What To Do After Buying A New Guitar? 7 Things To Take Note
1. Don’t forget to tune the guitar strings
As you buy a new guitar, it is normal to assume that it is correctly adjusted in terms of sound and feel. However, this is untrue, especially if the guitar is purchased online. The guitar most likely goes through the shipping process, which ultimately affects the way it sounds a little bit.
Hence, it is beneficial to request a complete, thorough setup when purchasing a new guitar. Wherever possible, changing to a fresh set of strings and requesting to be tuned would also be a good idea. This allows the instrument to be of its full potential, sounding and feeling its best.
You can also do your own tuning by using an optional accessory called Digital Guitar Tuner which is relatively easy to understand by following a Youtube tutorial. Over time the strings will somehow loosen and need to be re-tuned, so learning how to tune guitar strings sooner will be beneficial.
2. Don’t disregard the room humidity and temperature
The environment where you store your guitars also plays a vital role in maintaining the guitar’s condition. If you purchased a decent, higher-priced guitar in Singapore that you want to last for years, consider storing it in its dedicated bag or case in a humidity-regulated room. A room with a relatively dry climate that uses a dehumidifier usually works well.
Additionally, do remember to keep it away from moist and warm areas and to never keep your guitar in a hot car for long periods of time. The moist room tends to produce molds on the guitar, while the warm will likely harm the guitar’s body.
3. Do change the strings regularly
Changing your guitar strings might seem daunting at first; thus, beginners tend to avoid doing so entirely and end up forgetting to change the strings altogether. If you find yourself playing the guitar less often, it is still recommended to change the strings about once every 3 months.
Playing the guitar on old strings will only cause the strings to rust and no longer stay in tune, causing premature wear on the guitar’s frets as well as the fretboard – in some cases, it could also hurt your fingertip. A tip to ensuring the strings stay fresh is to always wipe them after playing, you can use a clean rag that has been coated with vinegar or alcohol.
4. Don’t use the wrong type of guitar strings
Not changing the guitar strings is terrible as it is, but using the wrong strings can (and will) ruin your guitar. Strings come in two types: nylon-string and steel-string sets. Although not recommended, you may put nylon strings on an acoustic guitar, but you must avoid putting a steel-string set on a classical guitar at all costs. The neck of a classical guitar is unable to handle the string tension that steel-string sets create; therefore, steel-string sets are not suitable for classical guitars. While for electric guitars, steel-string is the only set for this type.
5. Do find the correct placement for the guitar
You might think it is relatively okay to rest the instrument on the floor, or edge of a bed, or even rest the guitar against the wall when not using the guitar. However, this is not recommended because it will cause damage to a certain part of the guitar.
Investing in a proper guitar stand will definitely help mitigate the issue of damage and lower the chances of the guitar falling over.
6. Do hold the guitar correctly when playing
Holding the guitar incorrectly puts the player at an ergonomic disadvantage when attempting to strum a chord. It only becomes worse when learning how to play a difficult chord; hence, it is better to go for guitar lessons for beginners, where experienced guitar teachers will teach you the proper ways to play the instrument. This way, be assured that you avoid this mistake before it becomes a bad habit.
7. Don’t stress about minor scratches
As a new guitar owner, it is perfectly natural to be worried about scratches that your guitar might get in the long run. That said, guitars are designed to withstand damage and a certain amount of abuse while retaining playability and sound quality. Hence, it is not practical to be overly protective of your guitar.
After all, the source of enjoyment from playing the guitar should come from the beautiful sounds it produces, instead of how it looks. Therefore, just ignore a few minor scratches and takes them as part of the experience that you and the guitar shared.
