Tonerite: The rest of the story...

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Montesdad

My tonerite sits in its box, in a drawer of a dresser in a room that I seldom go in.

I'm OK with that - - -

But that drawer has turned into a tone monster! Easily more resonant than the other drawers.

[Pura Vida]

Part of the Tonerite “controversy” is in having the appropriate expectations. It did wonders for a particularly tight sounding Adi/Rosewood guitar, helping its top to become more responsive and to sound/feel less tight overall. But it didn’t magically make my new guitar sound like a vintage instrument, nor was that the expected result.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Aaron Smith

Bought one. Used it on three different guitars. Noticed no difference. Sold it for the same price I bought it for.

How many hours did you use it on the guitars? See more comments below pertaining to that. Which guitars?

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

dneals’s comment is spot on. There’s no indication that a Tonerite will allow it to sound “10 or 20% better right away”, nor is there such a claim. The only consensus, if that, is that it will make the guitar sound different. That could be better and that could be worse.

Way too many people buy acoustic guitars unplayed and then reach for every trick in the book to make them sound like the audio clip they listened to that convinced them to pull the trigger. A lot more due diligence on the front end would alleviate a lot of mistakes.

I disagree. The proof is in how many people buy guitars and sell them because somehow they ceased to be satisfied. Why did they buy them in the first place? Have you ever purchased a guitar that you didn't think sounded good when you bought it? There are many circumstances involved. Have you noticed that when you go into a store like Guitar Center, their premium guitars are in a cedar paneled room? Just last week was testing a guitar in the room and had a question. I brought it into the main showroom and it just didn't sound the same. So it's not so cut and dried.

As far as the "opening up" effect that a Tonerite can create, it can vary widly. Wood species all are affected differently by the vibrations. Case in point, my month-after-manufacture 814ceDLX did not open up all that much, but enough to notice a difference. However, my 614ce which was already 6 years old was transformed! But it may be important to note that the 614 underwent 200 hours of the Tonerite before I noticed a huge change. At 72 hours it was just starting to open. At 144 hours it was getting there. At 200 hours it had done what it was going to do. I'm told that maple takes a long time to open up. Perhaps that's why so many people turn their noses up at maple, yet some maple guitars are seriously incredible.

I wish I hadn't used the Tonerite. Before I used it I was dead set on selling the 614. I bought my 814ceDLX thinking I would sell the 614. I would have happily done so and even worked out a trade deal with a local shop. I was just waiting for the extra cash to roll in as I had gas for a 818 or SJ-200. In the meantime the Tonerite rolled on... and made it much harder to part with this 614. I still have it and know the moment I sell it I will regret it. I think I would be far less traumatized if I sold my 814. I posted some sound clips the other day. Some of you know what I'm talking about.

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

Part of the Tonerite “controversy” is in having the appropriate expectations. It did wonders for a particularly tight sounding Adi/Rosewood guitar, helping its top to become more responsive and to sound/feel less tight overall. But it didn’t magically make my new guitar sound like a vintage instrument, nor was that the expected result.

I think this is true with any guitar gizmo.
Someone said in another post . If the tonerite
truly delivered we would all own one.
Like an electronic tuner. When they first came out.
I said i'd never own one. Well..... just about
everyone i know has several guitar tuners. including me.
i know of no one (present company excluded) that has a tone rite..
For as long as theY have been around there has been
Controversy as to their functionality. That fact alone steers
me clear of them. Leaving an aquarium pump running on
my expensive guitar top 24/7 for 200 hrs just seems counterintuitive
to me.. But for those it has worked for .. Great!!

[alnico5]

I have been playing my guitar for 22 years. That should do it.

[jdto]

[alnico5]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

I recently read a thread elsewhere, where someone had played a guitar for nine years, and he/she had all but given up hope on it, when it decided to (rather suddenly) blossom and open up. It's stories like that and your Bourgeois that keep my optimistic on one of mine (mentioned earlier in this thread), which is just beginning to open up at 1yo. It's been a good test in patience, and with its slow-but-steady improvements, I'm curious to hear it in another year or two.

Bob Taylor commented his experience is an opening up occurs at 1 hour, 1 year, and 12-15 years. I mention this just as an FYI.

[dneal]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

I disagree. The proof is in how many people buy guitars and sell them because somehow they ceased to be satisfied.

That’s conjecture, not proof.

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Why did they buy them in the first place?

Kind of my point...

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Have you ever purchased a guitar that you didn't think sounded good when you bought it?

Why in the world would you buy a guitar you didn’t like the sound of?

[Edgar Poe]

That Yairi Factory in Japan, Plays a selection of different genres of music loudly in the building that houses their tonewoods. They rotate between Classical, Rock, Jazz etc. Until the wood is used in production. If Yairi did that, there must be something to it.

