

Have you ever wanted to play the guitar, but don’t know where to start?  Well here is your starting point.  This blog will give you information and advice gathered over 40 years from myself and some of my family members who have played, sold, and admired guitars since 1974.  The Williams’ family has owned and operated the Music Outlet in Sevierville, Tennessee since then and continues to provide the area with a huge selection of instruments, lessons, and accessories for every player from beginner to expert.

Image courtesy of Taylor Guitars

 If it isn’t obvious already, the first step you need to take is getting a guitar to play.  Don’t just barrow one for a few days from a friend, get one that you will be able to keep and play at your own discretion.  This is very important; you must be able to practice with it everyday.

When searching for your first guitar, there are a few helpful tips to ensure you choose one that is right for you.  First things first, every guitar player will tell you that you should always feel/play the guitar before you buy it.  Now I know your thinking, “…but I don’t know how to play yet”, but you can feel the instrument and know whether or not it is comfortable to you.  Find a seat in the store and hold the guitar.  Notice how your arms extend over the body and to the neck.  Do you feel restricted, or that you are forcing yourself to reach the strings?  Does the guitar sit on your lap naturally or does it want to slide around?  By trying a few different shapes and brands, you will start to see that some do feel better to you then others.

The next thing to remember with guitars is that name matters.  This doesn’t mean that you have to buy a Gibson or a Taylor right of the bat, but you should get a “decent” name brand.  I’m sure you have shopped at Wal-Mart or someplace like it, and seen First Act or Esteban guitars.  These brands always have their instruments in packaging where you cannot feel/play them.  Remember the first tip?  Well these instruments do not play, feel, or even sound good.  If you can get to an instrument shop, you will see some well-known names like Fender, Yamaha, or Ibanez as well as some not so well known.  These brands have a history of reliability, playability, and durability that has allowed them to stay in business through the years.  More importantly, they have many models that are inexpensive and made just for beginners. 

Remember these simple tips when looking for your first guitar and you will be better prepared for making your purchase.  However, if all else fails, ask a player.  If you have a friend or family member that plays and can go to the store with you, they can help guide you to a good instrument.  Many stores have experts on staff to give advice and any guitar store will have plenty of patrons eager to talk guitars with you.