background image

8

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 promptly 
it  shouldn’t  be  a  cause  for  undue  concern.  Cracks  may  easily  be  repaired 
without compromising the structural or tonal integrity of the instrument.

If the crack is in the top, near the bridge, loosen all the strings to reduce 
tension,  (which  could  potentially  exacerbate  the  problem),  and  have  the 
crack repaired as soon as you can.

IMPORTANT  NOTE:  CRACKS  IN THE WOOD, WHICH  OCCUR AS THE 
RESULT  OF TEMPERATURE  OR  HUMIDITY  CHANGES, WILL  NOT  BE 
COVERED UNDER THE BENEDETTO

®

 WARRANTY.

A Note About Lacquer Finishes

Early  handmade  instruments  with  lacquer 

fi

nishes  have  been  prized  and 

sought  after  for  decades  by  players  and  collectors,  and  part  of  the  attrac-
tion has been the way lacquer ages. Gurus of vintage tone have consistently 
chosen lacquer 

fi

nished instruments over the years, as lacquer lets the wood 

breathe and vibrate more freely.

Modern polyesters and polyurethanes are harder than lacquer and are much 
less affected by environmental conditions, heavy use and aging.

Summary of Contents for The Signature of Jazz Guitar

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ...Owner s Manual Warranty ...

Page 4: ...s from only the finest materials Made under the direction of Bob Benedetto to the highest standards of excellence this guitar is truly a work of art created to express the soul of the player Final inspection and approval remains the personal responsibility and joy of Bob Benedetto ...

Page 5: ...t Humidity 8 Cracks in the Wood 8 A Note About Lacquer Finishes 11 General Maintenance 12 Tuning Machines 12 Changing Strings 13 Re Stringing 14 Truss Rod Adjustment 16 Bridge Adjustment 19 Traveling with Your Guitar 19 Servicing Your Guitar 20 Benedetto Lifetime Warranty ...

Page 6: ...o review this information Guitars are not all alike and there are care and maintenance issues you may find are specific to our guitars Please contact us if you have any questions after reading this booklet For specifications of Benedetto instruments visit benedettoguitars com Thank you again for purchasing a Benedetto guitar We wish you many years of musical enjoyment Howard Paul President CEO Ben...

Page 7: ... guitars have been crafted for such noted players as Johnny Smith Joe Diorio Martin Taylor Bucky Pizzarelli Kenny Burrell Chuck Wayne Cal Collins Jimmy Bruno Jack Wilkins Howard Alden Frank Vignola Andy Summers and Earl Klugh The Benedetto guitar appears on countless recordings videos books magazines TV film soundtracks and at concerts museums including the Smithsonian Institution and jazz festiva...

Page 8: ...e air s capability to hold moisture For example 30 relative humidity means that the air is holding 30 of the moisture it could possible hold at a given temperature The moisture content for wood and the relative humidity for air are measured quite differently In wood a 7 moisture content is present at 30 relative humidity and 72 F temperature about 22 2 C Protection from Temperature Humidity The gr...

Page 9: ...d to heat most homes can drive tem peratures 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 If you are using a room humidifier check the relative humidity periodically and when needed use one of the small guitar humidifiers that are...

Page 10: ...ck repaired as soon as you can IMPORTANT NOTE CRACKS IN THE WOOD WHICH OCCUR AS THE RESULT OF TEMPERATURE OR HUMIDITY CHANGES WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE BENEDETTO WARRANTY A Note About Lacquer Finishes Early handmade instruments with lacquer finishes have been prized and sought after for decades by players and collectors and part of the attrac tion has been the way lacquer ages Gurus of vintage...

Page 11: ...razing as it is sometimes called usually occurs in winter and is typically the result of bringing an instrument inside from the cold To reduce the likelihood of checking remember to allow plenty of time for the instrument to acclimate to the new temperature before you open the case Although it does not affect the structural integrity or tone of the instru ment finish checking does mar its appearan...

Page 12: ...d mar the finish of your instrument 4 CLEANING Smoke sweat grease and grime will all contribute to and accelerate the aging discoloration and wear of the finish If you want your finish to age gracefully take good care of it and keep it clean IMPORTANT NOTE FINISH CHECKING SHRINKAGE DISCOLORATION AND WEAR ARE ALL A NATURAL PART OF THE AGING PROCESS OF LACQUER FINISHES AND AS SUCH WILL NOT BE COVERE...

