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Guitar
Polishes
Q I have heard that some
guitar polishes contain chemicals that may adversely affect finishes.
Is there any truth in this?
John Evans
Canterbury, England
A
I have never heard of guitar polishes hurting the nitrocellulose
lacquer, polyester, polyurethane, or catalyzed lacquers most often
used as guitar finishes. I did get some weird reactions with some
waterborne lacquer, and vinyl guitar straps are the enemy when it
comes to lacquer. Silicone in polishes and fingerboard lubricants
may cause problems for any future refinishing or finish touchup
work, so be careful there. Petroleum distillates are just what the
name implies--relatives of gasoline, kerosene, mineral spirits,
mineral oil, and dinosaurs (or so we've been told). The basis of
modern life is petroleum distillates, and it's all just based on
carbon, like us. Just like wood, for that matter. Burn wood, and
what do you get? Carbon. This is getting way too philosophical.
Just follow the directions, and you'll get a shiny guitar. I did.
--Rick Turner
Cutaways
and Sound
Q
How significant a sacrifice in sound quality does one
make when obtaining a cutaway?
Alan Pryor
Frisco, Texas
A
There's no set rule about what differences you can expect
to hear between cutaway and noncutaway guitars. If everything else
is equal, in theory the cutaway version should have a bit less bass
response because the cutaway has reduced the air volume of the sound
chamber. This difference becomes more pronounced on smaller-bodied
guitars, simply because the percentage of the total body cavity
that is "missing" as a result of the cutaway is much greater. In
other words, don't expect to hear much difference between cutaway
and noncutaway dreadnoughts or jumbos. This is not to say that the
difference, even when noticeable, should necessarily be called a
"sacrifice." You may prefer the response of a cutaway. Remember
that guitars vary so much from one to another, even when everything
is strictly controlled as in modern manufacturing, that it's not
unusual to find a cutaway model that has more bass than the noncutaway
version hanging next to it.
--Richard Johnston
Daniel
Hecht
Q Whatever happened to
guitarist Daniel Hecht?
Gilberto M. Moreno
El Paso, Texas
A
As one of the original Windham Hill guitarists of the early
'80s, Daniel Hecht gained recognition with his album Willows
(out of print). His last professional musical activity dates back
to 1989, with tours in the U.S. and China. Medical problems with
his hands forced him to retire the following year. Soon after, Hecht
attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop, eventually graduating with
a master's degree in fine arts and writing. He hit paydirt with
his first novel, Skull Sessions (Signet), a best-seller that
is now available in paperback. His second novel is awaiting publication.
--Teja Gerken
Wengewood
Q
What is wengewood?
Thomas Stihl
Chicago, Illinois
A
Wenge is a dense, chocolate-brown African wood with very
open pores that is popular among some luthiers for building guitar
bodies, necks, and/or fingerboards. One of the most vocal proponents
of wenge is Michael Tobias, who uses it in bass necks.
--Rick Turner
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