On Opening (and Re-Opening) Up

[Mandobart]

The subject of whether and how guitars open up is one of the single most discussed topics here. I don't seek to debate this again in this post. My question is for those that experience their guitars opening up and subsequently "closing down" if not played for some period of time. How do you prepare a "closed" guitar for a gig? How much play time and how soon before the gig do you set about opening it back up? Say you have 4 instruments you're bringing to a show. What do you do to ensure all 4 are fully opened up and ready to sound their best?

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

The subject of whether and how guitars open up is one of the single most discussed topics here. I don't seek to debate this again in this post. My question is for those that experience their guitars opening up and subsequently "closing down" if not played for some period of time. How do you prepare a "closed" guitar for a gig? How much play time and how soon before the gig do you set about opening it back up? Say you have 4 instruments you're bringing to a show. What do you do to ensure all 4 are fully opened up and ready to sound their best?

Tonerite for about 30 minutes (on previously Tonerited guitars) does the trick. I don't see them "closing up" in any short period of time, though I haven't tested it. I only take one guitar per gig.

[Silly Moustache]

I do believe in new or long unused guitars lacking a certain something.

I have not played my guitars much in the last year and so have experienced this on a number of times.

There is no magic formula .. the best one can do is to to play the things.

I very much doubt that anyone else would perceive the difference anyway.

[tomiv9]

Everytime I pick up one of my guitars thats been unplayed for a several days I feel like it takes a good 10 minutes of playing for the guitar to get warmed up and really start sounding good. Of course I'm also warming up too, so that's prob a big part of it.