Grosh Guitars - FAQ’s

  • One of the best products we have found for cleaning and shining a Grosh guitar is Pro Strength Guitar Polish by Music Nomad. You can also view the rest of Music Nomad’s product line here; Music Nomad.

    Lightly dab onto a Viva Paper Towel and buff to a luster. If the guitar needs just a light touch up, the Pro Strength Guitar Polish Spray can be applied directly to the Viva cloth itself, wiped over the guitar and buffed to a shine. You can also use Pro Strength Guitar Polish Spray on the back of all the necks, and solid maple necks including the fingerboard area. (Note: only use on necks with a lacquer finish) Use lighter fluid or Naptha for Oil finished necks. You can also use Naptha or Lighter Fluid to clean your rosewood fingerboard. On oil necks, it doesn’t hurt to apply a little oil occasionally – we use Watco brand Danish Oil.

    For conditioning a rosewood fingerboard, we recommend using F-One Fretboard oil. This will clean and condition the unfinished wood safely. Apply the oil to a Viva paper towel and wipe on a generous amount. Let soak in for a bit and buff off all excess oil with a separate clean Viva paper towel.

  • We use SIT brand “Stay in Tune” strings. We use the Power Wound Nickel Plated Strings, guage 10-46. We feel that SIT strings are more consistent in feel, sound, intonation, and of course tunning stability. We have tried other string manufactures in the past and feel that SIT strings are quite simply “The Best”. If you want more information check out their website: sitstrings.com

  • Yes we do, for all Grosh models. We sell loaded and unloaded pickguards direct from the factory. Pickguards are available in: Aged White 3-ply, Aged White 1-ply, Aged White Pearl, Brown Tortoise, “Brushed Gold”, “Brushed Aluminum”, Gloss Black 3-ply, Matte Black 1-ply, and Mint 3-ply. The cost for the pickguard alone ranges from $60-$80, depending on material. If you want a matching trem cavity cover for the back, it’s $10. If you want it wired up, it’s an additional $100 for parts and labor (excluding pickups). Pickups are additional and pricing can be found on our Price List. Shipping charges apply as well. If you would like to order a pickguard (loaded or unloaded), please contact us

  • Unfortunately we don’t offer replacement necks. Each neck is hand-fit to each body by Don himself, so while it’s possible to fit a new neck, it’s not ideal. The original neck is the best fit for the guitar. Also, each neck is easily 35-40% of the cost of the guitar, which usually makes any such replacement cost-prohibitive.

  • We use the “bath tub” route on our Retro Classic, Bent Top Custom, ElectraJet and SuperJet because it simply sounds better than a vintage route on those models. Early on Don carefully tested both routes on these models and significantly preferred the sound of the bath tub route. It really helps “open up” the sound of the guitar and provides for richer harmonic complexity. It also reduces body weight slightly and increases acoustic volume and resonance in our instruments. Don found that the vintage style route was more “choked” in sound compared to the bath tub route on these models. A side benefit of this is that it allows the user to change pickup combinations easily. In the end, it’s all about tone, and Don believes that the bath tub route produces superior tone for these models. On the NOS Retro, however, we use a “vintage route,” or individual pickup routes. The main reason is that customers who want the traditional “S” shape also want individual pickup routes. The individual pickup routes work well on this NOS Retro with it’s traditional body shape, neck design and construction.

  • Pickup height is subjective – adjust to taste. When the pickup is closer to the strings, there is increased output and magnetic string pull. When the pickup is further away from the strings, there is less output and less magnetic pull, which will result in a more open sound. A happy medium is roughly 1/16″ from top of the pole piece to the bottom of the each string fretted at the last fret, which is the lowest point of the string. This is where we start, and we start with the bridge pickup. Then you want to try and get a good balance with the other pickups. You’ll want to adjust the other pickups to where the volume/output is similar to that of the bridge pickup. On the G-90s and humbuckers, you can also raise or lower the pole pieces to adjust balance from string to string. It all depends on how you want the guitar to sound and the balance of each string. From the factory, we don’t normally adjust the individual pole pieces because we find the balance to be just fine when they’re flat. Any adjustments are to taste.

