Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 491 True Temperament fretboard
Heikki Rousu - 2025 No. 491 True Temperament fretboard
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 guitar was built by Swedish luthier Heikki Rousu, who has been active since 1990. Over the course of his career, he has built nearly 400 instruments for musicians in Sweden and internationally. His output spans classical guitars, lutes, mandolins, mandolas, bouzoukis, as well as steel-string and bass guitars—each shaped by a deep understanding of stringed instrument design. With decades of experience, Heikki Rousu combines traditional methods with ongoing experimentation, often rehearsing with his own instruments to refine playability and tonal response. This constant feedback process informs the high musical and ergonomic standards that define his work.
About the guitar
This 2025 guitar by Heikki Rousu features a traditional construction enriched by several thoughtful design elements. The spruce soundboard and Indian rosewood back and sides deliver a clear, warm tone with notable sustain and tonal depth. Double sides have been employed in the body, a choice that enhances projection and focus without compromising the guitar’s expressive capacity. The result is an instrument that feels powerful yet controlled, with a smooth, balanced response across all registers. A distinctive feature of this model is its true temperament fretboard, in which the frets are subtly curved to improve intonation accuracy across the entire fingerboard. This design adjustment is immediately perceptible in chordal playing and melodic lines, where the guitar exhibits refined tuning stability and clarity. Despite its structural complexity, the instrument remains intuitive and comfortable, with a polished tonal character that encourages both precision and colour in interpretation.
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.