What We Do Best
Our primary focus at the Whetstone School is simple instruments made well. We appreciate fancy guitars with lots of bells and whistles, but we also think those features are secondary to proven designs, quality materials, and fine craftsmanship.
We build some of the most popular acoustic guitar designs in the marketplace including Martin style Dreadnoughts, slope shouldered jumbos, and a variety of small-bodied guitars in both 12 and 14 fret configurations. Our soprano ukuleles are rooted in the Hawaiian tradition, and our tenor ukuleles incorporate many of the modern features employed by Collings and other top makers.
Our guitars share many features you might expect to find on higher end models. For example, we use fine quality tonewoods that have been carefully seasoned in a carefully controlled environment. We take extra care with the selection of our tops, and our braces are all hand carved to achieve the best balance of strength and tonal responsiveness. Our headstocks are joined to the running stock with a scarf joint (which is far stronger than a one-piece neck) and we use a bolt-on mortise and tenon neck joint that combines the structural integrity of a dovetail with the benefits of easy neck removal.
We understand that nothing else really matters if your guitar doesn't function properly and play well. We use 2-way adjustable truss rods so you can maintain just the right neck relief, and we use premium quality tuning machines that are easy to adjust and hold their tune. Our necks are hand-carved for comfort and playability, and we take pride in our professional set-ups.
Our Finish
Most of the guitars and ukuleles in the marketplace these days are finished with petroleum based coatings that literally encase the instrument in a film of plastic. It's toxic to work with, bad for the planet, and really doesn't look that good on simple instruments.
We use an environmentally friendly varnish made from tung oil as our standard finish. Our plant based formulation penetrates deep into the pores of the wood producing a rich, hand-rubbed patina that enhances the wood’s grain and brings out its inherent beauty. It also provides excellent water resistance and great protection against moisture and household spills. The film is inherently flexible and moves with your instrument - not against it. That means the finish won’t chip, crack, or cold check.
The finish is easy to maintain by simply wiping the surface clean with a soft damp cloth. You can use furniture cleaners for more thorough cleanings, but be careful not to use products containing bleach or ammonia. Restoration and finish repairs are easy with a little coaching - give us a call and we’ll show you how.
Temperature and Humidity
Because our instruments are made of solid wood, they are sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Climatic fluctuations will affect the setup of your instrument, and extreem levels of temperature and humidity can cause serious damage. The optimum conditions for acoustic instruments are somehere around 70°F and 40% relative humidity.
We think the best option is to maintain your room environment around these levels if you can, and keep your instrument in the case when it's not in use. If you are unable to maintain those levels, we recomend using small humidifiers and dehumidifying packets to maintain the proper conditions inside the instrument case. It's best to use a digital hygrometer to monitor the temperature and humidity, and be careful not to over do it in either direction!
Limited Lifetime Warranty
We stand behind our work, and all our instruments are covered by a limited lifetime warranty to the original owner. The warranty covers significant defects in materials or workmanship, and we will either replace the instrument or repair the problem at our discretion.
The warranty does NOT cover service required due to alterations by others, normal use, accident, abuse, neglect, or exposure to extremes of temperature or humidity. Our finish is easy to maintain and is not covered under the warranty. Shipping expenses are the sole responsibility of the owner.