The Maple Street Monitor

Featured Inventory of the Month

1. Direct sunlight = heat energy.  Heat is bad for guitars, really bad.  When guitars are exposed to heat for any prolonged period of time, things can go wrong in a big way.  Most guitars are made with water soluble glues, which will soften with applied heat.  While under string tension, these glue joints will often fail once they get hot. For example, the most common heat-related malady is probably a lifting or separated bridge.  But heat exposure can also result in loose bracing, top or back separation, top distortion, and finish crazing.  During hot times of the year, one should be very careful to avoid using or storing their guitar (even in its case) in direct sunlight, which will create the hottest and driest conditions.  Even in an air-conditioned environment, direct sunlight can heat up a guitar by a surprising degree (pun intended), or result in issues like finish discoloration. 

2. Also related to direct sunlight, leaving your guitar in the car (particularly when parked in the sun) is just a bad idea during any time of year.  Not only is it a great way to get your guitar stolen, but your guitar can get hot in a car really fast!  We often encourage customers to put themselves in their guitar’s position and apply a bit of the golden rule: if you would not like to spend an August afternoon in your car, neither would your guitar!  That said, if you must store your guitar in the car, remember that the trunk will be cooler than the cab (which acts like a greenhouse convection oven), and parking in the shade with cracked windows can dramatically reduce the temperature inside the car.  

3. A well-insulated case and/or thermal case cover can offer additional heat protection, though they are not impervious to heat.  For those protecting very expensive instruments, a light-colored flight case is well worth the investment and has the added benefit of repelling heat.  We stock both Hiscox and Calton flight cases, which get top marks for general protection but are also available in light colors. 

4. Guitars do not like insect repellent and suntan lotion!!!  Insect repellant in particular is very caustic, and will readily interact with or melt a guitar’s finish.  We first witnessed the effects of this phenomenon on a customer’s Custom Shop Martin, which he was playing on his porch after having sprayed repellant on his arms.  The guitar’s finish was nuked and the guitar had to be re-finished at considerable expense—don’t let this be you!  Incidentally, this individual later reported that the repellent can have the same effect on a boat’s fiberglass windshield…

5. Moderate moisture is good for a guitar, but excessive moisture is not!  Prolonged exposure to humidity levels in excess of 80% can wreak havoc on a guitar, to the point where it just starts falling apart.  Solid wood guitars in particular readily absorb and release moisture, and in very humid conditions they swell and warp.  All in all, a little poolside fun with the guitar is okay, but a summer spent sharing James Taylor with natives in the Amazon or reinventing oneself as a bohemian New Orleans busker is not advisable when it comes to the health of your prized acoustic guitar.  And, to be very clear on one topic, a guitar should never be used as a canoe paddle unless: a) it is a carbon fiber guitar (e.g., Rainsong, CA, Blackbird), or b) you’re lost on the way to Aintry, the sound of banjos is encroaching, and you’re out of arrows and hard liquor (in which case the situation is dire indeed).

6. Balmy hot conditions and your sweat can cause strings to oxidize and die more readily, especially at the beach where there is salty air.  Coated strings, which prevent oxidation and preserve tone, can make life a little more laid back in the summer.  Coated strings are also a good idea for guitars that live in vacation homes, as they effectively ensure that your guitar will sound good even if it hasn’t been touched in months.  Some popular brands of coated strings that we offer include: Elixir, EXP, Martin SP Lifespan. 

7. Hot and humid conditions can definitely have an impact on your guitar’s playability.  It is not uncommon for a guitar’s action to rise in the summer months and fall in the winter months (when conditions are more cold and dry).  We often advise customers to have a separate “summer saddle” made rather than modify their existing saddle.  This will make it easier to quickly (and inexpensively) compensate for future seasonal shifts in the guitar’s action.

8. Finally, if you are really concerned about exposing your prized guitar to the risks of summer (or harsh climate conditions in general), then don’t!  Obtaining the proverbial “beater guitar” for such occasions is never a bad idea.  A guitar with all-laminate construction (or laminated back and sides) can be very durable, not to mention less expensive than major repairs on your baby!  When it comes to less expensive guitars, we always have great options that have been vetted and professionally setup here at Maple Street Guitars.

Selecting Woods with Andy Powers

Selecting Woods with Andy Powers 44 views

Featured Customer Video of the Month

"Foggy Mountain Breakdown," as performed by the Holder Brothers 303 views