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What is the recommended way to care for my Parkwood guitar?

Parkwood guitars are available in 3 types of finishes - below is a list of the finishes and how to care for them.

Open Pore - A thin smooth open finish where you can actually feel the wood grain. The open pore finish lets the wood "breathe" but still offers the wood ample protection. This finish has the best tone. Also it's very easy to keep clean. Use with either a dry or slightly damp cloth.

High Gloss - Shiny high gloss finishes should be cleaned using a good quality guitar polish or wax with a soft non treated cloth. Spray the polish on the cloth and wipe clean, buffing to a high gloss.

Fingerboards and bridges are rosewood and should be oiled periodically. Use a good quality fingerboard oil or treatment. This should be done once a year or more depending on your local climate and humidity.

During normal use, we recommend that you wipe down the body, neck and strings after you are done playing.

What is the ideal temperature and humidity level for keeping my Parkwood Guitar in optimum condition?

A good rule of thumb is to keep your guitar in a controlled constant temp and humidity. Whatever feels good to your body (temperature and humidity) is what will be best for your guitar. Your guitar is a living breathing entity that reacts to different changes in temperature and humidity.
Never leave your guitar in the car! Never leave it outside in the cold or in extremely hot weather. Wood reacts to high and or low levels of moisture in the air (humidity) An optimum level for acoustic guitars is 40-50% humidity. If you live in a dry area, a humidifier is recommended to keep the guitar at proper moisture levels.

Your guitar can be affected by changes in humidity. When it gets dry, wood looses moisture. Some things that can happen are:
Sharp fret ends - wood shrinkage causes fret ends to stick out.
Neck adjustments - Truss rod adjustments may be needed to correct any changes in the neck. You may find that your action has gotten higher as the weather has changed.
Bridges can raise, glue gets dry and brittle, braces can come loose. Again we cannot stress the importance of keeping your solid wood guitar humidified at the proper levels. Humidifiers are available in many different prices, ranges, and styles. Consult with your dealer about which type is best for your usage and area.

In areas with higher levels of humidity, some of the things that can occur will be increased fret buzzing, and tuning instability. Special care should be taken to lower extreme levels of moisture.

Also exposing your guitar to sudden changes in temperature (i.e. taking from outside to inside) can cause finish cracking (aka finish checking), cracks at joints, bridges. It's best to allow the guitar to acclimate to the surrounding temperature before opening the case. A good idea is to wait at least 10 minutes before you open the case. If your guitar was shipped to you, it might be a good idea to wait a few hours before you open the case to prevent any premature cracking, finish checking etc. Avoid contact with any direct heat sources (heaters, ovens, stoves etc) as they can dry out a guitars top and cause cracking.

What's the difference between solid and laminate wood guitars and why is solid wood better?

Solid wood guitars just sound better. NO matter what, they always ring louder, have a more pleasing tone, better sustain and are more equal in frequency response. We have never heard a laminated guitar that sounds better than a solid wood guitar. Never.
The top, sides and back of every Parkwood Acoustic Guitar are crafted with only solid woods. We never use any laminated materials in the construction of your guitar. You will notice a deeper, richer tone from your Parkwood when you compare to other laminate guitars in the same price range. The top is selected for tone first and appearance second. We tap test woods to find the best tops, sides and backs. The top of your guitar is called the soundboard, and the quality of the wood is very important.
On a global scale, natural tonewoods are decreasing in numbers. It is getting harder to find good tonewoods. The preparation and storing of solid woods is expensive and attributes to the higher costs associated with all solid wood guitars. Laminate materials do have a use for the construction of beginner and starter guitars. When you're ready to upgrade, seriously consider a solid wood guitar. Whether it's used or new, we think you will enjoy the benefits more. As your guitar ages, so does the wood. They age naturally together and the more you play your guitar, the better it will sound through the years. That's another benefit to using only solid materials in your guitars construction. What else gets better with age, besides wine? We'll touch more on the subject of aging in the next section.

Will my Parkwood guitar sound better as it ages?

Yes. As with all solid wood guitars, as the wood naturally ages the sound will change and improve. That's why vintage guitars are so sought after and collectors and pro players alike are willing to pay high prices for that special sounding old guitar. Your Parkwood guitar, being made entirely of solid wood materials will sound better the more you play it and as it ages. Because guitars are made of wood (which is a natural living breathing organism) certain changes occur during its lifespan. When the wood is cut and dried, the cellular structure of the wood is changed. The wood becomes drier, less pliant. The wood's fibers become more crystallized, denser and stronger. The wood when glued together as a guitar, ages with all the components together (body and neck age as one). As you play your guitar vibrations from the strings stimulate the inner structure of the wood. It's like the wood is being massaged by the strings and your playing. Over the course of a few months and years, you will notice changes in the tone. This stimulation has a positive effect on the tone and volume of your guitar. Selecting the proper wood at the proper moisture levels is critical in making a guitar that will sound better 10 years from now.

In other words, want your guitar to sound its best? Play it!

What type and size of strings does Parkwood recommend?

What is the truss rod wrench size?

I have an instrument in need of service. What is the best thing to do?

When was my instrument manufactured?

Is my guitar solid or laminate wood?

If you have a specific topic that you do not see addressed here, call 714-532-6657 OR email us.
We will respond as quickly as possible.