Rodger is correct: those of us who’ve been fortunate enough to be there when brand new guitars are strung up for the first time can attest that their sound can and usually does change dramatically within the first few hours they’ve had strings on them.
After that, in my experience, it takes about six to eight months of regular heavy playing for the top to start breaking in. Typically what you’ll hear is a deepening of the bass response and a more nuanced and detailed midrange response. After a year of regular use you should have the sound that the guitar is going to give you; any changes after that will be subtle, though they do occur. It’ll be the back and sides breaking in, and the top continues to evolve, as well.
But the majority of the most noticeable changes will occur in the first year or two.
If the guitar has a hardwood top, like an all-mahogany or all-koa instrument, then audible changes to the tone take three to four times as long as when there’s a softwood top like spruce or cedar. Plus, some guitars are more heavily braced than others, and that can really slow down the process, as well.
Wade Hampton Miller
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