Can Tonerite Harm a Guitar?

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

It seems like opinions vary widely. Wade professes to have uses it with success but does not overdo it. Bruce did not actually state that it damages a guitar. He stated it adversely affected the tone but event that was not permanent. I wouldn't call that damage.

Poor word choice. Harm would be better. Broader point still stands. It's not the be-all-end-all, but it seems worth paying attention to if it's been reported by a trustworthy luthier who paid attention. There's a chance it can adversely affect guitar tone. To some, that amounts to damage and should be considered when using the product.

I'm of the school that I should just play my guitar more and appreciate it's tonal development along the way, so the conclusions here really don't affect me. But it's an interesting observation. "To each, their own."

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

I'm of the school that I should just play my guitar more and appreciate it's tonal development along the way, so the conclusions here really don't affect me. But it's an interesting observation. "To each, their own."

That sums it up nicely for me as well. I enjoy the journey and I am not attracted to schemes like aging heat treatments or vibrating Tonerite gizmos hoping for something to happen. But I agree — Each to their own.

[PTL]

Thanks for all the comments. It's amazing how quickly the responses came in.

In response to Wade's comments - On a side Off Topic note (given that I started this thread), I wonder if it is better to build a guitar that may sound a bit stiff/dead when new so that when it breaks in beautifully to an 'optimum' tone, whatever that may be, than to built a guitar more lightly so that it sounds absolutely amazing right off the bat, and then perhaps break in to being a bit more tubby. But again, this is probably grist for a new thread though I would guess that there is likely already threads on this.

Thanks again all for your responses!

[vindibona1]

THERE IS one way a Tonerite can harm a guitar...
You must be careful not to let the power cord of the Tonerite touch the guitar's surface. The vibration of the cord will abrade whatever it touches if left there long enough. So just make sure the cord is pulled away from the guitar and it should be fine.

Please note that some guitars really respond significantly to the Tonerite- others not so much. But I'm a fan of the device in general and bought my own after borrowing one for a month.

[AcousticDreams]

I think anytime we hear a change...it can be labeled as good or bad. Where as in reality, it is just different.

I can understand if a luthier spends his life creating a certain sound, maybe Change is not something to be desired for himself?

Sometimes it takes time to adapt to the change of sound? Meaning...we have to play-pluck-strum slightly differently than before. Recently I had a new nut put on. The Change was very pleasant. Yet, I also had to learn to play a little bit less hard and smoother. Took some getting use to. But I knew it was a direction that was for the better. Just had to get use to that change.

Personally I have tone-righted Three Larrivee's. Two of which I heard a noticeable difference on for the better. One of which, not sure I heard much difference. Yet, it still took some time to get use to those differences.

The changes were positive. Yet, I am afraid to do it to one of my guitars, because I very much love the sound of it the way it is. So I have been putting off Toneriting it. Yet you know how Curiousity goes? Will probably have to do it at some point.

Ah.....you just can't win sometimes!

[Tico]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

THERE IS one way a Tonerite can harm a guitar...
You must be careful not to let the power cord of the Tonerite touch the guitar's surface. The vibration of the cord will abrade whatever it touches if left there long enough. So just make sure the cord is pulled away from the guitar and it should be fine. ...

FWIW, I do about how I do that, and then some.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=548698

I also hang guitar from a cable tie that touches only the metal tuning posts.
This way no body vibration could cause burnishing scars where the body touches a wall, stand.
Hanging the guitar freely also permits unrestricted and undamped vibration of the entire guitar.

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[Stevien]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

On what basis? Several luthiers swear by them including Tim Mcknight and Michael Lewis. This sounds like a statement made without any facts.

For the same reason you would hesitate to buy a guitar that had been exposed to excessive heat. It's probably ok, but braces may come loose a year down the road. Those glue joints are just not made for that. As Bruce S. said, some love them, some avoid them.I would rather break the guitar in the old fashioned way.
Steve

[Stevien]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Poor word choice. Harm would be better. Broader point still stands. It's not the be-all-end-all, but it seems worth paying attention to if it's been reported by a trustworthy luthier who paid attention. There's a chance it can adversely affect guitar tone. To some, that amounts to damage and should be considered when using the product.

