Hype Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Hi Guys, I'm a newbie to the board and a new owner of a Gibson J-200. I've had acoustics in the past but was not too concerned about the maintenance of them, mainly cos they were cheaper (Epiphone's). But now that I've gotten a brand new J-200 Standard, I want to ensure that I do everything possible to keep it in tip top condition. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind playing the heck out of it that there is some wear (light pick scratches), but I want to avoid the tear (cracking on the body, warping of the neck, bad lacquer cracks, etc). Anyways, I have a few questions regarding maintenance of your Gibson acoustics. 1) When you guys aren't playing your acoustics, do you keep them in their case? Or do you let them sit on a stand and let them breathe? I was told by the guitar techs down at Long & McQuade (instrument store in Canada where I bought my axe) to keep it in it's case when you are not playing on it, rather than letting them sit on a guitar stand. But I've also heard the opposite from some guitar techs to let them rest on a hanger on your wall (much like what you see in the guitar stores) that way you let the wood breathe and you keep all the weight on the neck of the guitar rather then elsewhere, supposedly this will prevent warping. Again, not sure if this is true, but this is what I was told. Which one of these methods is the correct one to follow? 2) Are acoustic guitar humidifiers really necessary? Do you guys use them? If so which brands do you use? 3) What is the ideal temperature and humidity for Gibson acoustics? 4) Are lacquer cracks in Gibson acoustics common where the neck joins the body? If they are not they today, will they be for sure in the future? Thanks in advance......... Hype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devellis Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 First, congratulations on the guitar! I hope to get one an SJ-200 in the spring and have been gathering information on them as best I can. Let me be the first to encourage you to get some pictures up here pronto! Regarding instrument care, I'd definitely make sure that it doesn't get overly dehydrated. The guitar should be kept between 35% and 65% relative humidity, with 45% being ideal. Temperature range is fairly broad, with temps from the 40s to the 80s not posing any threat, except perhaps for sudden changes (see below). Keep the guitar wherever you can most consistently maintain this level of humidity. I have a whole-house humidifier and a small room humidifier that I use to maintain proper moisture levels during the winter drying season. If you're up in Canada, your long, cold winters will require pretty aggressive heating, I imagine, and that really drys the air. If you can't keep the room sufficiently moist, then you may want to keep the guitar, with a suitable guitar humidifier, in its case. Be really careful that water from the humidifier doesn't come in direct contact with the guitar. Get an in-case hygrometer to monitor relative humidity in the case (or room, if you don't keep it in a case) and replenish moisture as needed to keep the RH in the desired range. If you can maintain proper humidity in the room during milder weather, then it's fine to keep the guitar on a stand, as long as it's located where it won't get knocked over, directly blasted by heat or air conditioning, or baked by sun streaming in a window. I keep my instruments on stands and really like being able to just grab one when I want to play it. I also like the way they look. Finish checking is most commonly associated with moving an instrument from a very cold to a warm environment suddenly. People who have guitars shipped to their houses in winter are often advised not to open the carton for 24 hours to let the guitar acclimate to the indoor temps gradually. As for the neck joint, I've seen some pretty old instruments on which the neck and body were finished after they were joined that didn't have any finish cracking. I don't really know much about Gibsons, specifically, in that regard but it's not inevitable on guitars more generally. Gently wiping down the guitar and strings with a microfiber cloth after playing is probably the bet maintenance you can give it. If it gets a bit grungy, a barely damp cloth should take care of things. Perhaps once a year, you can clean and treat the fingerboard. This is primarily cosmetic. Many people use 0000 steel wool to buff the board and frets and then treat the board with a tiny amount of lemon oil or something similar to make it look darker and a bit shinier. If the guitar has electronics, watch out for the steel wool as the tiny steel fragments can get into the electronics and short them out. When crud builds up on my fingerboard, I actually prefer using a single-edge razor blade to clean it. The blade will get right up to the frets and you can gently draw it along the space between frets so that it isn't cutting into the wood -- sort of like the way you'd drag a razor on a strop -- to free up the grunge. A gentle, nonmetallic abrasive like Micro Mesh pads can be used to polish up the frets. Also, excessive oil on the board doesn't serve any good purpose. Fingerboards don't need to be "nourished" with oil. If the instrument is kept in proper humidity, it won't dry out. The oil is really just cosmetic. Also, don't use any products (fingerboard treatment, polishes, etc.) that contain silicone. that stuff will never come off completely and if you ever need a finish retouch or bridge re-glue, it can cause problems. While you've got the strings off, check the tuners to be sure all the nuts and screws are snug. Depending on the type of tuners, there may be hex nuts that fit over the tuning post to hold the assembly in place. A loose nut can cause a rattle that will drive you nuts. Guitars sort of "settle in" over time and things like this should be checked periodically. Likewise, the screws on the back of the tuners that hold them to the back of the headstock. I'd really just wipe the guitar down gently after playing and pretty much let it go at that. But if you want to shine the guitar up, get a top-quality product like Virtuoso guitar polish and follow the manufacturer's instructions. It'll look nice, but polishing isn't really necessary. A nice glossy finish is already very shiny and just keeping it clean should keep that shine. