Your skin might not be the only thing cracking this winter.

If your guitar is made out of wood, it is continually reacting to the weather around it.  Typically, interior heating methods cause a lack of humidity.  This dryness makes you reach for the moisturizer while your poor, neglected guitar sits in the corner and suffers.  When you play your guitar, it seems to buzz a bit.  The fret ends scratch your fingers as you play.  If you have an acoustic, you might even see a crack that looks like it came from someone pressing on the soundboard. Unfortunately, my guitar playing friend, YOU are the culprit, and winter damage isn’t limited to acoustics.

So what can be done?  Since most of us can’t afford a room like the one at many music stores with humidity control, you have to find an alternative.

1. Give your guitar attention - play it!  That way you can monitor small changes in action height, “fret sprout”, neck relief, etc.
2. Keep it in its case - As nice as it is to leave your guitar out to gaze at it, leave it in its case when you’re not playing it.  The case will protect your guitar from unwanted temperature changes (Do you have your heater on a timer?).
3. Buy a humidifier - Once your guitar is nestled in its case, get a humidifier and use it as directed. Please also be careful not to overhumidify your guitar, which can also be detrimental.

These three simple actions will help keep your guitar in good condition, and will spare you from the freak out you may have when you find that your neck is twisted, the braces have popped loose, your soundboard is sinking, and…you get the picture.