Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 486 10-string
Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 486 10-string
Details
Details
Overview
Overview
Shipping important note
Shipping important note
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Details about GPSR
Details about GPSR
Video overview
More details about the guitar
About the luthier
This 10-string guitar was built by Swedish luthier Heikki Rousu, who has been crafting classical and plucked instruments since 1990. With a portfolio that spans guitars, lutes, mandolins, bouzoukis and more, Heikki has built nearly 400 instruments for musicians in Sweden and abroad. His guitars reflect both a strong traditional foundation and a deep sensitivity to musical ergonomics, developed over decades of personal playing and ongoing refinement. By keeping one of his own instruments always close at hand, he ensures his building approach is continuously informed by real-world musical practice.
About the guitar
Completed in 2025, Guitar No. 486 is a traditional 10-string model that offers both elegant construction and remarkable sonic presence. The top is made from spruce, paired with a stunning three-piece back in figured bocote with a central cocobolo strip, both visually bold and tonally rich. The sides are also crafted from bocote, while the neck is made of cedar with a striking central insert of flamed maple, giving the instrument a beautiful sense of structural symmetry and visual contrast.
Tonally, the guitar offers a remarkably natural and coherent sound for a 10-string instrument. It avoids the exotic over-resonance sometimes found in extended-range guitars and instead retains a pure classical character. Sustain is notably long, and the overall resonance is lush and immersive, supported by an air-body frequency around F♯/G. The additional strings open up expanded harmonic possibilities while maintaining a balanced tonal identity. With its French polish, peghead tuners, and a scale of 650 mm, this instrument combines responsive performance with refined aesthetic detail.
Regular care extends the life of the instrument
Even with careful use, a classical guitar may gradually change in appearance or respond to unstable storage conditions. Have a close look at your guitar regularly and be attentif to changes. If your instrument is suffering from its environement, it will let you know.
Protect Your Guitar: Handle with Care
Be mindful when touching your instrument with greasy or unwashed hands: any skin contact is a small attack on the varnish. Of course, a guitar is made to be played, but taking a few precautions helps preserve its beauty: wash your hands before playing, wear long sleeves, and avoid unnecessary direct skin contact with the body of the instrument.
Pro tip: Avoid playing with a button-up shirt, heavy jewelry, or a belt, as these can scratch the guitar. Also, make sure your guitar case is free of any objects that could damage the instrument during storage.
String care
A good habit to adopt is wiping down your strings briefly after each playing session. This small action significantly extends their lifespan and helps maintain a consistent, comfortable feel under your fingers.
Most importantly, clean strings are essential for keeping your instrument in tune. Corrosion, sweat, and dust can affect the uniformity of the strings and interfere with accurate tuning across the entire fingerboard.
Pro tip: If you're having trouble getting your guitar in tune, it might be time to change the strings. A useful test is to compare the pitch of the 12th fret harmonic with the fretted note at the 12th fret; if there's an unusually large gap between them, your strings may have lost their integrity and should be replaced.
Keep Your Shellac Finish Shining!
Got a guitar with a shellac (French polish) finish? Here's a simple trick: Take a clean microfiber cloth and gently breathe on the surface to create a light mist. Then, softly rub to remove fingerprints, sweat, and grease. That’s usually all it takes to keep it looking great, no products needed!
Pro tip: Every few years, treat your guitar to a check-up with a luthier to keep it in top shape.
Storing Your Guitar: Climate Matters
Your guitar can safely stay outside its case, as long as the surrounding environment maintains 42–55% humidity and a temperature between 18–25°C.
Keep in mind that humidity levels can still fluctuate inside the case, especially during seasonal changes.
- Too much humidity may cause overtightened strings and a dull tone.
- Too little humidity can lead to a bulging top, string buzz, or even cracks.
Avoid placing your guitar near radiators, air conditioners, or windows with direct sunlight.
Pro tip: Always close your guitar case while playing. This helps preserve a stable microclimate inside the case, so your instrument is protected the moment you put it back in.