How to Care for and Maintain Your Guitar

Just like we need to sharpen our hockey skates and clean our dance shoes, we need to take care of our guitars. Ideally, the guitar should receive full maintenance at least twice a year. What’s involved in maintenance, you ask? Good question!

Full maintenance, often called a setup, involves checking the height of the strings, the straightness of the neck, the tightness of the tuning pegs, and more. It’s similar to an oil change for the guitar. During a full setup, the guitar technician replaces old strings and adjusts the instrument for playability as well as longevity.

It’s good to get a full setup done seasonally. This means at least once in cold weather and once in warm weather. In fact, you can use your car’s oil change as a reminder to get your guitar serviced. Put it on the calendar or simply remember to visit your local music shop when you check your car’s oil. You can also mark your calendar for service during major winter and spring holidays. If you play a lot, you may want to get full service done more often than that. If you’ve just purchased a brand-new guitar, you probably don’t need to worry about maintenance yet.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this. Maybe you’ve moved from an arid climate to a humid climate, or you’ve had to store your guitar in an attic. Guitars are somewhat like plants in this way. Weather and extreme climate changes can do a number on them if you’re not careful. Use common sense and try to store your guitar in an area that doesn’t experience extreme weather changes. There are humidifiers and dehumidifiers made especially for guitars on the market.

If your guitar feels right and sounds right to you, it’s most likely fine. You can also consult with a peer or teacher for a second opinion. If something seems off or the instrument is cranky, consider getting it serviced. This might mean a simple string change or a more extensive setup. Many guitar shops and music stores offer service. It’s always good to explore your options. Make sure to visit a reputable shop or luthier (guitar craftsman). If there is a specific adjustment that your instrument needs, inform your technician.

Changing the strings on your guitar is a simpler but no less important level of maintenance. Over time, strings lose their fresh tone and playability because of factors like moisture, sweat, and exposure to air. They start to feel rusty and less pliable. If you are just beginning on guitar, I recommend taking your instrument to the shop for a string change. You can – and should – learn how to change your own guitar strings, but it’s best to let professionals do it initially. In the meantime, your teacher can demonstrate how, or you can teach yourself using instructional materials. If you ask, most technicians will take the time to show you as well.

So, let’s talk strings! Strings are sold in packs by gauge (thickness). It is best to bring your guitar with you to the shop when asking what strings are right for the instrument. Your technician needs to know the guitar’s make and model to give the best advice.

Dreadnought acoustics, the kind that many people have at home and strum occasionally, use metal strings. So do electric guitars. Typically, non-classical acoustics such as dreadnoughts use thicker metal strings. An 11- or 12-gauge set is common. Within one set, there are strings of increasing thickness. For example, in an 11-gauge set, you might find thicknesses of 11-, 14-, 18-28-, 38-, and 49-gauge. This corresponds to the strings in order as you would find them on the instrument – the smallest gauge reserved for the high E string in standard tuning, the next gauge for the B string, etc. Electric guitars use lighter strings, usually a 9-, 10-, or 11-gauge set, though they can be strung with heavier strings as well. Rarely, a musician will prefer a very heavy gauge on an electric. (Stevie Ray Vaughan was notorious for stringing his guitar with “telephone pole wires” or 12-gauge and higher.)

Classical guitars typically use nylon strings. Nylon strings are not the same as those that you would use for a non-classical instrument. Some child-sized guitars are modeled after classical ones and use nylon strings as well because they are easier for children to play. Hohner brand is a good example. It is also possible to get silk-steel strings that are lighter for beginners and provide a different tone for advanced players. Smaller scale guitars called parlor guitars are often paired with silk-steel strings.

Use caution if you choose an unconventional type of string for your guitar. Sometimes a string type is inappropriate for a guitar because it could damage the instrument. All-steel strings, for example, are generally inappropriate to use with classical guitars because they put too much stress on the instrument’s neck. The neck of a classical guitar is typically designed differently than that of a non-classical guitar such as a dreadnought. If you experiment with strings, know how your guitar is built and what its limitations are structurally. When in doubt, ask a technician! You can get creative with modifications to reinforce the instrument if making unconventional changes.

There are lots of options to choose from, even within one category of strings. Different materials, finishes, and styles can change the resulting sound – sometimes dramatically. Have fun exploring! For acoustic guitars I like Martin strings and for electric guitars I like Ernie Ball or D’Addario. You or your technician may prefer a different brand than the ones I’ve mentioned here, and that’s fine. Choose what works best for you.

Try to set aside several days for your technician to perform a full setup. In the best-case scenario, a technician can return your guitar to you on the same day. Sometimes, however, it takes several days, weeks, or months. It depends on how busy your technician is, how much work needs to be done on the instrument, and when you drop the instrument off. You may want to call ahead and ask. If your instrument needs major repairs or you play a lot, consider renting a loaner guitar from your shop while getting service done.

So, how much does all of this cost? As of 2024, a full tune-up averages forty dollars plus the cost of new strings. A pack of six strings typically costs about five to ten dollars total. Altogether, it’s about a fifty-dollar investment. A simple string change without a tune-up is around twelve dollars plus the cost of new strings.

Lastly, nothing beats the daily upkeep of your instrument. After playing your guitar, wipe it down with a soft, lint-free polishing cloth. Many companies make their own. Take care to use a material that will not scratch the surface of your instrument. Store your guitar in its case or on a secure stand. If you keep the guitar in its case and don’t play it that often, make sure to take it out from time to time for a quick check and to let the instrument breathe. Avoid leaning the guitar against flat surfaces such as walls, couches, or beds. Secure, wall-mounted racks or holders are other options to consider.

Let me know what you think and if you have questions! In particular, let me know if you have any concerns about financing or how to get the best value for your dollar. Please understand that none of these services are mandatory. Rather, they help improve the quality of music-making and increase the longevity of your instrument. I am happy to advise.

© Anja Wade Music Studio 2024

Updated 2025