Page 13: ... in its case However if you plan to store the instrument for long periods of time loosen the strings slightly to relieve some of the tension on the neck The natural oils in ebony fingerboards may dry out over time and rough exposed fret edges are evidence of dry shrunken wood It is a good idea to give your thirsty fretboard a drink of lemon oil periodically to preserve its integrity and natural be...

Page 14: ...nes may become degraded from the acids and oils in finger sweat Wipe the machines off with a soft dry cloth after each use to preserve their appearance and function Strings that have not been secured properly to the tuning machine post may easily slip and go out of tune This problem is commonly misdiagnosed as an issue with the tuners Check your string installation carefully See illustrations 1 2 ...

Page 15: ...t a time instead of all at once This will prevent sudden and potentially damaging rapid changes in neck tension Each new string should be tuned up to correct pitch before the next one is removed Re Stringing Benedetto jazz guitars have surface mounted bridges and slotted tailpieces through which the strings are fed The chambered solid body electrics use a combination bridge tailpiece To re string ...

Page 16: ...mental conditions like temperature change and humidity variations may also result in movement or bowing of the neck Your Benedetto guitar has a double action truss rod extending the length of the neck which counteracts this force strengthens the neck and insures straightness Should your guitar need a truss rod adjustment first remove the truss rod cover located on the headstock above the nut The g...

Page 17: ...FPO Restring illustration ...

Page 18: ...piece Benedetto jazz guitars use height adjustable movable bridges A movable bridge typically has an arched wooden base that is held in its proper position on the instrument by the downward pressure of the strings To raise the height of the bridge turn the adjustment wheels counterclock wise To lower the bridge turn the adjustment wheels clockwise IMPORTANT NOTE If you have adjusted the height of ...

Page 19: ...t is properly intonated IMPORTANT NOTE When re stringing a guitar with a movable bridge and ebony tailpiece change the strings one at a time Do not remove all of the strings at the same time as both the bridge and tailpiece are held into proper position by the downward pressure and tension of the strings TonePros AVT2 Use the handle of the TonePros wrench provided sideways in the groove of the stu...

Page 20: ...harp relative to the pitch of the harmonic adjust the saddle towards the butt end of the guitar If the pitch of the note at the 12th fret is flat relative to the pitch of the harmonic adjust the saddle towards the neck With the bridge intonated detune all the strings so there is little tension on the bridge tighten the stud tops then re tune ...

Page 21: ...t possible damage de tune all of the strings about a whole step so that the tension is reduced from the top and neck of the instrument Servicing Your Guitar New guitars typically have a settling in period where adjustments may be necessary to compensate for wood movement caused by the tension of the strings Many experienced guitar players have learned to adjust the truss rod or action of their own...

Page 22: ...EIPT AS IT IS YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE VALIDATING THIS LIMITED WARRANTY Benedetto Guitars Inc has designated an authorized warranty center on the Benedetto website benedettoguitars com as the primary Benedetto Factory Service Center for all authorized warranty service The Benedetto Dealer from whom you purchased your instrument can also identify non warranty main tenance and should be the first poin...

Page 23: ...re not covered by this warranty 1 Fret wear saddle wear nut wear strings and batteries 2 Setups adjustments or routine maintenance of any kind 3 Damage to finishes or cracks splitting or warpage of wood due to changes in te Damage to finishes or cracks splitting or warpage of wood due to changes in temperature or humidity exposure to or contact with sun fire moisture perspiration body salts and ac...

Page 24: ...nstrument whose serial number is missing altered or tampered with in any fashion 10 Any instrument purchased from anyone other than an Authorized Benedetto Dealer 11 Instruments that have been serviced by unauthorized persons any person other than a Benedetto Certified Technician at an Authorized Benedetto Service Center THE FOREGOING CONSTITUTES THE ONLY WARRANTY MADE BY BENEDETTO WITH RESPECT TO...

Page 25: ...ILURE OF THIS PRODUCT NOR ANY LOSS OF INCOME SATISFACTION OR DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE LOSS OF USE OF SAME DUE TO DEFECTS OR AVAILABILITY OF SAME DURING SERVICE This warranty applies only to Benedetto instruments purchased and serviced within the U S A and Canada Warranties outside these countries are as defined by the authorized Benedetto Distributor for your country or region and may vary from th...

Page 26: ...Luthier s Inspection Card Model Serial Number Materials Fit of All Components Internal Assembly Electronics Finish Fret Work Set up Playability Final Approval by Craftsman Date ...

Page 27: ......

Page 28: ...Full catalog of available Benedetto products available upon request Benedetto Guitars 10 Mall Terrace Suite A Savannah Georgia 31406 USA 1 912 692 1400 benedettoguitars com ...

Reviews: