Whether it was in person, in the Ciari Gig Bag, or under an airline seat… by now you’ve likely seen the Ascender by Ciari Guitars folded in half and have a question or two about how our innovative folding system works.
Here are to-the-point answers to our top four questions:
How does the guitar actually fold?
Our patented folding system includes a concealed lever located in the lower perimeter, an actuator located in the back recess, and a 3-link hinge located at the 12th fret. The fingerboard includes shallow V-grooves adjacent to each hinge joint for each string. Rotating the lever causes the actuator to loosen the strings and unlocks the hinge. The strings gently follow the fold under light tension and remain safely in their individual V-grooves during transit. When ready to play again, simply unfold the guitar and rotate the lever to its concealed location to return the strings to the tensioned state. Top-off tune the strings, and you’re good to go!
Does folding the neck damage the strings?
No. When you release the concealed lever, the string tension drops from 118 lbs down to just 3 lbs, which we’ve exhaustively tested to be just enough to rest the strings within the V-grooves as the neck folds without damaging the strings. The result: elegant string management with kink-free string performance.
Isn’t there already a folding guitar out there?
Yes, but our Ascender is the first and only with mid-neck folding, which enables symmetrical folding for the smallest travel size market, along with Plek-perfect action and premium components for pro-play performance. Plus, our patented design boasts elegant string management that keeps the strings safely in their place throughout the journey and requires a mere top off tune after unfolding.
Do the fret grooves impact string action?
No. The strings ride the frets at all times. The V-grooves, which retain the strings gently during the folding and unfolding process, are shallow and well below the frets. Shred away!