# How To Take Care of My New Martin



## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Martin D-18E Retro is on it's way from BC via Canada Post.

Could someone give me the Cole's notes version on how to take care of it?

Ok to hang on wall or should it be stored in it's case when not being used?

With a humidifier or no?

When it arrives should I wait 24 hours before opening. (Man that is going to be hard)

Lastly, shortly after it arrives I'm going to a cottage for a week where there will be lots of downtime and campfire time. Bad idea to bring it?

Basically I have lugged my Yamaha everywhere except on canoe trips. Never really paid any attention to humidity/temperature changes, etc. Will be hard to get used to. How sensitive are these fancy nitro finished guitars?


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

I think there would be no problem in playing it right away. I would avoid playing it in the rain, outside during snowstorms or during blowing desert winds. Stay away from armchairs and store in the case when not being played.
My '75 D18 was not appreciated for what a fine guitar it is(by me) for the first 20 years and at this time still does what it does best - sound like a D18.It's been played in the blazing hot sun and around campfires by whoever wanted to pick it up.
It's only been 15 years since I started humidifying during the winter months and the top is still solid. At that time it was in need of a neck reset(yeah, lifetime warranty!) When it was in low humidity the top seam opened slightly.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Armchairs?

Wish the warranty was transferable.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

I just take my J45 out back and hose it down once a year or so. That keeps it clean and also helps keep the wood moist over the winter. Instead of a humidifier, I just give it a spritz with the plant sprayer from time to time.

To keep the finish in as good as new condition, I regularly wipe the guitar down with pig grease top to bottom, including strings and tuners. Occasionally when the tone starts to sound a little dead, I simply hold it by the neck like a baseball bat and bang it against a wall a few times to loosen up the notes.

I have a hand made (by me) custom case that I fashioned into a gig bag from a few of those heavy duty garbage bags and gaffer tape. It works great! I can just toss it in the trunk beside my amp and it's as secure as a baby in a crib.

Other than that, I don't do anything special for guitar care. Enjoy your new guitar!





*WARNING: DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET!*


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## ampaholic (Sep 19, 2006)

Pretty hard not to listen to the people that made it.

https://www.martinguitar.com/guitar-care/care-a-feeding-guide.html


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

How do guitar stores have rows of acoustics hanging on the walls? Are the rooms humidity controlled?

I know Steve's has a high end acoustic room you have to open a door to get into but L & M Burlington is wide open.

They just don't care?


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## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

The stores in Ottawa including L&M have humidity controlled rooms. I have never worried much about humidity. Maybe because I never owned a guitar over $1,000 and nerver will. Now if I lived in California or Arizona I might worry about it.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

...Or Alberta. Before moving to Edmonton from the coast, I never gave a thought to humidity control. I never had any problems with any of my guitars.

After noticing fret sprout, seasonal neck adjustments and cracks appearing in my acoustics especially, I bought a hygrometer. The range here is <10% in winter and >60% in summer with no humidifier. In the winter I run it on high for a full 24 hours a day and the max humidity level I can achieve is 40% in a small room.


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## skilsaw (Nov 4, 2014)

This guy really delivers the goods. You tell em boy!



bluzfish said:


> I just take my J45 out back and hose it down once a year or so. That keeps it clean and also helps keep the wood moist over the winter. Instead of a humidifier, I just give it a spritz with the plant sprayer from time to time.
> 
> To keep the finish in as good as new condition, I regularly wipe the guitar down with pig grease top to bottom, including strings and tuners. Occasionally when the tone starts to sound a little dead, I simply hold it by the neck like a baseball bat and bang it against a wall a few times to loosen up the notes.
> 
> ...


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I use this in a small room. About 11x11. Notice the 2 very large tanks of water... It lasts about 2 months when it is warm, maybe a week and a half in the winter... I set it at 50%. I was told 40-60 is perfect for a guitar. Notice the 2 very large tanks of water...I used to have a hygrometer to double check, this was within a few % of the hygrometer so as long as it stays between 40-60 I'm ok with that. SInce doing this I have noticed my guitars rarely need to be tuned. 


