Saturday, October 17, 2009

Best Guitar Gear for 2010!


CARE & FEEDING

One of the best things that you can do for your guitar is to keep it clean and properly humidified. This falls under the category of care & feeding. I've sought out and tested the best products for the job and have come up with this list for our Best Guitar Gear for 2010!

Guitar Polish

Keep in mind that if you have a new acoustic guitar, it is best to wait about a year or so for the wood's pores to fully open up before adding any polish. Then after that start with a cleaner followed by a good, non-waxy guitar polish. I've found Virtuoso Premium Cleaner & Polish to be perfect for my Martin guitars especially. The cleaner does an excellent job of removing any heavy compounds while the polish leaves a remarkable shine, making the surface smudge-resistant. I use the Planet Waves Microfiber Polishing Cloth because it is very gentle but does a thorough job of deep cleaning my guitar without scratching or whorls.

String & Fretboard Cleaner

Your strings and fretboard need specific products for their cleaning and care. I use GHS Fast Fret as it makes sliding along the fretboard much easier and prolongs the life and tone of my uncoated strings. Simple to apply, I rub the applicator across my new strings, wipe 'em down and forget about it.


Humidity Monitoring

Keeping tabs on your guitar's humidity within the case has never been easier. I have an Oasis Hygrometer in each of my Martin Guitar cases. It clips easily onto the storage compartment of my hardshell cases. It also tells me the temperature. Ideally you want to keep the humidity between 45-55%. If the humidity falls below 45% in the case, simply place the New & Improved Humidipak Gel Pak system between the strings into the sound hole for about a week. Once the proper moisture level is reached, keep a check on the humidity and use when needed. Check out our top picks by hovering over the photos below!

Best Guitar Gear for 2010's - Care & Feeding Recommendations:







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