Guitar cutter: Sourcing, Using, Maintaining

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

1 hour ago, pastrygirl said:

Are you in Canada?  Design & Realisation has it.  If you're cutting normal reasonably soft ganache, the thinner gauge should be fine.

 

https://dr.ca/products/replacement-wire-for-guitar-cutters?variant=32517446172743

 

I am 2 hrs north of Vancouver - my plan is to use it for ganache and now that I have it I am going to try marshmallows and some layered ganaches.  I like my silicone molds for caramel as the rounded shape is a perfect mouth feel and I boil to 265F so you cant feall chew them they are more of a suckable piece.  I have posted in chocolate groups on FB and I think it is a Maratello - an older version but it is solid!  It is on top of my table saw and takes up a lot of space - I don't think I will be making slabs that big but you never know. 

 

I am going to try making my own frame rails with wood, which I have plenty of.  I am getting into making chopping boards and I finish them with a 2:1 blend of mineral oil and bees wax - I get the wax and honey from a neighbour and trade caramels for it.  its food safe and if I put a couple of coats on it water beads off so I think it will work  Thx for the help.  And I watched your videos on changing the wires - mine is going to be a bit more challenging especially with no manual - I can screw anything up so I got this! lol

[Kerry Beal]

I think it's a Martellato. That's a good price with 4 frames. 

 

I got wire from Brafasco for a good price. Looks like TCF has from 0.5 to 0.8 - I can't find the listing on Brafasco right now - I think I might have wandered in to the store. 

 

If you are cutting caramel - get a nice heavy gauge piano/fishing wire I'd say. 

[Kerry Beal]

Amazon.ca 20 gauge 

 

 

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

8 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I think it's a Martellato. That's a good price with 4 frames. 

 

I got wire from Brafasco for a good price. Looks like TCF has from 0.5 to 0.8 - I can't find the listing on Brafasco right now - I think I might have wandered in to the store. 

 

If you are cutting caramel - get a nice heavy gauge piano/fishing wire I'd say. 

HI Kerry - I am probably not going to use it to cut caramel with as I am quite happy with my silicone molds - 15 of them now. 

[Jim D.]

My principal difficulty with using a guitar is the "when"--knowing when to cut the slab.  I find it very difficult to select that brief period of time when the slab is not too squishy that it will be mashed rather than cut cleanly and when it is so firm that it will break a wire.  I have broken only one, and that was with a gianduja that I allowed to sit for just a bit too long (the gianduja is paired with a coffee layer, which never gets really firm).  I use a tiny knife and stick it into the item in various places.  My wire replacement experience has led me to cut too early, as the evidence on the wires shows, but by then it's too late.  Of course larger slabs are more prone to breaking wires, and sometimes I cut those in half before using the guitar.  I have also learned that refrigerating the slab takes very careful monitoring as it is so easy to overdo the chilling.

 

Any hints on how to judge the right moment?

[Chocoguyin Pemby]

11 hours ago, Jim D. said:

My principal difficulty with using a guitar is the "when"--knowing when to cut the slab.  I find it very difficult to select that brief period of time when the slab is not too squishy that it will be mashed rather than cut cleanly and when it is so firm that it will break a wire.  I have broken only one, and that was with a gianduja that I allowed to sit for just a bit too long (the gianduja is paired with a coffee layer, which never gets really firm).  I use a tiny knife and stick it into the item in various places.  My wire replacement experience has led me to cut too early, as the evidence on the wires shows, but by then it's too late.  Of course larger slabs are more prone to breaking wires, and sometimes I cut those in half before using the guitar.  I have also learned that refrigerating the slab takes very careful monitoring as it is so easy to overdo the chilling.

 

Any hints on how to judge the right moment?

Hi Jim - I only just got the guitar and I have never used one before - ever - so I am no help sorry.   Your experience and comments are actually helping me.  I don't even have a recipe I want to try yet but i am thinking of doing something layered from my Fine Chocolate Gold book.  I just watched a video by Callebaut that mentions a few things and tips about preparing the slab for cutting - My garage is my fridge which I keep at 15C from now till about May. I also have a wine fridge and full size fridge in there as well - plenty of storage and I am on the lookout for a rolling rack to store more sheet pans. 

