Ageing Wood......

5

54stratlover

New member
Just heard a trick, that sounds interesting. There is a lot of talk about "old" wood, and vintage guitars. I heard of this trick second hand from a guy at the gibson acoustic factory. I guess it applies in context to acoustics, but if it works, I don't see why it wouldn't work on an electric also. When you are not using you guitars put them on a stand in front of your speaker from your stereo. Like when you go to work and such. I don't know the specifics, (how loud, how long) but the vibrations from the music will resonate through the guitar, and have the same effect as playing them. Interesting, don't know if it is a legit tip or not. I suppose the vibrations should open up the wood grain over time.
 
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i suppose it might work. i, myself, wouldn't care enough to waste the energy. but most would. lol
 
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I've never heard about an electric really opening up like an acoustic but it would make an interesting experiment. The thing about an acoustic is that the wood vibrates to make the sound. With an electic you depend on the pickup to amplify the characteristics of the wood. I doubt aged wood on an electric would make anywhere near as much as a significance in the sound as an aged and played acoustic.
 
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Dru Edwards said:
I've never heard about an electric really opening up like an acoustic but it would make an interesting experiment. The thing about an acoustic is that the wood vibrates to make the sound. With an electic you depend on the pickup to amplify the characteristics of the wood. I doubt aged wood on an electric would make anywhere near as much as a significance in the sound as an aged and played acoustic.
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I've had the same Strat for 14 years, and it is definitely, definitely more resonant than it was when I got it new. It is much more subtle than with an acoustic, but it is noticeable.
 
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^^

Same with me and the Tele I've had for 14 years.

Love those early 90's MIM Fenders eh?


Edit (and off topic)...

Hey dashing... I just noticed, when did you get to be the same age as me?
 
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i heard about this years ago... just leaving a guitar on a stand the strings will ring out on their own with day to day noises... radio, tv noises are the most effective...
 
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Well, I didn't need to hear it from anybody to notice that strings do indeed ring out when the guitar is on a stand. And I do notice a substantial difference in my Strat's resonance than 7 years ago when I first bought it new...
 
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Dru Edwards said:
I've never heard about an electric really opening up like an acoustic but it would make an interesting experiment. The thing about an acoustic is that the wood vibrates to make the sound. With an electic you depend on the pickup to amplify the characteristics of the wood. I doubt aged wood on an electric would make anywhere near as much as a significance in the sound as an aged and played acoustic.
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+1 ...... Theoretically it must make a difference but not as much as to an acoustic, hollowbody and semi hollow body.
( Feed you axe on a diet of music ..........want your guitar to have a more Metallica sound, ? ...then you know what to do ! )
 
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thats interesting, i think i have the most resonate guitar ever, my 12 string 70's yamaha when i talk the strings vibrat loudly even if i am across the room
 
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I don't think anyone should ever waste so much energy to age a guitar. It's too expensive and it's a waste too...
 
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Be intresting to see if an focused attempt using high powered amplification and a tone generator to zero in on some specific resounant frequenices would pay off
 
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3nz said:
I don't think anyone should ever waste so much energy to age a guitar. It's too expensive and it's a waste too...
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it's a waste if you are running a radio or tv just to in theory age a guitar.... the article i read was about leaving a guitar on a stand the strings will ring out on their own because of various back ground sounds and vibrates in your Day To Day life... The article said that you may not see the strings moving but they are ringing when something triggers them...

the article said in Theory old vintage guitars and other string instruments are in part said to sound better over time because the years of playing and string vibrates have somehow changed the wood.... this is among many other reasons why an older axe sounds better i guess..

i'm sure the quality of the lumber in those days has a bigger impact but what the hell.... tighter closer grain woods from older growth forrests...
 
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Don't some of the big guitar companies have heaters that vibrate the wood as it dries. I heard something like that somewhere.

Luckily, my solution is to leave my guitars on stands while living in a dry hot climate, and then play them. The vibration of heavy handed strumming probably opens the woodgrain just fine.

I do notice that my best sounding guitars are either my most played ones, or the ones where the company used nice woods and put a very thin finish on them.
 
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Hmm... interesting. I've inadvertently been doing this for some time now. My acoustic stays in the living room with me, where my home theater is. My acoustic used to rest on a stand close to my subwoofer until I noticed that the sound from the subwoofer would resonate thru the acoustic. I moved the acoustic to a different location, but still near one of my rear surround speakers.

Hard to tell if the sound vibrations have really improved it tho. I've got nothing to compare it to, and its always sounded great. I guess it wouldn't hurt anything.
 
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I was told that once a wood is kiln dried, it basically does not ever"age" anymmore.Whether or not vibrations or something different changes the structure of the wood for the better I don't know. Something must though, cause in my opinion nothing sounds as good as a vintage guitar. You aint gonna make your 90's Strat sound like a 57 by leaving the stereo on though. One of the most important things for tone is thin skin Nitro paint as it lets the wood resonate so I am told.
 
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I have about 6 guitars all hanging on wall hangers in a room where I listen to music every day, some of these guitars I've had for 12 years, 10 years etcetera, and NONE of em are any more or less resonant than they day I brought em home!

BAH HUMBUG!
 
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I'm telling ya guys, if you want to hear a guitar that turns noticeably "sweeter" by five years of age.....

It will be an acoustic guitar.

It will have a solid (not plywood) top.

It will be made of spruce!
 
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My acoustic hangs next to my piano. After a few months of my sister practicing it sounded a little different.
 
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