Tuning
Before despatch, your guitar will be detuned and then well-packed to ensure a safe delivery. Your guitar will already have been set up by us, to achieve optimum playability. The first thing you will need to do is to tune up. Great care must be taken over your chosen tuning.
Tuning too high or using strings with too large a gauge can cause damage to the instrument. We recommend a sting gauge of between .013 - .056 to .014 - .058.
Recommended tunings are (G) DGDGBD, (D) DADF#AD and (C) CGCEGC. There is a large range of different tunings that can be experimented with as you grow in confidence with your new Weissenborn, but a balance must be achieved between string gauge and key note to ensure the string tension is never too high.
Our Authentic Series have a scale length of 25in and should not exceed a total tension at pitch of more than 165lb. You can find out more about this and check your string gauges and tunings here:
String tension calculator (link) http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html
Upkeep and Cleaning
When cleaning use a damp, lint-free cloth, then buff with a clean dry cloth. The nitrocellulose finish takes a long time to really cure hard, so it is important that care is taken over cleaning. As time goes by and if the instrument is subject to sudden temperature changes natural cracking in the finish will occur as is the case with originals of the same period. It is a good idea to lubricate the tuning machine heads once a year with a heavy lubricant such as Vaseline, to help keep them moving freely.
Storage
Temperature and Humidity: To avoid shrinkage, cracking, swelling, and warping of your guitar, you must keep it in an environment which provides fairly constant temperature and humidity all year round. The optimum humidity level is between 45% and 55%, and the temperature is between 65 and 80 degrees.
Sudden changes or exposure to excessive temperature or humidity can cause damage to the wood and glue. It is always best to keep your guitar in its hard case or gig bag when not in use.
If you follow these guidelines your Authentic Series will last for the next 100 years.
