Tonerite- Experience and perceived results?

[Pura Vida]

I picked one up used via eBay last month. It definitely helped with responsiveness and sustain (and volume, somewhat). But I think people have unrealistic expectations about it affecting tone, which in my experience, it had little effect.

For my new-ish, Adi top guitar, if anything, the tone became a little harsh because the volume and sustain increased, but it still has a cold tone until it ages a little more.

[Wrighty]

Originally Posted by InTune

I'm glad to hear this! The one guitar that I didn't notice a difference on was an Alvarez MG75sce, all solid grand auditorium Cedar/Rosewood. I kept it on for about a week! I wondered if it had less effect on cedar.. I'm glad yours had a good improvement

I certainly expected less of an impact on the cedar top, but the changes were fairly substantial. Playing some DADGAD stuff on it was a really different experience that pre treatment, with much more resonance and ringing tone.

Of note, the spruce is certainly appearing to vibrate a little more than the cedar did.

[Goodallboy]

Joe Glaser says that "vibration" used on a guitar, "doesn't make it sound better, it changes the sound of the guitar. You might like it better, but you can't make a blanket statement."

I'll guess he knows.

[Wrighty]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Joe Glaser says that "vibration" used on a guitar, "doesn't make it sound better, it changes the sound of the guitar. You might like it better, but you can't make a blanket statement."



I'll guess he knows.

“Better” is a perception of the change by the owner - it’s very likely that any change that is noticeable will be perceived as making the guitar sound better or worse, and at the end of the day this is what matters I think.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by InTune

That's awesome! No-one believes me when I tell them that it turned my Yamaha LL16r into a Martin D45!! And My FG180 50th into a Martin HD-18!! okay maybe not that drastic but it made a HUGE difference on these two Yamahas. These are known to be good guitars but don't have the "boominess" of a Martin.. They definitely have more and louder bass than your usual Yamaha now

I don't think my LL16 needs more bass!

[varmonter]

I have read this thread as well as others.
I have never used a tonrite.
I believe that guitars do open up.
My thoughts and experiences on this phenomenon
lead me to believe that a new guitar will open
up from playing it . The time it takes for this
to happen each time i play it (session)decreases over
the life of the guitar. So i can ascertain from
this that a tonerite may be more effective on
a new guitar than on an older one. This is just
my hypothesis but if you put a tonrite on a new
guitar and take it off after 30 min , play it immediately,
the guitar may sound better. Put the guitar back in the case.
take it out the next day and i would think you will be back
to square one again. Please correct me if i am wrong as i don't own
one. But i think ageing of the guitar over time would have more to do with
this improvement in tone than the tonrite. And it ( the TR)is only replacing
the playing time taken to open up the guitar for each session.
Only age ( curing over time) will decrease the time taken to open
up the guitar for each session.
My thoughts would be that a tonerite would be
completely ineffective on a Rainsong or less effective
on a full laminate guitar.
here is a thread where an agf member did
some experimenting
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=163754
I guess if i had to take sides i would be in the "oil of snake" school of thought.
But since i've concluded this in my own mind, i will never buy one to find out.
Nor will i buy a left handed smoke shifter.

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by Frozen Rat

I've read the Tonerite threads in the past and a few people have not liked the sound of their guitars after using it. Most do, others notice no difference. I refuse to use it myself, preferring to enjoy the guitar au natural. In each case I spent weeks or months picking it out for the sound so I already like the guitar and find no point in messing with how it sounds. My best advice is that if you like how the 814 sounds, don't fool with it.

^^^This!^^^

If you think a Tonerite is going to give an 814 Taylor the mid/low tonal growl of a Martin dreadnought, or effect the tonal qualities that Taylor engineered into the instrument by artificially manipulating the top, you’re probably throwing money away.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by davistld01

^^^This!^^^

If you think a Tonerite is going to give an 814 Taylor the mid/low tonal growl of a Martin dreadnought, or effect the tonal qualities that Taylor engineered into the instrument by artificially manipulating the top, you’re probably throwing money away.

I'd be willing to bet every dollar I have that no one thinks that.

Anyway, I have used it on a couple of guitars–there was a time back in the day when someone would buy one, and for $10 you could get on the mailing list and use it for a few weeks, then send it to the next person. Interesting.

I had a Martin HD-28V with a Red Spruce top, and I tone-rited it for a week. I thought it made a marked difference in the sustain and some difference in the response and volume. The strings were deadened in a metal fatigue way described earlier in the thread, that I can confirm as well. I would use only well used strings before I start the process. I think it's fair to say that my sonic memory over a week is suspect, but I did know the guitar pretty well. I genuinely was surprised at the change if I recall correctly.

Later I bought a used one and treated my Collings SJ Mahogany with it. After a week that guitar was changed...significantly for the worse. Sounded very tight and restricted. Maybe it recovered over time as I continued to play it, but hard to say as that was a few months and any changes were gradual. Honestly, it made me sell the guitar and the Tonerite. Having bought both used I didn't lose any money, and the guy who bought the SJ raved about it on the forums afterwards, so that was good to see.

