| S-Tech production process diagram | 
|
S-Tech wood is a heat-treated wood product produced by Sendai Technologies in Japan. It is employed by Ibanez in the treatment of some guitar necks and fingerboards.
During the patented S-Tech process, wood is placed in a pressure-resistant container which is filled with nitrogen. The container is then heated to a temperature of 180–200°C (~350–400°F) for several hours under controlled pressure. Through this process the perishable hemicellulose in the wood is decomposed. The treatment greatly increases the insect and water resistance of the wood, decreases the density and improves the wood's dimensional stability. It also gives the wood a more uniformly dark appearance.
Ibanez began employing S-Tech roasted maple necks and fretboards in 2018 with the introduction of the AZ series. They are the first company to use the particular product in the manufacture or musical instruments. The chief advantage of using necks treated with the S-Tech process is increased dimensionally stability. Ibanez also claims that the process increases the durability and resonance of the treated product. The S-Tech wood also has lower moisture content making it less prone to seasonal changes caused by fluctuations of humidity and temperature.[1]
Sources[]
- About S-Tech wood, Tadashi Egama Co., Ltd., archived from the original January 2018
- S-Tech wood, Emachu Group, archived from the original January 2018
- ↑ AZ Prestige series, Ibanez USA (website), archived from the original October 2018