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Yep, +1 on what Bob said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hype Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 @devellis thanks for the advice. I will post some pics for you soon. Man, if you can pick up a SJ-200, I'm telling you you'll never want to play another acoustic again for some time after. The sound is so big and clear! You can hear the highs and lows, the full range. What really is the deal breaker is that every note I've played on it so far sounds like an open note.....unbelievable..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hype Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 Yep, +1 on what Bob said I agree with you @retrorod!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Welcome and pls see below in capital letters. cheers. Hi Guys, I'm a newbie to the board and a new owner of a Gibson J-200. I've had acoustics in the past but was not too concerned about the maintenance of them, mainly cos they were cheaper (Epiphone's). But now that I've gotten a brand new J-200 Standard, I want to ensure that I do everything possible to keep it in tip top condition. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind playing the heck out of it that there is some wear (light pick scratches), but I want to avoid the tear (cracking on the body, warping of the neck, bad lacquer cracks, etc). Anyways, I have a few questions regarding maintenance of your Gibson acoustics. 1) When you guys aren't playing your acoustics, do you keep them in their case? Or do you let them sit on a stand and let them breathe? ALL ARE SITTING ON A STAND FOR EASY ACCESS IN MY MAIN ROOM (SEE AVATAR PIC). NO REASONS NOT TO KEEP IT ON A STAND EXCEPT IF HUMIDITY IS AN ISSUE .... OR PERHAPS, DOGS, CATS AND KIDS THAT MIGHT KNOCK EM OVER , BUT THATS ANOTHER STORY .. I was told by the guitar techs down at Long & McQuade (instrument store in Canada where I bought my axe) to keep it in it's case when you are not playing on it, rather than letting them sit on a guitar stand. But I've also heard the opposite from some guitar techs to let them rest on a hanger on your wall (much like what you see in the guitar stores) that way you let the wood breathe and you keep all the weight on the neck of the guitar rather then elsewhere, supposedly this will prevent warping. Again, not sure if this is true, but this is what I was told. Which one of these methods is the correct one to follow? 2) Are acoustic guitar humidifiers really necessary? Do you guys use them? If so which brands do you use? YES, YES AND YES. I USE A ROOM HUMIDIFIER WHICH KEEEP HUMIITY AT THE RIGHT LEVEL, BETWEEN 40-45. OVER 45% I FIND MY GUITARS TO GET A BIT 'SWAMPY' IN TONE 3) What is the ideal temperature and humidity for Gibson acoustics? SEE ABOVE. 4) Are lacquer cracks in Gibson acoustics common where the neck joins the body? If they are not they today, will they be for sure in the future? IF YOU KEEP THEM HUMIDIFIED THEY SHOULDNT HAVE LAQUER CRACK, BUT IF THEY GET SOME NO BIG DEAL. Thanks in advance......... Hype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 What they said. I like mine hanging on the wall. Welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds111 Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Good advice here. I would highly recommend the "Acoustic Guitar Owners Manual" by Acoustic Guitar Magazine. It is full of info that I reference often; cleaning, storage, fret maintenance, finish care, etc. Pretty much everything you need to know about acoustic guitars. Well worth it IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I would never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, EVER, leave a guitar in a stand for extended periods of time. Just long enough to retrieve a pick or piece of music during practice. When done, hang it on the wall, if you must. Or better, case it up, place case in a sturdy rack or lay it flat on the floor or sturdy shelf. Even in a case, if propped against.. anything, it can come down and snap the headstock off. I have yet to see a guitar stand, designed to hold an uncased guitar, which I would trust to hold a $3000 guitar for more than 60 seconds. A word about wall hangers. Rubber will destroy the finish of fine guitars (nitrocellulose). Do not allow bare rubber to touch your guitar. "But the U shaped bracket that cradles the neck is covered with a rubber like substance," you say. Right you are. Cover it. Methods cited include wrapping tee shirt material around it, or cutting the fingers out of any kind of knit, cloth or better, leather, glove fit almost perfect, then stitched snuggly in place. Wrapping with yarn has been done. Finally, a piece of carpet affixed to the wall where the guitar's body may bump up against it to prevent scuffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubee Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 +1 on Bob's advice, excellent post, with one exception for me: I case my guitar when it's 'stored', i.e. when I'm not playing it. A stand is fine for stage, jamming, whatever, but other than that I case it. Too many dogs & kids + other 'bump oops' possibilities in my life to risk a snapped neck. I say this having snapped a neck on my first Hummingbird--and at the time my only guitar--about 33 years ago. I'm not obsessive about it and really don't even clean my guitars much. But if playing & even leaving it to go to the fridge or something, I rest my guitar with the neck at an angle + supported that an inadvertent bump won't knock it over. Have fun with your guitar & mainly play it and enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hype Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 What great support these message boards bring! It's great that so many of you can share your insights (many of you carry a tremendous amount of knowledge and wisdom). I will continue to learn from each and everyone of you....And hope I can share whatever knowledge I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 When I first got my J-100 Extra back in '95 I left it on a stand constantly so I could see it and play it easily. It was wonderful to live with it like that, but it took less than the length of the first winter to develop a very small top-seam split between the end of the neck and the soundhole. Easily fixed in my instance (re-humidified and then cleated from the inside by a qualified tech), but a heartbreaking and completely preventable mishap none the less that altered the guitar's value in all eyes but mine. I learned my lesson and it's been cased and regularly humidified with a Dampit-style gizmo ever since. Two years ago I added a small, inexpensive hygrometer to the case ao I can see the lowest level of humidity in there since the last reset... problem prevention is truly the easiest path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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