  • Although similar to a traditional strat-style guitar, the Retro Classic is an original design of Don Grosh. He wanted to capture the essence of that body style but in his own way. The main part of the body is basically the same size as a traditional strat-style guitar. The main differences are: a tighter waist with more natural and comfortable contours, tighter horns, a slightly larger lower cutaway to improve upper-fret access, and improved balance. For those wanting a “traditional” S body shape, the NOS Retro is your guitar.

  • We use German Jescar fretwire. We offer the following sizes: 6150 or “Medium Jumbo”, .104″ x .047″ (Ref #FW47104)
    6100 or “Jumbo”, .110″ x .057″ (Ref #FW57110)
    6105 or “Tall Narrow”, .090″ x .055″ (Ref #FW55090)

    For more information on what the measurements mean, go to Jescar Fretwire (note the reference numbers above in parentheses).

  • Yes, on the custom models (not available on standard models). We offer 6105, 6150 and 6100 frets in stainless steel. The benefits are significantly longer life, resistance to corrosion, and “slinkier” playability. With regard to playability, the strings glide more easily across the frets when bending, but this is really personal preference – some prefer the “slinkier” feel whereas others prefer the feel of nickel frets. So do they sound different? We don’t really think so. Some may argue that they are slightly brighter in tone … we don’t notice this. Frankly, there are so many other factors that can more significantly affect brightness in tone, so when comparing a guitar with nickel frets to a guitar with stainless frets, it’s difficult to attribute any differences in tone solely to the frets. Anyway, stainless frets are a worthwhile updgrade if you’re looking for longevity and a “slinkier” feel.

  • Grosh Truss Rod PDF

  • Removing old strings: If the string is not broken, loosening the tuner will automatically release the lock. Note: You cannot release the lock with a screw driver or coin if the string is not loose or broken. If the string is broken, use a coin or flathead screw driver to loosen the lock. Six (6) in-line tuners are loosened by turning them counterclockwise. The 3×3 tuners on the Set Neck models are loosened by turning the E, A, and D tuners counter-clockwise and the G, B, and E tuners clockwise.

    Installing New Strings: Pull strings through bridge. Pull string through tuner hole leaving no slack. The string should make a fairly straight line from the nut to the tuner. While holding the string, wind the tuner counter-clockwise – tuner will automatically pinch and tighten string. Tune to pitch. String should not wind around the post more than half of a turn, or full turn at the most. Cut string ends as close as possible to post.

  • We offer the blend control on many of our custom models (not available on standard models). Depending on what position you’re in, the blend control is used to blend in the remaining pickups. When you’re in the neck position, it blends in the bridge. When in the bridge position, it blends in the neck pickup. When in position 2 or 4, it blends in the third pickup. When the blend knob is on 10, it has no effect on the sound. As you roll the knob towards 1, it blends the pickups as described. The blend control provides virtually limitless tonal options!

  • Yes, when we can source figured hard rock maple that meets our standards for stability, resonance and figuring.

  • Yes! Every Grosh pickup is handcrafted in our shop in Broomfield, CO, using nothing but the highest quality components.

  • The only difference between the 60s Vintage and 60s Fat is that the 60s Fat has about 5% more winds … so a little hotter, more push in the mids and a slightly bigger low end. With fewer winds, the 60s Vintage is a little more open and airy sounding, with more sparkle on the top, but still plenty of low end. They both deliver incredible strat tone but 60s Fat is just a bit “fatter” than the 60s Vintage.

  • The Small Block 302 is our take on a vintage PAF-style humbucker. It covers all the “classic” humbucker tones with much better clarity and definition … very fat, organic and open sounding … and very versatile. The 302 is our most popular neck humbucker – the uncovered version uses an Alnico IV magnet and the covered version uses Alnico V. The Small Block 327 is basically a slightly overwound version of the 302. It has all the characteristics of the 302 but with a little “more” of everything … more punch without any loss of clarity or top end. The 327 is our most popular bridge humbucker, and it uses an Alnico V magnet. The Blown 59 is perhaps best described as an “80s rock” style pickup … higher output than the 327 and a bit darker sounding – a result of the Alnico II magnet. It’s an incredible all around rock pickup and captures the EVH vibe with great definition and clarity.