Ed

[CycleBob]

Originally Posted by Basalt Beach

Here is research paper on vibrational devices titled:

Effect of Vibration Treatment on Guitar Tone:
A Comparative Study

https://www.savartjournal.org/index....iewFile/22/pdf

My own experience parallels that of Wade's, it worked well on some guitars, not so well on others. I considered it a worthwhile investment for the return.

Thanks for the link to the paper! Seems like a reasonable study and the results are pretty definitive...

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by dneal

That’s conjecture, not proof.



Kind of my point...



Why in the world would you buy a guitar you didn’t like the sound of?

I don't think I was clear with my point. I'm not aware of anyone that didn't like the sound of the guitar when they bought it. I just worded it confusingly. And yes, to some extent what I'm saying is conjecture. And yes, there are some guitar that simply will not respond to the Tonerite... But yes, there are other guitars where it makes a world of difference. Of my two Taylors, one responded very little while the other was transformed.

Again, I think the wood species has a lot to do with the success one has (or perceives). In my case I borrowed one at first and was so pleased with the success that I bought my own and had further improvement. But that was on a maple 614.

[Basalt Beach]

Originally Posted by dneal

In all seriousness, if people just buy a guitar they like the sound of, they wouldn’t need a tonerite.

Perhaps they did like it at the time they acquired the guitar.

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

A lot more due diligence on the front end would alleviate a lot of mistakes.

I am quite happy some folks change their mind, for whatever reason, including how it sounds, and list their guitar for resale. I have acquired several keepers due the changing listening tastes of the seller.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by varmonter

I think this is true with any guitar gizmo.
Someone said in another post . If the tonerite
truly delivered we would all own one.
Like an electronic tuner. When they first came out.
I said i'd never own one. Well..... just about
everyone i know has several guitar tuners. including me.
i know of no one (present company excluded) that has a tone rite..
For as long as theY have been around there has been
Controversy as to their functionality. That fact alone steers
me clear of them. Leaving an aquarium pump running on
my expensive guitar top 24/7 for 200 hrs just seems counterintuitive
to me.. But for those it has worked for .. Great!!

Cost is probably a factor for some people. At $149, it’s a bigger investment than a $12 Snark tuner (although I bought mine used). I’ve used it on several guitars with varying results, which supports some of the other comments about how it may vary based on the guitar, bracing, etc.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by alnico5

Bob Taylor commented his experience is an opening up occurs at 1 hour, 1 year, and 12-15 years. I mention this just as an FYI.

Appreciate it, and I’ve read that quote elsewhere. I think there are too many variables to support this as a hard and fast rule. I’ve owned guitars that seem to be maturing on a faster timetable, and others that are working at a much slower pace. Likewise, I’ve had instruments that seem to leap into their next stage, sonically, while others are much more gradual and subtle. Earlier this year, I read a post on the UMGF about a guitar (also Adi top) that was closed up and tight for nine years (!!!) before it suddenly blossomed. I enjoy the variety and how each guitar can be different.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

How many hours did you use it on the guitars? See more comments below pertaining to that. Which guitars?



I disagree. The proof is in how many people buy guitars and sell them because somehow they ceased to be satisfied. Why did they buy them in the first place? Have you ever purchased a guitar that you didn't think sounded good when you bought it? There are many circumstances involved. Have you noticed that when you go into a store like Guitar Center, their premium guitars are in a cedar paneled room? Just last week was testing a guitar in the room and had a question. I brought it into the main showroom and it just didn't sound the same. So it's not so cut and dried.

As far as the "opening up" effect that a Tonerite can create, it can vary widly. Wood species all are affected differently by the vibrations. Case in point, my month-after-manufacture 814ceDLX did not open up all that much, but enough to notice a difference. However, my 614ce which was already 6 years old was transformed! But it may be important to note that the 614 underwent 200 hours of the Tonerite before I noticed a huge change. At 72 hours it was just starting to open. At 144 hours it was getting there. At 200 hours it had done what it was going to do. I'm told that maple takes a long time to open up. Perhaps that's why so many people turn their noses up at maple, yet some maple guitars are seriously incredible.

I wish I hadn't used the Tonerite. Before I used it I was dead set on selling the 614. I bought my 814ceDLX thinking I would sell the 614. I would have happily done so and even worked out a trade deal with a local shop. I was just waiting for the extra cash to roll in as I had gas for a 818 or SJ-200. In the meantime the Tonerite rolled on... and made it much harder to part with this 614. I still have it and know the moment I sell it I will regret it. I think I would be far less traumatized if I sold my 814. I posted some sound clips the other day. Some of you know what I'm talking about.

Not sure what you're "disagreeing" with. I maintained in my post many are bought unplayed. Then you question how many people are buying guitars they didn't like. Back to my point, the answer is, many of those who bought them unplayed. So I'm not sure what you disagree with, since we're talking about two different buyers. Sure there are more factors involved as you say, but that doesn't negate my assertion about long-distance acoustic guitar buying.