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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
 Posted - 02/20/2010 : 9:17:00 PM
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I know guitars open up with time and use.
But... if a "collector" bought a nice guitar and stuck it in a case for 10 years and never ever played it... would you expect that it still has a lot of potential to open up if someone plays it regularly for the next couple years?
Any thoughts on opening up while just resting or after a long rest?
As far as I can determine, the guitar I just purchased has not been played at all since it was made 10 year ago. I'm very excited to think it might have additional potential to open up.. .wow, it is so nice already.
Dave
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Volcano
Akahai
USA
89 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 06:26:28 AM
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| Guitars definitely do "open up." This is not an old wive's tale or myth. University of Southern California has done a lot of research on the subject and actually offers a service where the client's guitar is shaken in the machine they use. It has something to do with the alignment of the spruce top at the molecular level due to vibration. When I used to sell guitars, I would sometimes get in a very expensive and supposedly great guitar the would sound awful. I would play open E chords with a heavy pick for a bout a half hour and in the morning would have a great instrument after all. Even a guitar which has "opened up" would be "resting" after ten years of not being played so in your case I would look forward to the guitar becoming even greater the more you play it. Enjoy! |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 07:14:44 AM
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Humans also open up and sound much better if they play more! ;)
-KB |
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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 10:57:32 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Konabob
Humans also open up and sound much better if they play more! ;)
-KB
I'm really looking forward to this happening too. I think it will be way slower than the guitar though.
Dave |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 11:46:40 AM
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So, what kind of a guitar is it?? How about some pictures.
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Dusty |
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JeffC
Lokahi
USA
189 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 12:41:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Konabob
Humans also open up and sound much better if they play more! ;)
-KB
And feel better too! |
Jeff
Making Trout Country safe for Slack Key! |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2010 : 3:56:12 PM
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| What Dusty said. I don't have enough reasons to feel sorry for myself. |
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salmonella
Lokahi
240 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2010 : 06:11:19 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wdf
So, what kind of a guitar is it?? How about some pictures.
It is an older Goodall. Grand Concert Cutaway, Koa and Engelmann Spruce.
I haven't put it down long enough to take pictures but here is a link to the description at the dealer where I bought it.
When it says.."like new", turns out they really meant it.
thanks for asking. My goal now is to make it sound half as good as it is capable of.
Dave
http://www.guitargal.com/cgi-bin/display.pl?db=db1&tp=tp2&show=465 |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2010 : 07:13:15 AM
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| Wow! I can now feel real miserable about my lot in life. |
Edited by - chunky monkey on 02/22/2010 07:15:14 AM |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2010 : 1:39:24 PM
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Spruce tends to mello as it ages. Cedar tops don't have as much of this tendency. I recall a study that was started where the guitars were subjected to radio music to see if the sound changed. I don't know if it has been completed or the results published. Actually, I'm not sure where I read of the study. Probably Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Anyone recall this study?
Unko Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2010 : 3:01:17 PM
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quote:
I recall a study that was started where the guitars were subjected to radio music to see if the sound changed.
Never seen any studies, but I've used the Bob Marley technique on quite a few instruments.
My big Nolte sounded gawdawful when it was brand new--not bad, just not, well, good.
So I left it on a stand and blasted reggae at it for about nine months. Why reggae? Aside from the fact that I like it, it has just about the widest and most consistent frequency spectrum of any music.
It really took forever, and I started to think I'd made a mistake. Then one day I picked it up and it was incredible.
"..... who feels it knows it..." |
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Allen M Cary
Lokahi
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2010 : 08:04:50 AM
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There is actually a device being marketed, unfortunately I can't remember the name, but advertised in Acoustic Guitar that is mounted to the strings over the sound hole and perportedly provides the proper vibrations to open up the new guitar. May not sound as good, but is probably easier to sleep through than blasting Bob or Ziggy at it for months.
Aloha
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Hookani
Lokahi
232 Posts |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
524 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2010 : 11:36:45 AM
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Guitars definitely open up with time -- either just age or with play, or both. A collector guitar that mostly sits unplayed will still change over time due to aging. An instrument that is thoroughly played also changes due to the vibration.
My theory: wood is a composite material, basically a natural version of fiberglass. There are fibers embedded in resin. The resin changes properties over the years, generally getting harder and more brittle. The wood fibers vibrate inside this matrix of resin, and break free from their attachments at certain points. Both the resin hardness and the fiber motion dtermine top flexibility, and therefore affect the tone. Braces also gain some new flexibility with motion. Bob Taylor discusses this phenomenon briefly in the latest Taylor house magazine, talking about some guitars he has set aside over the years.
A guitar that is older but mostly unplayed will still open up when it is finally played a lot, or vibrated artificially via Tonerite, loud speakers, mechanical shakers, or other means. Which is better? Hard to say. We can look at the sound spectra and detect some changes, but it is hard to quantify or define "good tone". Artifical aging will probably have the most effect on a newer guitar, and less noticeable effect on a broken-in instrument that is already much closer to its ultimate tone potential. Each piece of wood is individual. Several times I have played multiple examples of the same model, and often one has stood out compared to its identical twins. I own a couple of those guitars today.
Guitars usually gain bass response as they open up. A guitar should have its brightest / tightest tone when new and un-aged. As the wood gets more flexible, the amount of top motion increases, and the lows and mid-lows should become more prominent.
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2010 : 6:16:16 PM
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The most meaningful thing here is that they need to be played. They sit in their cases, pining for some gentle attention.I can understand that most people have time constraints, work, etc and this will cause problems. Just send those unplayed guitars to "Unko Paul's Home For Under Loved Guitars". I'll play them for you, and send them back fully aged. It's a sacrifice,but somebody's gotta do it.Glad to be of service, Y'all.
Unko Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 02/23/2010 6:19:00 PM |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2010 : 08:49:28 AM
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The most meaningful thing here is that they need to be played.
Amen to that, Brother Paul.
Didn't mean to imply I just left the Nolte unplayed for six months. Nope, the reggae was just to speed things up.
RE: Old Guitars aging naturally:
A bunch of years ago I got a call to check out a guitar some lady had just brought into the local music store to trade in. It was a late 20's Gibson L5--the queen of the archtops -- in brand spankin' new condition. As in-- never played. Not once; it had sat in its case under a bed it's entire life.
I have never seen a more beautiful guitar or any vintage archtop in such pristine condition and I could not wait to cradle it lovingly and strum a few chords. It sounded like, well, nuthin' special (yes, we changed the strings). My piece o' junk plywood L-48 totally smoked it for tone.
So, with all due respect to Earl (who knows whereof he speaks), age is good, but "played in" is better.
Feel it in the one drop....
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opening up
