Torrefaction is simply another word for transformation. OK, it’s not really that simple, and, granted, that’s not necessarily true, but it might as well be.
Torrefaction, you see, takes a guitar to another level, building in decades of hard-won vintage sound in a matter of hours.
As a guitar is “played in” over many years, the wood it is made from, particularly the instrument’s top, goes through some remarkable changes. As time goes on, moisture content in the soundboard is reduced and sap within it hardens. This results in a piece of tonewood that is lighter, stiffer and even stronger than before. Spruce is the most common and most popular choice for guitars because it exhibits these key qualities to begin with and only improves with each passing day.
Due to these changes, guitars are also less likely to be easily affected by seasonal fluctuations in humidity. On the Atlantic Coast of the United States, for example, summers are hot and humid and winters are cold and dry. In the warm months, guitars often sound a bit dull and lifeless as they swell with the added water in the air. They sing in the cold months but can be prone to cracking from the dry conditions.
Older guitars fight the weather with a little more wisdom and experience.
Torrefaction, the thermal process used for the European spruce tops on many Breedlove Organic Collection models, involves heating the wood, essentially roasting it, elegantly, in a carefully controlled, tightly monitored, oxygen free environment, which both mimics and accelerates the aging process.
As a result, your Breedlove Signature, Performer and Artista editions sound amazing and stay in tune, whatever the weather.
This article is from Breedlove’s Fall Magazine. View your free digital copy here.