Scared me off using them in the future. What I'm pretty convinced of is that they do have an effect. Most people seem happy with the effect, but I'm happy with my guitars and don't feel the need anymore.

I counsel patience. Not with your guitar opening up, but in buying guitars. Don't buy specs, just find guitars locally or when you travel. Or put that $150 into a plane ticket and go somewhere that they have a bazillion guitars to play in person. Much more rewarding and ultimately much more successful IMO.

It's a fun experiment though, and I don't begrudge anyone who wants to find out for themselves!

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

I'd be willing to bet every dollar I have that no one thinks that.

Anyway, I have used it on a couple of guitars–there was a time back in the day when someone would buy one, and for $10 you could get on the mailing list and use it for a few weeks, then send it to the next person. Interesting.

I had a Martin HD-28V with a Red Spruce top, and I tone-rited it for a week. I thought it made a marked difference in the sustain and some difference in the response and volume. The strings were deadened in a metal fatigue way described earlier in the thread, that I can confirm as well. I would use only well used strings before I start the process. I think it's fair to say that my sonic memory over a week is suspect, but I did know the guitar pretty well. I genuinely was surprised at the change if I recall correctly.

Later I bought a used one and treated my Collings SJ Mahogany with it. After a week that guitar was changed...significantly for the worse. Sounded very tight and restricted. Maybe it recovered over time as I continued to play it, but hard to say as that was a few months and any changes were gradual. Honestly, it made me sell the guitar and the Tonerite. Having bought both used I didn't lose any money, and the guy who bought the SJ raved about it on the forums afterwards, so that was good to see.

Scared me off using them in the future. What I'm pretty convinced of is that they do have an effect. Most people seem happy with the effect, but I'm happy with my guitars and don't feel the need anymore.

I counsel patience. Not with your guitar opening up, but in buying guitars. Don't buy specs, just find guitars locally or when you travel. Or put that $150 into a plane ticket and go somewhere that they have a bazillion guitars to play in person. Much more rewarding and ultimately much more successful IMO.

It's a fun experiment though, and I don't begrudge anyone who wants to find out for themselves!

I agree with everything you’ve written, except the first sentence, so I’m sure I don’t quite understand what you meant.

The Tone-Rite isn’t going to turn the Taylor into a Bluegrass cannon. I think that’s what the fella meant and if you think it will, I’ll continue to disagree with that claim.

Otherwise, the rest of your post should be closely followed for those wishing to secure a great guitar.

[Social Exodus]

I borrowed one and I didn't notice a thing different.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

I agree with everything you’ve written, except the first sentence, so I’m sure I don’t quite understand what you meant.

The Tone-Rite isn’t going to turn the Taylor into a Bluegrass cannon. I think that’s what the fella meant and if you think it will, I’ll continue to disagree with that claim.

Otherwise, the rest of your post should be closely followed for those wishing to secure a great guitar.

Thanks! Nice of you to say. What I meant in the first sentence is that I think this:

If you think a Tonerite is going to give an 814 Taylor the mid/low tonal growl of a Martin dreadnought, or effect the tonal qualities that Taylor engineered into the instrument by artificially manipulating the top, you’re probably throwing money away.

Is a strawman. I don't think anyone thinks that a Tonerite is going to turn a Taylor into a Martin or anything close. I think people have a pretty good understanding of what to expect.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Thanks for your replies guys.

I know this thread sounds kind of stupid, but (forgive me if I'm repeating myself) but I had a trumpet some years ago and cryogenics were the big new thing back then. It was supposed to "open up" the horn by "relaxing the molecules". I'm sure the cryogenics did something. It played easier for sure. But this trumpet had a little bit of a strident personality and the cryo treatment brought out the natural stridency in the instrument and it became a bit snarly sounding. Metaphorically, imagine a Taylor going through a process and then becoming much brighter yet. Same idea. That's my concern and the reason why I posted this thread in the first place.

After reading the reviews and replies I don't think anything so drastic will happen to my guitar. Hopefully it will help make the sound a bit more transparent because it does sound a bit "tight".

BTW... I can borrow an actual tonerite, but that aquarium water pump sounds like a great idea.... $150 for the Tonerite???? Seriously? I had not idea. I was thinking $30-40.

And Wade.... Thanks for the heads up about deadening strings. I'll make sure I don't change em up until after the process. I appreciate that.

The device deadening strings sends all kinds of warnings to me. If it fatigues the elasticity of spring steel then I'm not going to subject the glue joints of a guitar to it. Furthermore, the chances of the differences in sound before versus after with new strings fitted pretty much precludes any credible claim that it was a change attributable to the device and not the strings.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by Pitar

...the chances of the differences in sound before versus after with new strings fitted pretty much precludes any credible claim that it was a change attributable to the device and not the strings.

Unless you put a fresh set of EJ17s on before the treatment and after. Which I did, both times. I question my memory more than the particulars of the setup. Actually I don't question the setup at all, it was the same and I was very familiar with both guitars.