HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT. (ACOUSTIC GUITAR).

BY NYLE SHEPHERD

Body

Neck

Bridge

Nut

Strings/Fret board

Tuning pegs

Sound hole

Pegs

Waist

Take note that the strings from the thickest to thinnest (top to bottom) are named:E,A,D,G,B,E (You will need to know this for tuning).

How to care for your Guitar.

When you’re playing guitar, after a while it is obviously going to get dirty, so if you want to care for your guitar, you’re going to need to clean it. You should use a dry cloth or even a fairy duster. Every time you play guitar,

the natural oils on your fingers are going to grime the guitar, so the more often you play your guitar, the more you are going to need to clean it.A great material to clean your guitar with is a chamois (Pronounced

“shammy”). A method for cleaning your strings would be to wipe the stings down with the cloth, use your thumb and index finger to pinch the

strings to ensure that the strings are properly cleaned.Most bodies of guitars are made out of wood, and wood normally just

like a good rub down. Once you’ve done this, you will need to clean hard to reach places like under the strings and near the tuning pegs, being

carful not to detune the guitar.

Changing strings (When).

After a while of playing guitar, your strings are guaranteed to snap and some point, you haven’t done anything

wrong, everyone’s strings breaks at some point. But this is not the only time you will need to change your strings. There is other reasons why you would need to change

your guitar strings such as if you have had the guitar over a year, and the strings haven’t been for a year, it is likely

that your strings are going to need a change. Another reason to change strings is if your guitar sounds out of

tune even after you’ve tuned it, this is most likely because the strings are messing with the tuning.

Changing strings (How).

Step one:Firstly, if you are going to change your guitar strings you are going to need spare strings, you can buy these at a music store.For the equipment side of things you will need:

• Wire cutters• Peg winders• PliersIt is possible to change the strings without these items, but it would obviously make the task a lot simpler.

Changing strings (How) [2]

Step 2:To remove the broken string from the guitar, you will need to lay the guitar down to avoid damaging it, then using the pliers to take the broken string of the tuning peg.Now you will need to go to the other end of the guitar (bridge). Here you will see 6 ball looking things in the bridge, these are known as pegs, you will need to pull the peg containing the broken string(s), you may need to use the pliers to do this if you cannot do it manually. You can now remove the string for the guitar, note that there is a small ball attached to the end of the string.

Changing strings (How) [3]

Step 3:You will need to find the correct string to replace the broken one. Normally the strings will be named so it will be easy to find. Now you will need to place the ball end of the string into the hole where the peg went, only put the string 1/1.5 inches into the hole.Place the peg into the hole. The string is held in the hole by friction, this is why it is important not to place the string too far into the hole when changing the strings of your guitar.

Changing strings (How) [4]

Step 4:Now you thread the string up the neck of the guitar, through the nut and into the corresponding tuning peg. You want to make sure there is enough slack so that you can pull the string from the guitar about 6 inches. Bend the string into a right angle at towards the tuning peg, this will help for tuning.

Changing strings (How) [5]

Step 5:

Tighten the string(s), then once tightened you can then attempt to retune it using a tuning app if you are new to tuning, or you could ask someone with more experience with guitars to do so.

YOU HAVE NOW CHANGED YOUR STRINGS!

How to protect your guitar.

If you want to protect your guitar, it is probably best you carry it around in a soft case rather

than a hard case. If you want to travel with your guitar, then this is the best option, yet you can use a harder case if that’s what you prefer, yet these are mainly used electric guitars, as they

need more protection.

Acoustic guitar health and safety.

There isn’t much to worry about with acoustic guitars, except if you are playing with your hand

rather than a pick you will get blisters. Also at the tuning pegs, you will notice sometimes that

the string uncoils at the end, these are sharp and you shouldn't’t touch them or mess with

them as they could damage you.

Guitar accessories.

You can get many accessories for your guitar that can help you with playing, for example guitar straps, this is an

accessory that you put on your guitar to help you play while standing up. It holds the guitar for you in the

suitable position. You can also get different coloured accessories such as different coloured strings, tuning pegs etc. These don’t really do much besides make your guitar look cooler. You can also use a pick to use to strum your guitar, you may decide to use a pick if playing with your hand is giving you to many blisters or you just prefer the

sound with a plectrum.

How to tune your guitar.

If you’re a beginner it is probably best to let an experienced person to tune your guitar unless you have got a guitar tuner.

EADGBE

These are the the notes for the strings from the thickest string to the thinnest, this will come in handy with tuning, so it is best to memorize this.

A good way to remember the notes for the strings is by using rhymes/poems such as:Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie.There are many other ways to remember, you could even make your own up to help memorize as memorizing these notes is almost essential to guitarists.

THANKS FOR READING!NOW TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUITAR!