#1. How do I care for my Singleton Axe?
One of the best products we have found for cleaning and shining a Singleton guitar is Nu Finish. This product can be found at most any auto parts store. Lightly dab onto a micro fiber cloth towel and buff to a luster. If the guitar needs just a light touch up, Music Nomad guitar polish “ONE” is a great choice. All of our instruments come with a satin finish to the back of the neck. In time, oils form your skin and overall playing will cause this finish to buff and shine. This can be corrected by the use of a little steel wool “0000” to the back of neck, being careful not to touch the gloss finished areas of the instrument. You can also use Naptha or Lighter Fluid to clean your fingerboard (bare wood boards only). Occasionally oil the fingerboard with a light oil. We have found F-ONE oil from Music Nomad to be a great product for this. Lemon oil works well also. Apply the oil and wipe on a generous amount, wait a few seconds and buff off all excess oil with a separate clean towel.
#2. How often do I need to adjust the Truss Rod?
We have found due to seasonal weather changes. Most guitars need a neck adjustment maybe twice a year. As the weather, moisture changes a slight truss rod adjustment can be done to correct a concave or convex bow in the neck.
Make sure guitar in tune!
Using a capo at the first fret (directly placed behind the fret) then put your right index finger on the low "E" string. Then use .010 feeler gauge at the 7th fret, slide the feeler gauge between the "E"and the 7th fret, be sure the gauge is straight with the string. If the gap between the string and the 7th fret is too great adjust the truss rod nut turning clockwise.
Note: There should be a slight drag sliding the gauge in and out.
If the drag is too tight a counter clockwise turn of the truss rod is needed.
Important: Less than a quarter turn with the truss rod should normally be required to add relief or take out relief in the neck.
#3. What wood(s) should I choose?
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Let me start off by saying this is a reference, a way for me to explain wood tones and characteristics and what I prefer to use in building my instruments. Tone is very subjective and the descriptions of tone can be a little misleading. Anytime tone is mentioned, we have to always consider one of the primary tone factors: your Hands! Each individual hand's produce a tone that is unique. The other factor is that no two woods are going to sound exactly the same. So with that in mind, here is generalized description of the woods we offer and their characteristics:
Alder
This is probably one of the most widely used woods in the late 50’s and 60’s for 3 single coil style guitars. This wood will produce a very familiar "vintage tone" It is a clear and articulate sounding wood with thick mid-range tone. Alder is medium to light in weight and has a medium tan color with very little pronounced grain pattern. This wood looks good with sunburst and a few selected transparent colors including red, green and yellows.
Swamp Ash
Swamp Ash is just waiting to resonate! This is the other "vintage wood" used in single coil type guitars from the 50’s and 60’s. The ash we use is lighter in weight and less harsh sounding than regular ash. Its color is light blonde with darker brown grain patterns. This wood looks good in all transparent colors. All of the good ash grows in the swamps and bayous of the deep south.
Mahogany
The tone of mahogany is thick and with pronounced mids. It has a mid to mid-heavy weight. The grain is mild and color is medium brown which looks good natural or with red or orange tints.
Maple Top
Maple is a light colored wood which is sought after for its gorgeous figured grain patterns. We offer it in flamed or sometimes called tiger or fiddleback maple, Spalted maple, Quilted maple, and Burled maple. Our carved tops are 5/8 “thick, which we finish in a natural edge binding. Our Bass maple tops are 3/8” thick.
Mahogany Back / Maple Top
Looking for something to really cut through the mix? This combination is thick and powerful in the middle with lots of clarity. It is not harsh sounding as many people would think. The weight is mid to mid-heavy and looks good with natural back or many transparent colors.
Mahogany / Brazilian Rosewood Neck
This tone is full and thick (one of my personal favorites) and usually matched with a Mahogany/Maple body.
Flamed or Birdseye Maple / Zirocote
This tone is full with a high end sparkle as the Zirocote is very similar tonally to Makassar Ebony. We often use other exotics such as Cocobolo, Wenge, and Bocote. In this combination the tone is similar to Maple/Makassar Ebony.
Maple / Maple Neck
The tone is bright and cuts thru very nicely. When matched with Swamp Ash Body tone is “all the way Live”.
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