The Artwood Vintage series now showcases another vintage element by applying an "aging" process to the tonewood : "Thermo Aged" tone wood, made by a special drying process at a high temperature which is commonly known as "baking" or "torrefaction." Thermo Aged Solid™ top w/Thermo Aged Spruce X bracing delivers ample volume and an enormous frequency range. Thermo Aged solid Mahogany back and Thermo Aged Spruce back bracing offers a wide open resonant sound with vivid tone projection. A bone nut and saddle provide optimal transference of the natural string vibration. Grover open gear tuners w/butterbean knobs(18:1 gear ratio) ensure accurate, stable tuning and help reduce the headstock weight, while contributing to the vintage look. Ibanez's original Mother of Pearl fretboard inlay adds to the timeless look Artwood Vintage guitars. D'Addario Nickel Bronze strings emphasize the natural voice of Thermo Aged wood with incredible clarity, resonance and projection. These pins really are an advantage over old-fashioned pins. Advantage pins are easier to take out and easier to put in than standard pins. A special bulb-shaped end makes the pin easy to grip and also prevents the pin from being pushed in too far. Best of all, with Advantage, the pin and string stay put. The Thermo Aged process makes the sound louder across the entire frequency range, especially the bass and treble areas. (The base line in the graph represents the sound character of Non-Thermo Aged guitar). Having a Thermo Aged solid back brings further enhancement to the sound along with the Thermo Aged solid top; even more bass, even more treble, and plenty of punch.