They advertise this one for a 4000 square foot room, or something really big, hence the 36 hour runtime, but it will last longer in a smaller room.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Here's a tip I learned the hard way. "If I had known that this guitar was going to last so long. I would have taken better care of it"

Take your Yamaha to the cottage and don't tell anyone your leaving your Martin alone at home for a week. Enjoy your new guitar. It sounds like a nice one.


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## albert (Apr 15, 2009)

I never worry about humidity in my house because I have several large aquariums. In the summer I keep the windows open and the humidity is usually around 50%. In the winter it stays between 40% and 50%. I monitor this with my Davis Vantage Vue weather station that gives the humidity for indoors and out. Looking at the control panel right now it states inside 55% at 24 celsius, outside 74% at 18 celsius. My guitars seem to be doing alright.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

According to the Martin Care and Feeding Guide their factory is kept at 45-55% humidity and 72-77 degrees Fahrenheit.

My man cave is 52% humidity and 70 degrees fahrenheit.

Does that mean I can hang my Martin on the wall?


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## albert (Apr 15, 2009)

I don't see why not. I have had a few guitars out on a guitar stand for the past 15 years with no ill effects.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

A lot will tell you that it should always be kept in the case but I hate that. I like my Martin out on the stand at all times. It rarely goes out of the house. I keep it in my office. I have an HD28V that I've had for 6 years from new. I have an electronic device made by honeywell that monitors the humidity level and temperature. In the summer the humidity ranges from 45% to close to 60%. Usually when it gets hot enough and the humidity gets near 60% the AC goes on and the humidity will drop in to the 40's again.
In the winter I pull out a small humidifier and use it when the levels drop to 35%. The humidifier will keep it between 45% and 55%. I try not to let it fluctuate too much but I don't worry if it does. For the first 4 years I did very little humidity control and just occasionally stuck a sound hole humidifier in it and kept it in the case occasionally. I wasn't very diligent and there were many times it was out of the case with the humidity at or below 30%. Never had cracks or ill effects. If I let it dry out in the winter the action would drop really low and some of the strings would buzz badly. Over humidification in the summer would cause the string action to go high and be uncomfortable to play. Now that I control the humidity somewhat I don't have those problems and its probably easier on the neck.


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## TheYanChamp (Mar 6, 2009)

Take it with you. Play it. Enjoy it. Its not a vintage collector piece and it is replaceable. 

But honestly, unless you can afford to keep a climate controlled room or the possible repairs from long term neglect, keep it in a case. Buy an inexpensive case humidifier ( you can make them from lids of starbucks cups and a sponge) and it will last you a long, long time.

I moved from Toronto to Calgary, and my Martin suffered more than I did. After five long years in Calgary I moved to humidous Vancouver where I had to re-glue a bridge, fix a few cracks on the body and have it refretted. Frets mostly my fault for never putting it down. (It now sports some lovely polished medium jumbos.) Mostly, all was caused by being so dried out. If you can feel the grain of the top, its wayy too dry.

Don't get me wrong though. That guitar has been to beaches, fires, drunken camping, roadtrips in a hot car etc etc etc. I honestly believe it will sound better after being kept in a case. Im sure some lawyer cork sniffers will agree. Now wheres the scotch?

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guitarman2 said:


> A lot will tell you that it should always be kept in the case but I hate that. I like my Martin out on the stand at all times. It rarely goes out of the house. I keep it in my office.


I agree with you, only if you have artwork to enjoy that exceeds the value of that guitar! :sEm_ImSorry:


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Obviously you can't play it in a perfect environment 100% of it's life. Do keep it in it's case when not being played - accidents happen(from my experience). As long as it's stored in an ideal, properly humidified case a small portion of the time, I don't see any problem. Try to keep sweaty body parts off the finish - 40 years of neglecting to wipe arm sweat from my picking arm has dulled the top. I did use carnuba wax from time to time.
ps. avoid playing your Martin in canoes or any small vessel.


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