Sanden True Temperament Guitars Written by Marc Noel-Johnson on February 10, 2010
The Sanden SRB TT True Temperament acoustic guitar was heavily featured back in November when Michael Sanden himself and his demonstrator, Homesick Mac, paid DV247 a visit to show off his own inhouse models built with the True Temperament fretting system. Just to recap, The TT fretting system is a patented invention which Sanden uses on his guitars under licence. The frets are shaped to ensure true intonation all over the fingerboard, no matter how tricky the chord. The design works by reducing the intermodulation between the fretted notes which has the effect of making every chord ring true. It is universally accepted that the normal method of fretting a stringed instrument is at best a compromise and that our ears have to recalibrate sounds to make them musical and pleasing. The True Temperament system solves this problem The frets on the Sanden TT models are of a highly polished brass/alloy composition and quite unlike their nickel counterparts. There is a zero fret and a non-angled bridge saddle, the intonation is all done on the fingerboard. The SRB TT is the smallest guitar in a range of three hand-built models – the width at the lower bout is just under 15″ – and has a Sitka Spruce top, East-Indian Rosewood back and sides, Mahogany neck and Ebony fingerboard. The soundhole rosette features layers of herringbone and abalone and all Sanden models have the B-band pickup system installed which has a long-life power supply, basically a wall-wart that plugs into the jack socket and charges the preamp battery. This is supplied with the guitar. To add strength to the headstock and to improve tonality, a laminate is added to the rear, which also provides extra stability to the Schaller machine heads. The bridge is also another Sanden innovation – a teardrop shape that adds extra bass response. The Sanden VRB TT has the same appontments as the SRB but has a lower bout of just under 16″ and an upper body bout of just over 11″, and is in effect an ‘Auditorium’ size guitar. Sanden cite the VRB as their most popular model. All guitars are available with or without the True Temperament fretting system, the inclusion of which adds about £500 to the price. There
is a cutaway version of the VRB, called the VRB-C TT. It features all the same appointments but has a ‘Vintage Round Bell’ cutaway for easy access to the upper frets. This picture shows the remaining two guitars of the order of three being made for DV at Michael Sanden’s workshop in Sweden. He started them in December after returning from his brief visit to the UK. Lead time on his hand-made instruments is usually a couple months, so he’s well on schedule and we should be receiving the instruments within the next two weeks, ready for full reviews. Playing a Michael Sanden model with the True Temperament fretting is a pretty special experience. The frets don’t actually feel any different under the fingers but everything just rings sweeter. At last, a guitar that’s really in tune with itself.
About Marc Noel-Johnson Marc Noel-Johnson has written 463 articles on this blog. DOB: 1954. Occupation: Musician, Songwriter, Reviewer. DAW: ProTools 8/iMac. Guitar Rig: Les Paul/Dr Z Maz 38, Strat/Matchless DC30. Guitarist: Billy Gibbons. Songwriter: Brian Wilson. Album: Joni Mitchell, Hejira. Fear: Hearing loss. Where it all began: Chuck Berry, The Beatles.