Home made FishRite..we will see..

[Pura Vida]

I didn't try an aquarium pump, but I was curious about the Tonerite, so about 4-5 years ago, I bought a used one for $50-60 (no need to pay full price), figuring I could sell it for what I paid for it. I've used it on 20+ guitars with varying degrees of success. Most had some moderate improvement, a few less/marginal improvement, and a couple realized tremendous improvement.

But people need to have realistic expectations. It's not going to change the tone of a guitar, so a lousy guitar will still be lousy. Instead, it helps vibrate the top, body, and bracing to help some guitars become more responsive. In one case, it took a tight, dark, brooding guitar and (after several sessions) helped open it up suddenly and quite dramatically.

I wouldn't expect this to be effective on older guitars, which have already opened up, and some builders seem to have less impact. I've read that people had little success with Larrivee, possibly b/c of the bracing.

Finally, one thing the TR has going for it is a dial to change the intensity of the vibration. When I place a guitar on for a session, I leave it on for at least a week straight, but will change the intensity every couple of days. They are string killers, so I usually start a session on a guitar that's due for a string change and will change them after the session completes.

[Scuzzo]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

I didn't try an aquarium pump, but I was curious about the Tonerite, so about 4-5 years ago, I bought a used one for $50-60 (no need to pay full price), figuring I could sell it for what I paid for it. I've used it on 20+ guitars with varying degrees of success. Most had some moderate improvement, a few less/marginal improvement, and a couple realized tremendous improvement.

But people need to have realistic expectations. It's not going to change the tone of a guitar, so a lousy guitar will still be lousy. Instead, it helps vibrate the top, body, and bracing to help some guitars become more responsive. In one case, it took a tight, dark, brooding guitar and (after several sessions) helped open it up suddenly and quite dramatically.

I wouldn't expect this to be effective on older guitars, which have already opened up, and some builders seem to have less impact. I've read that people had little success with Larrivee, possibly b/c of the bracing.

Finally, one thing the TR has going for it is a dial to change the intensity of the vibration. When I place a guitar on for a session, I leave it on for at least a week straight, but will change the intensity every couple of days. They are string killers, so I usually start a session on a guitar that's due for a string change and will change them after the session completes.

yes, i tend to agree.. a guitar needs good bones to be a candidate for the fish pump time machine... but those little Yamahas seem to really work well for the treatment.. i have an old garrison that im going to fish pump.. its about 25 years old but it looks like it was never played... so its asleep.. i also have a couple of other yamahas that are going on the pump.. eh.. its just some goofy fun... who dont like goofy fun? lol

[Scuzzo]

Day7. i did a simple decibel test with phone app. my Garrision cedar top G20e vs my Yamaha FG730.. the garrison avg around 63 with simple bunch of open chords.. and some melodic stuff.. and the Yamaha avg was around 70 same distance from phone.. same stride with the thumb on the strings.. the interesting thing was that the trail of the chord was longer.. and fade over a longer distance.. it may be working... its a goofy test,, granted.. lol but there is more sonic information from the strings now.. all that entails ... mho

[RogerHaggstrom]

Thanks for doing the experiment and reporting about it "live". This thread may convince some naysayers to give it a try. What you do is what you get.

[Scuzzo]

Originally Posted by RogerHaggstrom

Thanks for doing the experiment and reporting about it "live". This thread may convince some naysayers to give it a try. What you do is what you get.

Well, I am indeed convinced that strapping a fish pump to your guitar with a bicycle tube ages the guitar and sweetens the tone in a number of ways.. my Garrison is 20 or 30 years old so it's not having as drastic affect.. but I have two more candidates for the musical time machine..an un played Yamaha FG800 and a unplayed FS800. Nay Sayers can nay all they wish.. I'm playing the guitars I know what my ears hear.. and I have played long enough to know what I know.. it sure helped my FG730 ripen..

[Pura Vida]

I don't think it "ages" the guitar, but it can help it open up through vibration. I say this as a TR advocate (see my earlier posts).