Keep it in a stable room, wipe the strings after playing, change them before they are dead, and have it set up once. Those four things make an inexpensive instrument behave like a much better one.
The one purchase
A setup. It changes relief, action and intonation, and it is the difference between an instrument that fights you and one that does not.
The one habit
Wipe the strings after playing. Sweat is what corrodes them, and a cloth doubles their life for nothing.
The one place not to keep it
Against an exterior wall, near a radiator, or in an unheated room. Humidity swings do the damage that use does not.
Check your own manual before you plug anything in. Voltage, polarity and current draw differ from model to model, and the manufacturer’s figures take precedence over anything written here. A supply of the wrong polarity can damage a pedal in seconds, phantom power is safe for most microphones but not for every one, and the required voltage is printed next to the socket or stated in the manual — not inferred from a connector that happens to fit.
The questions players ask
Does a cheap guitar need more care?
It needs the same care and rewards it more, because a setup and fresh strings account for a larger share of how it plays.
Is polish necessary?
Not for the instrument’s health. Wiping dust and sweat off matters; shine does not.
Last reviewed 2026-08-19