Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 27/06) - When flamenco guitarist Juan Martin last played Yellowknife two years ago, his biggest aggravation was the mosquito swarm at Folk on the Rocks.

As he prepares to play NACC in February, he's worried about our sub-Arctic climate and how it might affect his $15,000 Conde Hermanos guitar.

Fiddles and Stix owner Jim White says Martin is right to be concerned. He e-mailed the Spanish guitarist a list of tips to help protect against warping and cracking.

When wooden instruments such as guitars, violins and mandolins get cold and warm up too quickly, the finish can crack. If the neck bows, the strings can rise too far from the frets, making it difficult to play, he said. A hump can form in the neck of a guitar, making it impossible to play past the seventh fret. The secret to keeping instruments healthy and happy between October and April is to plan.

Extreme temperatures should always be avoided. Instruments should never be left in a car.

They should be left in the case at room temperature for three or four hours after being transported outside. Opening the case allows warm air to rush in and that's when the problems start.

White advises showing up to a gig early with some extra time set aside for tuning.

When storing a guitar, it's a good idea to use an in-case humidifier, he said.

For classical guitars, he suggests a Kyser or a D'Addarrio model.

Fiddles and Stix uses a number of floor humidifiers, which are more economical for anyone who has several instruments to care for.