Case Yamaha Care
How should I take care of my guitar?
I just got an a Yamaha acoustic F-325. The guy in the shop tunned it for me but its still making a buzzing sound. Also, I haven’t gotten the case yet because they don’t have it in stock so how should I store it? In its box? Strings facing the cieling? How should I clean it? Where should I store it. I’m still learning to get all my chords down, so far I memorized my D, G and C. What should I learn next? I can read music, but I’m really slow and I hate doing it. So, can you answer any of these questions? (including that one)
1. It may be tuned, but its not set up properly – the strings are too close to the fretboard, that’s whats causing the buzzing sound. Either that, or you aren’t tuned up properly. You have a tuner and you’re using it, right? If you’re tuning correctly and it still buzzes, bring it back and ask them to set it up properly. They may want to charge you for it, if you can’t talk them out of it. =) 40-50$ max.
2. I use a stand for my guitars, except when I’m lazy and lean them up against the wall. When I do so, its strings towards the wall.
3. If you want your strings to last as long as possible, then wash your hands before you play it, and wipe your strings off afterwards with a clean cotton rag/t shirt/cloth etc. I like using a string lubricant like GHS Fast fret or Guitar Honey, as it keeps my fingers from making that !&($ squeaky noise when I’m playing and it seems to help with string life as well.
As for the rest of the guitar, you really should only need some water and aforementioned clean cotton rag/towel/etc. If the finish is plastic, I’ve sprayed a little bit of windex on a rag and wiped off smudges and whatnot. A dilute solution of detergent is also acceptable. Your fretboard will get icky over time – for that I’ve used a dilute solution of detergent and whatever it takes to get the yuck off (you’re going to want to take your strings off before you do this), whether a toothbrush, razor, toothpick, sponge, whatever. After drying it thoroughly I rub it down with some almond or olive oil. Many use lemon oil instead. Not 100% necessary unless your fretboard is looking very dry or starting to crack. This is called “conditioning your fretboard”… feel free to Google or YouTube it before you do it to get better advice about it. This is how I do it, YMMV, others do it differently.
Keep your guitar in a relatively consistent temperature environment…. don’t leave it out in the garage or in your car overnight or anything like that. Changing temperatures and humidity is not good for your guitar and causes the wood to stretch/shrink. Over time this can warp your guitar. Not good times.
4. Learn all of your open chords… Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, and G. You’ll need to learn B, Bm, F, and Fm too, these are barre chords and they’re a little harder. You’ll also want to learn power chords, cuz they’re fun.
5. It’s not that I hate reading music… its a very valuable skill, one that can really help you out in terms of becoming a “real” musician. In the meantime, I read tab if I want to learn a song quickly. Some musical styles (ie metal) are very difficult or impossible to put into Sheet Music and be readable, so there you go. Be warned that a lot of the tab on the internet is wrong… use your ears!
Hmmm. Good luck!
Saul