I'm of the school that I should just play my guitar more and appreciate it's tonal development along the way, so the conclusions here really don't affect me. But it's an interesting observation. "To each, their own."

^that!^
Steve

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Stevien

For the same reason you would hesitate to buy a guitar that had been exposed to excessive heat.
Steve

Apples and Oranges. Seems odd that of all the people who have used tonerite that only one person says there could be harm (and not even permanent). wouldn't you think by now there would be dozens of people, if not more, who have ruined their guitars? Personally I think it either helps or does nothing.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Apples and Oranges. Seems odd that of all the people who have used tonerite that only one person says there could be harm (and not even permanent). wouldn't you think by now there would be dozens of people, if not more, who have ruined their guitars? Personally I think it either helps or does nothing.

I'm not suggesting Bruce is wrong.
He may be right.

But I will say that fear is the most powerful human emotion.
It's used by institutions, governments, and corporations (via advertising) to manipulate, control, and suck money out of us.

One post that generates fear can outrank a zillion that generate comfort.
Unfortunately, such is human frailty.

Our only defense is to wake up, rise above, remain skeptical, and think critically and rationally.

[Stevien]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Apples and Oranges. Seems odd that of all the people who have used tonerite that only one person says there could be harm (and not even permanent). wouldn't you think by now there would be dozens of people, if not more, who have ruined their guitars? Personally I think it either helps or does nothing.

I'm not condemning or promoting them. To each their own. All I said is I would hesitate to buy a guitar that had one used on it. My choice.
Steve

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Stevien

I'm not condemning or promoting them. To each their own. All I said is I would hesitate to buy a guitar that had one used on it. My choice.
Steve

Of course it is your choice. I was just trying to find out if your choice was based on facts or heresay. It appears it's the latter which, again, is your right.

[Stevien]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Of course it is your choice. I was just trying to find out if your choice was based on facts or heresay. It appears it's the latter which, again, is your right.

It doesn't have to be either one, fact or heresay. If someone tried to get you to buy a fluorescent yellow guitar that glowed in the dark, & you didn't buy it, is your decision based on fact or heresay? Probably neither. You just simply have no need for it. I have no need for a tonerite.
Steve

[Wade Hampton]

I missed this the first time I read your response, Paul. After I recommended using strings on the guitar that had already been played for awhile and were about ready to be replaced when putting a ToneRite on a guitar, Paul replied:

Originally Posted by paulzoom

I would think you would do the opposite. Of course it's going to sound better if you go from dead strings to new strings. I'm starting with brand new strings and will change them once I get to 144 hours of tonerite.

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning for doing that, Paul. The tonal quality of the strings when you start a ToneRite session is irrelevant when it comes to what a ToneRite does: the strings serve simply as a conduit to transfer the vibrational energy generated by the ToneRite through the bridge saddle to the top. In this application, they're not much more than a structural support, a way of suspending the ToneRite along a path to where its energy is directed most effectively.

Once you've completed a ToneRite session, the strings are going to sound dead, whether you started with fresh strings or those due to be replaced soon.

So I really don't see what point there is to using new strings for this. It's not as though new strings are going to make the ToneRite work more effectively.


Wade Hampton Miller

[AndrewG]

After reading Bruce's comments my reluctance to try the thing has now changed from 'maybe' to 'not in my lifetime!' The thought of my one and only good instrument being reduced to poor-sounding and 'floofy' is not encouraging, and I don't have the luxury of time to wait months for it to possibly 'recover', nor the £2300 to replace it should a Tonerite have a permanent detrimental effect. It sounds great as it is; if it never gets better than great I'll still be happy. If it does improve substantially I've saved myself both stress and the £200 or so cost of a Tonerite. Win-win.