The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 03-08-2018, 11:19 AM
mtdmind mtdmind is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 928
Default characteristics of a broken-in guitar

What have you noticed from guitars that you have owned and played for a while? I notice on mine a warmer more bassier tone and also a little more volume. Just curious what your experiences are. Thanks.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-08-2018, 11:27 AM
muscmp muscmp is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: socal
Posts: 8,123
Default

hard to tell, actually. i just play them. some days it may be humid and they sound muddy;other days it is dry and they all sound great. daily and yearly changes in us will affect that also. it is all very subjective.

play music!
__________________

2014 Martin 00015M
2009 Martin 0015M
2008 Martin HD28
2007 Martin 000-18GE
2006 Taylor 712
2006 Fender Parlor GDP100
1978 Fender F65
1968 Gibson B25-12N
Various Electrics
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-08-2018, 11:39 AM
imwjl imwjl is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: My mom's basement.
Posts: 8,710
Default

That depends on the guitar. I never found it to be the major difference some claim.

A new Larrivee and new Martin sure showed differences I'd describe as feeling and sounding happy and sounding better even with dull strings. No explosion.

My HD-20 was years old when I got it, well used, and I kept it up for 5 more years. No new HD-28 ever seemed like that guitar.

My Santa Cruz is a 2009 and it never seemed to change as much as other guitars I've had. It was always turbocharged by comparison. When it was new Richard Hoover said while not exotic woods it was made from a stash of old wood. I never know how much is marketing hype but it's always been a super guitar.

This is for sure. My beloved keepers are overall pristine but now I do see swirl mark micro scratches, a tiny ding and scratch on one and some fret wear. I'll call those for sure characteristics of a broken in guitar.
__________________
ƃuoɹʍ llɐ ʇno əɯɐɔ ʇɐɥʇ
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-08-2018, 11:41 AM
Jukie Jukie is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 764
Default

I've noticed my all solid Chinese Bedel has gotten much louder and the Sitka top is turning a very pretty golden hue. I've had it about four years.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-08-2018, 11:51 AM
numb fingertips numb fingertips is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North burbs of Chicago
Posts: 929
Default

Not trying to start an argument but how do you tell? My ears just might not be good enough but I would think that the change in sound would be gradual. Seems it would be akin to watching kids grow. Hard to tell from a day to day basis. Do you guys record it when it is new and record it again at a later time to compare?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-08-2018, 02:46 PM
OKCtodd71 OKCtodd71 is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 449
Default

Not to open a can of worms but you can never discount the facts that as you age, your hearing changes, also the temp & humidity in any given room changes (any acoustic instrument sounds "better" in a colder room IMHO), different strings, even a different pick can make a guitar sound completely unlike what you've heard out of it before.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-08-2018, 04:07 PM
shadow714 shadow714 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 308
Default

Cannot be totally objective, maybe...maybe not? On thing I am sure of in my case is this, MORE TIME=MORE DINGS!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-08-2018, 06:11 PM
Oldguy64 Oldguy64 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kansas City metro
Posts: 4,670
Default

Some guitars need a few minutes of “rough” treatment to open them up to being played. I had an Alvarez that sounded better the more it got played.
But straight out of the case, wasn’t inspiring.
__________________
A bunch of guitars I really enjoy. A head full of lyrics,
A house full of people that “get” me.

Alvarez 5013
Alvarez MD70CE
Alvarez PD85S
Alvarez AJ60SC
Alvarez ABT610e
Alvarez-Yairi GY1
Takamine P3DC
Takamine GJ72CE-12-NAT
Godin Multiac Steel.
Journey Instruments OF660
Gibson G45
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-08-2018, 07:09 PM
joshua89 joshua89 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Singapore
Posts: 28
Default

My personal experience is that generally I notice a wee bit more bass volume and resonance after some months of daily playing, and what was more noticeable was that the initial 'tightness' in the sound slowly shifts to something more relaxed and open when strummed. Also, what I heard as a slight edginess to the treble when fingerpicking becomes a little rounder. Just my two cents. I've owned a Bourgeois Vintage OM for about 10 years, which I've sold, and currently using a beautiful Goodall TROM, both in Adi/EIR and generally speaking these are the small but noticeable changes I've observed
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion






All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=