 

I don't even have a pick up sheet or frame rails yet either.  My plan is to get a baking sheet from the thrift store and Mcgyver it into a pickup sheet. Cost $2-5 max.I I have all the tools to do this.   For frame rails i am going to use some scrap maple wood I have and finish is with my board butter which I make with mineral oil and beeswax.  I use this to finish the chopping boards I make and it is a food safe finish - cost $0 as I already have everything to make them.   I will post some pics of them when i have made them.  I would do it tomorrow but my town is going back to the stone age - BC Hydro is doing a major upgrade and the power to the whole town is being shut off from 9am to 5 pm.  Every single business in town is closing for the day - no tv, internet, etc. 

[GRiker]

I’ve been considering getting a guitar cutter for ganaches.  I found this one on Etsy from someone in Ukraine selling confectionery tools.  It’s a good price when compared to the Dedy and customers seem happy even though ship time is long.  For those of you who have a guitar cutter, how does this seem to compare to what you have? 
 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/IMOSUA?ref=related&from_page=listing&listing_id=1173031323#items

[Kerry Beal]

Which one are you considering?

[GRiker]

I'm considering the 30cm base, 7.5mm spacing with frames for 15mm, 22.5mm and 30mm.  I'm interesting in uniformly cutting meltaways.  I've also been wanting to try a double layers ganache squares for hand dipping.  I'm interested in his confectionery frames that are also 1/3 to 1/4 what I'm seeing at TCF Sales. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by GRiker (log)

[Kerry Beal]

So these are interestingly sized guitars - certainly not a standard size either for a regular guitar or for a mini guitar (kind of half way between) - about 12 inches square base vs the 8 inches for the Dedy mini and 14 inches for the standard size. 

 

I wish you could get a clear idea from the pictures about how the frame sits on the base and how it clears the end. 

 

Someone on eG made their own guitar a bunch of years back and as I recall the clearance was an issue when the frame came down. These ones appear to be OK - but you can't truly see it. 

 

Price is right though - and I would agree with your choice of frame sizes. Are they selling the ganache frames of the equivalent size to go with it so you don't have to have them custom made?

 

 

[GRiker]

I did read through this thread and saw where someone had made their own guitar.  I do have handy engineers in my house, but don't really want to consider that route!

 

For clearance there is a video on this item webpage that shows a video of at least part of how it works.  More helpful might be the customer images that have been uploaded with the reviews. 

 

 

Yes, he sells all the individual frames as well.

 

Took me a bit to decipher all of what he has: Bases sized 24cm, 30cm and 38cm with base spacing intervals at 7.5mm or 10mm and frames of 7.5mm, 15, 22.5, 30, 37.5+ and 10mm, 20, 30, 40+ (plus similar bases in inches, 9" and 12" with frame sizes in 1/2" increments)

 

Each frame set includes:

-Pick up Tray: 30x30cm
-Spatula: 3x25cm
-Spare Parts Kit: tension screw+Nut+wire(3pcs.), extra wire(7pcs)

 

I'm inclined to give it a try.  Not sure I'd ever buy a Dedy guitar at retail and used ones are few and far between.  For now it's a serious hobby - starting the Ecole Chocolat Professional Chocolatier course in a couple weeks to explore a bit more. 

[pastrygirl]

@GRiker that video looks like the wires don't pass all the way through the base.  Either they have it set up wrong or the frame needs to be an inch or two longer.  Edited to add I think they have it set up wrong, other pics look like it clears.  It doesn't look as deep/tall as the dedy, not sure if that makes a difference

 

I saw a used guitar on facebook recently here (you might have to join the group, it was $800, in Maine)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/737168320528310/permalink/1402338137344655/?sale_post_id=1402338137344655&mibextid=W9rl1R

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[GRiker]

@pastrygirlThanks for the tip on a used one.  I requested to join the group.  Looks like there are two, one in Maine and one in Las Vegas. Not sure the frame sizes work so I’d have to buy more frames…
 

I also sent a message to the seller on Etsy. Agreed that in the video the frame doesn’t seem to clear but the customer images suggest that it does clear.  I’ll ask more when he responds. 
 

