This captivating guitar was meticulously crafted by the Swedish artisan Heikki Rousu, who has been honing his craft since 1990 and has since produced over 500 instruments. This unique piece is a true temperament guitar.
Heikki Rousu true temperament classical guitar specification:
- body: bubinga
- top: torrefied adirondack spruce
- scale: 650mm
- nut: 52mm
- neck: cedar
- fingerboard: elevated, ebony
- tuners: Alessi
- true temperament stainless steel frets – last forever.
- finish: french polish (shellac)
- Case Hiscox
- bracing: modified fan
- origin: Sweden
- year: 2024
The True Temperament guitar represents a groundbreaking innovation in the realm of instrument design and craftsmanship. Developed by Swedish luthier Anders Thidell in the late 1980s, this revolutionary guitar fretting system addresses one of the most persistent challenges faced by guitarists: intonation accuracy. Traditional guitars utilize evenly spaced frets along the fingerboard, assuming that each note will be perfectly in tune. However, due to the inherent physics of stringed instruments, achieving perfect intonation across all frets is virtually impossible. This discrepancy becomes increasingly apparent as players venture into different keys or use complex chord voicings. Enter True Temperament. Thidell’s ingenious solution involves shaping each fret according to the precise mathematical calculations needed to compensate for the inherent tuning issues of standard fret placement.
The result is a fingerboard with uniquely shaped frets, meticulously adjusted to optimize the tuning accuracy of every note across the entire range of the instrument. By incorporating True Temperament frets, guitarists can enjoy unparalleled tuning stability and clarity, allowing for seamless transitions between chords and scales with no compromises in intonation. The impact of this innovation extends beyond the realm of performance, influencing the way guitars are constructed and inspiring a new wave of instrument design. True Temperament has garnered acclaim from musicians worldwide, with notable artists such as Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, and Per Nilsson adopting the system for its transformative effects on tone and playability. Whether in the studio, on stage, or in the hands of aspiring players, the True Temperament guitar represents a paradigm shift in the pursuit of sonic perfection, empowering guitarists to explore new creative horizons with confidence and precision.
