The controversial "Acoustic Breakthrough" Revealed

[mmasters]

Just for fun and a contribution to the luthier community I thought I would post my acoustic breakthrough secret recipe for opening up guitars. I went into business doing this but have decided to no longer and would like to share my secret and observation publicly.

Luthiers and non luthiers can try this, there is a faster method but it's more complex.

It has to do with colors. When a guitar vibrates at certain frequencies I proposed that energy is produced which on a very small level produces colors which over time alter the wood. I am not exactly sure what is being altered by the colors but putting the guitar in various colors works. The method I used for doing this was to visualize colors encompassing the guitars. To make it more sustaining I used light blue to make it brighter and more energy transferrent I used light red.

I first started using light blue which had interesting enough results that I decided to go into business.

After that I realized it wasn't the holy breakthrough I thought it was, at least not for all guitars, it sounded great for some.

After that I started putting the tops in light red and the necks in light red. That made the guitars sound particularly good but I wasn't getting much business at that point to really prove it.

So anyways I gave up on the business altogether. After spending a year or two on this later I've realized that there's many different colors that are produced within the guitar's frequency bands which alter the wood.

Some observations:
The guitar must be held in the color for up to 2-3 weeks. You'll have to visualize or refresh the color once an hour or so as it wears off.
Putting the guitar in red will make it sound brash.
Putting it in pale yellow will make it sound dead.
Putting it in purple will make it sound deeper.
Putting it in pale red will make it bright and transfer energy better, works great for koa guitars and necks.
Putting it in pale blue will make it sustain more and sound more touch sensitive.
This works on speakers as well, put the tweeter in pale red, the mid-range speaker in pale blue and the woofer in purple.

So the idea is to use light colors, light red and light blue work particularly well. Red for the top and blue for the back and sides.

This works on electric guitars too. Put the neck in pale red. Place the top portion of the body in pale red.

I realize some will accept this as real (likely more spiritual types) and others BS I'm fine with that. I figure if luthiers have to spend a lot of time around guitars they can play with visualizing colors. Maybe you can find something more to further this.

In time I'll reveal more of what I've found but this is a good starting place and how I propose guitars "open up." It's all in the multitude of colors that are produced in the vibrating wood and that can be artificially manipulated via visualization of colors.

[DaveKell]

So you only visualize the colors, not actually bathe the guitar in colored light? If you really can hear it working, I'd LIKE some of what you're taking! (this is a joke - no offense meant)

[robj144]

I have no idea how this is supposed to work. The frequency of visible light is in the THz (as in a thousand billion hertz) range, while the resonant frequencies and audible of the guitar frequencies are between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Unless you're exciting the 100th harmonics, this should not work from a physics perspective. It's like using a magnifying lens to burn and kill an elephant instead of an ant.

[architype]

Whoooa, Dude! Don't take the brown acid...it will totally harsh your tone.

[mmasters]

Originally Posted by robj144

Unless you're exciting the 100th harmonics, this should not work from a physics perspective. It's like using a magnifying lens to burn and kill an elephant instead of an ant.

I haven't spontaneously combused any guitars yet lol

[mmasters]

Originally Posted by DaveKell

So you only visualize the colors, not actually bathe the guitar in colored light? If you really can hear it working, I'd LIKE some of what you're taking! (this is a joke - no offense meant)

Yes, you have to bath the guitar in a color for an extended period of time.

Some extra thoughts:
UV light has been shown to alter the sound of a guitar (or violin I don't remember which).
Baking tops alters their tone, this may or may not produce a color in the tops.

[BarryR]

OOPS..Wrong Thread.....Sorry!!!

[robj144]

Originally Posted by BarryR

I have a Gibson full fledged Hummingbird en-route that's not yet in my Signature !!!

I think you, by accident, posted this in the wrong thread.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by mmasters

Yes, you have to bath the guitar in a color for an extended period of time.

Some extra thoughts:
UV light has been shown to alter the sound of a guitar (or violin I don't remember which).
Baking tops alters their tone, this may or may not produce a color in the tops.

Do you have a link to a published paper which discusses how UV alters the sound of a guitar or violin?

[DamianL]

Really...

I think there are times when we should just leave folk alone...

If someone isn't well, it not very nice to 'take the piss' out of them...as we say over here.


Damian

[mmasters]

Originally Posted by robj144

Do you have a link to a published paper which discusses how UV alters the sound of a guitar or violin?

http://www.dalemfg.com/acousticaladjustment_017.htm

[robj144]

Originally Posted by mmasters

http://www.dalemfg.com/acousticaladjustment_017.htm

As far as I can tell that work is not published. The science looks suspect in that link too. Do you have any link to a published, peer reviewed, article?

[mmasters]

Originally Posted by robj144

As far as I can tell that work is not published. The science looks suspect in that link too. Do you have any link to a published, peer reviewed, article?

Nope science hasn't gone that far yet. Perhaps revealing my secret will inspire some people to become more open-minded and take it further.

[Larry Pattis]

Originally Posted by mmasters

<<snip>>

I am not exactly sure what is being altered by the colors but putting the guitar in various colors works. The method I used for doing this was to visualize colors encompassing the guitars.
<<snip>>

Some observations:
The guitar must be held in the color for up to 2-3 weeks. You'll have to visualize or refresh the color once an hour or so as it wears off.

<<snip>>

"putting the guitar in various colors"

"visualize or refresh the color once an hour or so as it wears off"?

Sigh...

[Egnurlaup]

...I never know when you guys are serious or not...

That being said, I read the UV article, soooooo I guess all this is quite possible. Point is, I would never own a red guitar so that tone style will be lost to me.