I noticed that the Etsy unit isn’t as deep as the Dedy either.  One reason deeper might be better is that the less parallel the wire is to the base because of a deeper axis  the less ganache is getting cut at the same time providing an easier cut.  Not sure how much difference it would make though. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by GRiker
Added more info (log)

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, GRiker said:

@pastrygirlThanks for the tip on a used one.  I requested to join the group.  Looks like there are two, one in Maine and one in Las Vegas. Not sure the frame sizes work so I’d have to buy more frames…
 

I also sent a message to the seller on Etsy. Agreed that in the video the frame doesn’t seem to clear but the customer images suggest that it does clear.  I’ll ask more when he responds. 
 

I noticed that the Etsy unit isn’t as deep as the Dedy either.  One reason deeper might be better is that the less parallel the wire is to the base because of a deeper axis  the less ganache is getting cut at the same time providing an easier cut.  Not sure how much difference it would make though. 

That makes sense - and I’m guessing there is a reason they have evolved that way. The very first vintage Dedy I bought and gave to my very first student was cast iron, weighed about a thousand pounds and wasn’t nearly as deep. I’ve forgotten how well it cut - it was enough of a struggle to get it up on the table.

[GRiker]

3 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

The very first vintage Dedy I bought and gave to my very first student was cast iron, weighed about a thousand pounds and wasn’t nearly as deep. I’ve forgotten how well it cut - it was enough of a struggle to get it up on the table.

This helps explain the stand alone tables they can be sold with. Current versions don’t look very heavy (if inconvenient) to move around.  

[pastrygirl]

Yes, the closer to horizontal the wires are, the harder it is to cut. The Dedy wires end up at least 2” below the base at hinge side, 1” at handle side. 
 

I got a piece of plexiglass cut to fit the bottom of the cart so I can store the base there and it all fits under a work table. Frames double as a mold-drying rack. 

 

 

Mine is circa 2009, base weighs 5 kg, a frame is 3.6 kg 

 

that concludes my enabling for the moment  

[GRiker]

@pastrygirl@Kerry Beal  Thanks for your input and pics.  I appreciate the food for thought. 

 

I communicated with the Etsy seller.  He cautioned me that his is not a professional grade tool. He has plans to develop one in the future but hasn't yet.  Being patient to find a used professional grade guitar sounds like a better plan than buying a new piece of equipment that will likely limit what I can do with it.

 

I did join the FB group for equipment.  The guitar in Las Vegas is sold.  The one in Maine looks like it's in good condition.  It's a brand I hadn't heard of before, but upon researching, it looks like a reputable brand.  It's biggest issue is the frame sizes - 30, 45, 82.5 - most bigger than what I would choose.  The 30 is good, but I'd be interested in 22.5 and 15.  Have any of you reworked a frame adding holes, bolts and wires?  Seems that buying new frames if the used one doesn't have the ones you need defeats the purpose of saving money buying used. 

 

[Kerry Beal]

4 hours ago, GRiker said:

@pastrygirl@Kerry Beal  Thanks for your input and pics.  I appreciate the food for thought. 

 

I communicated with the Etsy seller.  He cautioned me that his is not a professional grade tool. He has plans to develop one in the future but hasn't yet.  Being patient to find a used professional grade guitar sounds like a better plan than buying a new piece of equipment that will likely limit what I can do with it.

 

I did join the FB group for equipment.  The guitar in Las Vegas is sold.  The one in Maine looks like it's in good condition.  It's a brand I hadn't heard of before, but upon researching, it looks like a reputable brand.  It's biggest issue is the frame sizes - 30, 45, 82.5 - most bigger than what I would choose.  The 30 is good, but I'd be interested in 22.5 and 15.  Have any of you reworked a frame adding holes, bolts and wires?  Seems that buying new frames if the used one doesn't have the ones you need defeats the purpose of saving money buying used. 

