User Manual

3
Finish Checking
Finish checking, (very small splits in
the  nish), usually occurs in winter and is
typically the result of suddenly exposing
a cold instrument to the shock of warmer
temperatures.
All of the materials that make up a
guitar expand and contract with changes
in temperature and humidity, and they do
this at different rates. Wood expands as it
warms, and it does so faster than the  nish
placed over it. When this expansion occurs,
the  nish does stretch somewhat, but when
it cannot stretch anymore, it will split and
fracture in little lines over the wood.
Although it does not affect the tone of the
instrument, this  nish checking mars its
appearance. By avoiding sudden temperature
and humidity changes, you should not have
any  nish checking 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 Gretsch warranty.
General Maintenance
Clean the instrument after each use, making
sure to wipe the  ngerboard and strings, as
well as any of the plated parts, i.e. machine
heads, pickups, etc. with a soft dry cloth.
For gloss  nishes, use a non-silicone based
guitar polish. For satin  nishes, use only a
soft dry polishing cloth. For hand-rubbed
 nishes, use a soft, slightly damp cloth and
follow with a dry cloth.
When not playing the instrument, keep it
tuned 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
 ngerboards 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  rst; 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,
and mar the  nish of your instrument.
Please
note: Damage caused to the instrument by
the use of non-FMIC-approved polishes,
cleaning materials or accessories, will not
be covered under the Gretsch
®
warranty.
Tuning Machines
Gretsch
®
uses only the  nest tuning
machines. Many of these machines are pre-
lubricated, die-cast, sealed tuners, which
do not require periodic oiling for smooth
operation.
A small tension adjustment screw is located
at the end of each die-cast tuner’s button
(A), that also holds the button in place. If the
tension is too loose, the machine may slip
and go out of tune easily. If it is too tight,
the button may become very dif cult to turn.
Make sure that the adjustment is  rm, but not
too tight.