Fender GUILD User Manual
Owner's Manual
Warranty
OWNER'S MANUAL
WARRANTY
Contents
Page
Contents 1
Introduction 2
Guild's Commitment to Craftsmanship 3
Moisture Content and Humidity 4
Protection from Temperature and Humidity 4
Cracks in the Wood 6
Finish-Checking 6
General Maintenance 7
Tuning Machines 8
Tuning 6-String Guitars 9
Tuning 12-String Guitars 10
Changing Strings 11
Re-Stringing Guitars 12
Truss Rod Adjustment 14
Adjust ment of Ac tion 16
Traveling with Your Guitar 17
Guild Warranty 18
Servicing Yo ur Guitar 22
1
Introduction
Guild's Commitment to Craftsmanship
Thank you for choosing a Guild. We believe this
new instru ment will give you many years of pleasure.
Please take a few moments to read through this
booklet. In it you will find answers to many of your
questions and other invaluable information about care
and maintenance for your guitar.
For detailed specifications of Guild instruments,
please visit our Guild website at:
www.guildguitars.com
2
Guild was established in 1952 by Alfred Dronge.
The first guitars from his small workshop were
handmade with expensive rare woods, costly
lacquers, hand-wound pickups for the electrics, and
the attention to detail that only an experienced
musician could give. The workshop was located in
New York City where most of the top jazz, studio
and touring guitarists were frequently seen. Their
suggestions were always listened to carefully.
The Guild name is derived from the Master Craft
Guilds of the Middle Ages. During that period, only
the craftsmen who had achieved the highest skills
were permitted to join these Guilds. Our policy today
is much like that of yesteryear. The name Guild
expresses the highest standards in the art of wood
craftsmanship and guitar making.
Even today, the woods used in Guild guitars are
selected by hand. Our buyers travel the world
extensively, directly to the sources of the many
different woods we use. There, they carefully select
from opened logs and purchase only the highestgrade woods for creating Guild guitars.
Guild guitars are handmade in Corona, California,
in an environment where quality, innovation and
service are the ultimate goals of the entire Guild staff.
Our highly skilled artisans take extreme pride in
every guitar we produce. A pride that restores
meaning to the words “American Made”. We are
confident you will share this pride in the ownership
of your new guitar.
3
Moisture Content and Humidity
Wood is a porous, organic material, and is affected
dimensionally by changes in the amounts of moisture
it contains. Fine guitars made from solid woods, are
without a doubt, more susceptible to the effects of
changes in humidity than laminated instruments, and
therefore require ongoing attention to their condition.
The moisture content of wood is determined by the
relative humidity and temperature of the surrounding
atmosphere.
Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage of
air's capability to hold moisture. For example, 30%
relative humidity means that the air is holding 30% of
the moisture it could possibly hold at a given
temperature.
The moisture content for wood and the relative
humidity for air are measured quite differently. In
wood, a 6% moisture content is present at 30%
relative humidity and 72 degrees F temperature,
(about 22.2 degrees C).
Protection from Temperature
and Humidity
The greatest threats to a fine wood guitar, are
extremes of, and rapid changes in, temperature and
humidity.
High humidity can cause softening of the glues
used in the construction of the instrument. Also, as
the woods absorb moisture from the air, it can cause
the top and back, especially on flat-top and classical
guitars, to expand and rise - making string action
high.
Conversely, if you l ive in o r trave l wit h yo ur g uitar
to a drier climate, (either hot or cold), there is another
danger. In areas of low humidity, the evaporation of
moisture in the wood can cause shrinkage and
cracking, no matter how long the wood may have
been previously aged. It also can cause the top and
back to shrink, making the string action low.
The collective experience of all of the major guitar
manufacturers today, has demonstrated that the ideal
temperature to preserve the integrity of solid wood
acoustic guitars is room temperature, which is about
70 degrees F (20.5 C). The ideal humidity is about
40% to 50%.
In the winter, the forced air systems used to heat
most homes, can drive temperatures up and humidity
levels dangerously low for guitars. A good measure
of protection against drying out your guitar is to use a
room humidifier.
When the instrument is not in use, we recommend
that you keep it in its case and use one of the small
guitar humidifiers such as "Dampit", available from
many instrument dealers. Do not leave the guitar out
for long periods near a heating vent, radiator or in
direct sunlight near a window.
Do not leave your guitar in the trunk of a car for
long periods and keep it away from excessive heat
and cold. Please note: Damage caused to the guitar
as the result of exposure to temperature or
humidity changes will not be covered under the
Guild warranty.
5
4
Cracks in the Wood
Cracks in the wood are typically caused by changes
in temperature and humidity. While a crack may
initially be alarming, if it is taken care of pro mptly it
shouldn't be a cause for undue concern. Cracks may
easily be repaired without compromising structural or
tonal integrity.
If the crack is in the top, near the bridge, loosen all
the strings to reduce tension, (which could potentiall y
exacerbate the problem), and have the crack repaired
as soon as you can. Please note: Cracks in the
wood, which occur as the result of exposure to
temperature or humidity changes will not be
covered under the Guild warranty.
Finish Checking
Finish checking, (very small splits in the finish),
usually occurs in winter and is typically the result of
suddenly expo sing a cold instr ument to the shoc k of
warmer temperatures.
All of the materials that make up a guitar expand
and contract with changes in temperature and
humidity. Wood expands as it warms, and it does so
faster than the finish. When this happens, the finish
may split and fracture in little lines over the wood.
Although it does not affect the tone of the
instrument, finish checking mars its appearance. By
avoiding sudden temperature and humidity changes,
you should not have any fi nish checkin g problems.
When an instrument has been brought into a
building after it has been out in the cold, allow plenty
of time for it to become acclimated to the new
temperature before you open the case. Please note:
Finish checks, which occur as the result of
exposure to temperature or humidity changes will
not be covered under the Guild warranty.
General Maintenance
Clean the instrument after each use, making sure to
wipe the fingerboard and strings, as well as any of the
plated parts, i.e. machine heads, pickups, etc. with a
soft dry cloth.
For gloss finishes, use a non-silicone based guitar
polish. For satin finishes, use only a soft dry
polishing clo th. For hand -rubbed finishes, use a soft,
slightly damp cloth and follow with a dry cloth.
When not playing the instrument, keep it tu ned to
pitch and in its case. However, if you plan to store the
instrument for long periods of time, loosen the strings
a bit to relieve the tension, but do not remove them.
The natural oils in Rosewood and Ebony
fingerboards may dry out over time. Rough, exposed
fret edges are evidence of dry, shrunken wood. It is a
good idea to give your fretboard a drink of raw
linseed oil periodically to preserve its integrity and
natural beauty. Remove the strings first; then apply
the oil to a clean lint free cloth. Rub into the wood,
let it soak in, and then wipe to dry any excess oil.
Be careful when using vinyl, plastic or synthetic
leather guitar straps, guitar stands and wall hangers
using surgical rubber tubing, as these materials may
react with the finish of your instrument. Please note:
Damage caused to the instrument by the use of
non-Guild-approved polishes, cleaning materials
or accessories, will not be covered under the Guild
warranty.
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