Maintenance
You should avoid exposing your solid wood instrument to rapid or extreme variations in humidity and/or temperature, factors which you should monitor continuously.
Transportation is likely to expose your instrument to dryness (in a plane for example) or high levels of heat (in a car for example).
The guitar should never seem warm to touch. The black rigid case absorbs rays and should not be left in the sun. Any temperature higher than 40°c increases the pliability of the wood and can affect the shape of the whole guitar and might cause definitive damage.
The ideal guitar temperature is most likely the temperature where you feel most comfortable yourself.
Our guitars are built at 20°C and at an average room humidity of 55% and can endure variations between 40% and 75%.
Humidity higher than 80% can compromise the fixings and glue used for the bracings and bridge.
If you have to play in a humid place, don't store the guitar in its case right away after playing.
Humidity lower than 38% will increase the likelihood of cracking. Note that generally, the air is dryer in the winter. Soundhole humidifiers are helpful but room humidifiers are preferable wherever the instruments are kept. Keeping the guitar in a case will help stabilize variations.
Some possible consequences of too much dryness include:
- Flattening or reversal of the wooden curvatures of the guitar's body
- Buzzing of the strings due to a decrease in the action
- Shrinking of the fingerboard and fret protrusion
- Fingerboard hump at the 14th fret
- Splitting and breakage of the wood and separation of joints, particularly on the back at the bottom and at the heel areas.
- Cracking of the varnish
The cellulose varnish, carefully selected for its acoustic properties is applied in the lightest coat possible to leave all the faculties of vibration intact. This varnish is therefore not as resistant as an industrial one.
There is no special attention needed except cleaning your instrument regularly with a soft cotton cloth or microfiber towel. Be careful of using any solvents, or polish containing solvents. Note too that the varnish itself may react to protective covers made of rubber or foam used on certain stands, or on hanger materials, or any other object. Always cover these supports with a cotton cloth before placing the guitar into contact with them.
The varnish dries and stretches over a long period of time and over months may reveal pores on the back and sides, or grain on wood tops. This is to be considered normal.
Our guitars were made for light string sets gauge 12/53-(56).
Changing the gauge will change the action and the overall shape of the instrument and is not recommended.When mounting new strings, it is recommended to replace them one at a time. Be careful to use the right tools to extract the pins, and if some are stubborn and difficult to loosen, push them back in, after untightening the strings.
The standard action measured on the twelfth fret, from the summet of the fret below the cord, is 1,75mm E treble and 2, 25mm E bass.
For special needs, we can lower the action considerably, but only in our workshop. It is not recommended to make radical changes to the action using the trussroad which should be handled progressively and carefully. It may be necessary to do this after a few months of use as the guitar neck will progressively arch under the effect of the string tension.
The ebony fingerboard can be cleaned with lemon oil.