  • Our humbuckers are “Gibson spaced” and measure 50mm from the center of the two outside pole pieces. We don’t offer a “Fender spaced” version of our humbuckers. Why? Well, first of all, Gibson spaced humbuckers are the industry standard (with a few exceptions, most manufacturers only make Gibson spaced humbuckers). Also, keep in mind that the spacing difference is VERY slight – Fender spaced humbuckers are only 2-3mm wider than Gibson spaced humbuckers, which means only a fraction of a millimeter difference with each pole piece. The magnetic field of each pole piece is larger than the pole piece itself, so it more than adequately compensates for any slight difference in spacing. Also, the bridges that we use on our guitars are actually slightly narrower than traditional Fender bridges, so the Gibson spacing works just fine.

    Also keep in mind that it’s rare that each string will always line up exactly over each pole piece (this is normal) – string spacing over the bridge pickup is slightly wider than string spacing over the neck pickup, and even as you play and bend strings, there are slight variations in string alignment over the pole pieces yet the pickup still picks up the string vibrations. In short, our humbuckers work great on all of our models and will work great on any other brand of guitar.

  • No, we don’t believe it’s necessary. Accurate and musical tuning performance is crucial for any quality musical instrument. With fretted instruments like guitars and basses, this has to start with precision tolerances. The relationship between the nut, frets, bridge, saddles and strings for any given scale length must be accurately calculated and executed in the build and setup of the instrument. These issues are addressed in each and every instrument Grosh Guitars produces. These relationships are correct and “Right” in our instruments. This includes the relationship distance of the nut to the first fret.

    The Feiten system has two parts: 1) Compensation of the distance between the nut and the first fret; and 2) An “Offset” system for “Tempering” each string to sound more “Piano” like. These “Offsets” are set by moving the intonation points of the bridge saddle positions of the E, A, D, G, B strings with no offset to the high “E” string. A second set of tuning “Offsets” is done for the open string tuning of each of the lower 5 strings. Each of the 5 strings has a slightly different offset or temperament. We will explore this 2nd part of the system in more detail later.

    Grosh Guitars, like many other quality builders who do not offer Feiten, realized that distance compensation between the nut and the first fret was necessary for intonation performance to be correct at the first few frets. Many older instruments have intonation issues because they do not have this compensation of the nut to first fret relationship. This is not an exclusive to the Feiten System. That part we figured out before the Feiten System was on the market!

    It is in the offsets where we differ with the Feiten: A piano is tuned to a tempered tuning. This is to get the chords to sound more “consonant” across the entire range in all keys. A piano has one place and one place only to sound any given pitch. A piano has a tuning range of over 7 octaves. Feiten attempts to do this “Tempering” to the guitar. Here are the issues with that approach. A guitar can get the same pitch on more than one string (in some cases all six strings can sound the same pitch). Its overall range is roughly 4 octaves. What that means is this: Each string playing the same note will be slightly different in it’s tuning. It gets more out the further up the neck you go to get any given pitch. That is not how it works on the piano. The String Offsets shift the temperaments depending upon what string you are playing! That means that some chords may sound arguably more “In Tune”, but now single note are slightly out of tune all over the place. This can cause issues when doubling lines with other instruments. Other keyboard instruments like Organs, Synths, and Clavinets etc are not tempered like a piano is. That means both chords and single notes will be different with them in Feiten. The system does not play well with altered open tunings either, because the offsets are based upon standard tuning. Working with Feiten also requires a tuner that is capable of doing the offsets. Our guitars can be tuned with any quality tuner or tuned easily by ear. The chordal performance of our instruments is very musical and sweet. That is because of the accuracy of our build and fret work. This performance is achieved with standard intonation procedures!

    There are many quality builders who have chosen to offer Feiten and there are many who have chosen not to. Grosh Guitars has chosen not to. We continually receive positive response to the tuning accuracy and musicality our instruments offer. A Grosh Guitar can be easily adjusted with the Feiten offsets by the end user, if they wish to, with a tuner that offers the offsets. However, we do not feel it offers any upgrade to the tuning performance of our instruments and have chosen to not license the system because of it.

  • On our volume control, we use a “treble bleed” circuit, which helps retain the treble frequencies when rolling back the volume. For the treble bleed circuit, we use a 160k resistor and 680uf capacitor wired in parallel.