Custom Guitar Finishing: Thermo-aged Acoustic Guitar is Popular

Why Custom Guitar Finishing with Thermo-aging

Require to custom guitar may involve various specific demands like designation, shape, size, wood selection, etc. Mostly, we are asked about the finishing or required to finish with thermos-aging technique.

As been told and observation, thermos-aged acoustic guitars are so popular and easy selling. For years, this fashion seems to last forever.

Why thermos-aging guitar is so popular? What kind of tonewood can be handled this way? We will try to explain as our understanding.

And we think you want to know if you can custom acoustic guitar with thermos-aging technique with us, the answer is yes.  And we will also give some information about finishing of guitar customization.

What is Thermo-aging?

Thermo-aging is a heating process to change the appearance of the acoustic guitar. Also, the process is commonly called backing or roasting. But scientifically, it is named torrefaction. This kind of handling is frequently seen on Maple guitars.

Besides, the heating process also removes moisture, resin and other volatiles of the woods by high temperature. Thus, it is good for the improvement of sound and sustainability of acoustic guitars.

As mentioned, this kind of process is usually used on guitars made of Maple wood, especially electric guitars. As our experience of customization of Maple acoustic guitars, this process can greatly reduce the weight. We think this can make more comfortable feeling of guitar.

However, for acoustic guitars, there is a risk in backing treatment. That is, if the wood is dried out, cracks may occur on top or anywhere on the guitar. Thus, a slight moisture must be remained inside the wood for acoustic guitar. Temperature controlling is very critical.

Which Wood Can be Roasted?

All types of wood can be roasted like Spruce (e.g.: D810 solid body guitar). However, we don’t suggest to do so.

We think this mainly depends on the characteristics of wood and the appearance of the guitar you want.

For characteristics, we mean the tonal characteristics and figure of the wood that expected to be backed. For tonal properties, before any treatment, you must understand that the process won’t affect the responsive character of the wood. Although we didn’t see this during our customization work, this is still worth to be considered very carefully.

Another aspect refers to the natural figure or grain of the wood. For some tone wood with extreme beautiful figure or grain, the thermos-aging treatment is a kind of waste. For example, can you imagine that Brazil Rosewood or Cocobolo be roasted? For us, we will never to recommend our clients to treat a wood with such beautiful natural figure or grain like that. It will decrease the value instead of increase the value of the guitar. Therefore, when design the appearance of the guitar, it is better to know what kind of wood you are handling before roasting.

Anyway, if you are meeting any problem of making the choice, just remember to CONTACT US for free consultation.

Custom Guitar with Right Treatment

As mentioned above, we have already expressed our opinion of the treatment to custom acoustic guitar.

However, there are still a lot of things to be discussed. Here, we just want to remind our clients again that we can realize all types of finishing treatment as required.

And besides technical consideration, the treatment should be related with the situation of marketing since you are a wholesaler, retailer, designer or a member of a factory. Blindly follow the popularity will be a great risk once you are doing business of selling guitars.

One important thing that should be in your mind is that there are world-class brands that use thermos-aging treatment on some of their high-end acoustic guitars: Tylor, Martin, Yamaha, etc. If you are sure about your marketing, this kind of treatment is a great choice to enhance your brand and selling.