 

I have not reworked a frame before - but when I got a 30 frame it was just a 15 wired every other hole. 

 

A 22.5 is a nice one to have.

 

What's the brand in Maine?

 

 

[GRiker]

2 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

What's the brand in Maine?

Savy Goiseau, It's a Savy Goiseau AS Pro

 

The 45 mm frame is threaded every other nut.  So I think it's actually configured to cut 90.  Just asked. 

[pastrygirl]

6 hours ago, GRiker said:

It's biggest issue is the frame sizes - 30, 45, 82.5 - most bigger than what I would choose.  The 30 is good, but I'd be interested in 22.5 and 15.  Have any of you reworked a frame adding holes, bolts and wires?  Seems that buying new frames if the used one doesn't have the ones you need defeats the purpose of saving money buying used. 

 

It would be easier and probably not much less accurate to make 2 cuts.  Cut 45 mm strips then slide them over & cut again to make 22.5 mm strips

[GRiker]

4 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

 

It would be easier and probably not much less accurate to make 2 cuts.  Cut 45 mm strips then slide them over & cut again to make 22.5 mm strips

Hadn't even thought of that!  Thanks for mentioning it. 

[Kerry Beal]

11 minutes ago, GRiker said:

Savy Goiseau, It's a Savy Goiseau AS Pro

 

The 45 mm frame is threaded every other nut.  So I think it's actually configured to cut 90.  Just asked. 

Savy Goiseau makes excellent equipment - they must have been using it to cut bars given the size. Maybe you could get them to send you pictures of the frames - perhaps you'll find that they have more holes. 

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

7 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

 

It would be easier and probably not much less accurate to make 2 cuts.  Cut 45 mm strips then slide them over & cut again to make 22.5 mm strips

That's what I do with the 15's. 

[Kerry Beal]

Couple of guitars I found in my travels last night that someone might be interested in 

 

 

This one is located in San Diego 

Dedy guitar cutter base with 4 frames $2,000

• 15mm, 22.5mm, 30mm, 37.5mm

 

 

There is a mini available in Vancouver British Columbia 

 

 

I have a lightly-used Martellato Double Mini Guitar Cutter for sale. It has a plastic base, two stainless steel cutting arms (22mm spacing), and comes with the stainless steel lifting sheet, long plastic scraper/"doctor blade", and extra replacement wire and tools. Cutting area is about 23 x 23 cm. I found it most efficient to get inexpensive custom frames made by asking a local business to cut stainless steel bar or plastic to a size that fits the base. You can read more about it on the Martellato website.

I bought it from Chocolat-Chocolat in 2017. It has been used about twice a year each year since then. It has two broken wires that are missing and I have not prioritized the effort of replacing since I have a new one to use.  The plastic has discoloration on the top of the base, but is in otherwise excellent shape. 

I am local to Vancouver, BC, Canada. I am asking $850 CAD. Local pick-up preferred, but I am willing to investigate shipping costs if the buyer is willing to pay them. It is quite heavy.

 

 

 

 

I'm not comfortable posting contact info here - so if you are interested send me a PM and I can hook you up with the owner.

[Elle Bee]

I've been thinking for a couple of years already that I should share a review of my guitar in case it's helpful to anyone else here. One of my New Year's resolutions is to be better at giving back to a couple of wonderful communities (like this one) where I have gained invaluable information by lurking without getting around to posting much myself. So here goes:
 

I'm a hobbyist confectioner who makes 15-20 pounds of pâtes de fruits, several kinds of meltaways, hundreds of truffles, a thousand or so caramels, and at least one giant sheet of nougat... during an annual month-long frenzy every holiday season. And pretty much not at all during the rest of the year. The first year I made pâtes de fruits, I made 11 flavors in 12x12 inch frames, and cut all of them into 22mm squares by hand. After which I said I would never make pâtes de fruits again unless my fairy godmother somehow magically provided me with a guitar because I would never be able to afford to buy one. That was maybe 12 years ago.

 

Two moves, a few major life changes, and one excellent relationship later... I was sharing photos of my massive one-time pâtes de fruits extravaganza with my best beloved in advance of our first Christmas together, when he said (being at the time a complete innocent with respect to all confectionery-related complexities), "You should do that for the holidays this year—the grandkids would love it!" Whereupon I explained the cutting problem, and how real confectioners have these amazing tools called "guitars," at which point I did a google search to show him a picture of what I was talking about... and discovered to my surprise that Martellato had developed a mini one.

 

Two weeks later, this was delivered as my early Christmas present that year:

 

It's this one:  https://www.martellato.com/product/mini-22mm-easy-system-guitar.html I've had it for about 6 years now and I love it. Sometimes I think it might be nice to have the double one instead, but that's usually only on the occasions when I get distracted and forget to raise the frame until after I've already turned the slab. Which happens maybe once a year on average. And since I like to cut everything in squares, and all the squares are the same size, the single frame is really ideal for me.

 

While my confectionery activities are seasonal, the quantity of products that I churn out during that limited time is significant and I pretty much do all of it by myself. This guitar has been an enormous time saver for me. When I cut all those pâtes de fruits by hand that first year, it took me three days to get it done. This year I timed myself cutting them on the guitar—I had seven flavors in 12x12 slabs and it took me less than an hour to do all of it. And that includes the sugaring.

 

One thing I would recommend to anyone who may be interested in a smaller size guitar like this one is to give some consideration to the size of the platform vs. the size of the slabs you will be cutting. That seems really obvious on the surface, and yet I ended up being surprised by how much trial and error it took for me to figure out the most efficient slab dimensions for using the guitar without wasting more product than necessary. That being said, I've just recently started the process of converting all my piped/rolled truffle recipes to slabbed ones so it's possible I'm more obsessed with this issue at the moment than I really need to be... or will ever be again. 😂

 

Oh and a related thing worth mentioning is that, while it can cut a 9x9 inch slab of pâte de fruit (which covers the entire platform), it has a substantially easier time cutting a 9x6 inch slab. I'm risk averse about things like breaking the wires, so I choose to be cautious. What I do with my 12x12 inch slabs of pâtes de fruits is simply cut them in half and then cut 3" off the end—this gives me two 6x9 inch slabs, and two 6x3 inch slabs. I cut the 6x9 ones, and then I put the two smaller ones side by side on the guitar arranged so that a wire will go between them.

 

As for maintenance... I haven't had to do any. It does come with extra wires, and various tools for replacing and tightening them, but so far I haven't had any need to learn how to do any of that.
 

Cleaning this guitar isn't difficult, but I don't think it's like cleaning most other guitars. The frame can go in the dishwasher, but the platform can't. To clean the platform thoroughly, you unscrew the acorn nuts (there are two on each side) and pull out the threaded rods. This releases the platform... which (very surprisingly unless you're prepared for it, which I was not) turns out to be about 3 dozen separate, indentical flat pieces. Mine is currently all apart, drying next to the sink in my candy kitchen, and I can go take a picture of it if anyone wants to see what the deconstructed guitar looks like. It was a little unnerving the first time I disassembled it, but now I'm used to it. It's actually very simple to clean, and a piece of cake to reassemble in just a couple of minutes.

Bottom line:  For a confectioner like me, who just has one massive push to get a lot done in a short time once a year, this thing is a godsend. It would also be ideal for someone who does smaller amounts of confectionery on a regular basis. For a professional confectioner with a busy retail operation, on the other hand, I think it would likely be frustratingly inefficient.

 

it's perfect for me, though. And just one of many reasons why my best beloved deserves to have all the candy he could possible wish for. What an amazing gift! ❤️

 

 

Edited January 5 by Elle Bee (log)