It was 1971. I was in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in college, buying my first acoustic guitar from the legendary Herb David, the luthier who penciled, "Too Bad You're A Commie" inside Joan Baez' Martin when he repaired it in the early 60s. I suppose Herb had his views, but he was (and is) a decent guy, and nice to the semi-hippie students who came to his shop to sample his wares. I picked a nice Guild out. As Herb rung up the sale he said, "It sounds good now, but in a few months you will really notice it begin to open up. It's a good guitar!"
Although I was a mostly a keyboard player, I'd heard about the way guitars got better the more you played them from the guitar and bass players in my bands. It was a given; no one had to prove it, and no one thought about it. Nor did I. And as the guitar got played more, it did seem to me that it began to sound a little fuller and louder.
In fact, it seems to me that every acoustic guitar I've owned has reached a point where it's begun to sound better, more open, and more alive. Although in my experience, they do seem to plateau and the changes in tone come much more slowly after that point.
I've heard similar claims made for electric guitars, but I've never really noticed a point where they sound better or more open, like acoustic guitars do. Maybe they change over time, but it's a much slower process that is less noticeable -- if it happens at all.
I've got a 1965 Gibson SG Special that was my brother's from new until he gave it to me in 1967. It always sounded the same to me. That is, very good. It lives at his place once again, and every time I play it, I think it's that old, familiar sound. Neither better nor worse than the last time. Of course, the thing is turning 50 years old this year, so there's that. Maybe its change happened long ago.
Fast-forward to tonight. I was reading the Guitarist Vintage Issue from a couple of months back. And once again, I found myself reading the claim that guitars age better, and sound better, when they're played a lot. They quoted a builder, and they opined on how it happens.
Now, I don't have any vintage electric guitars on hand in my own studio lately. I've played only PRSes in recent years, and I play them daily, though not for long periods of time. I play them while I practice, maybe a half an hour to an hour. I play them when I record. That can vary in terms of time. And I've been through a number of guitars over the past couple of decades, but I seem to change out too often to learn much about how they age.
But in any case, if someone were to ask me, "Do electric guitars' sounds change if you play them a lot compared to new ones?" I'd have to say, "I have no idea. I haven't kept one for more than a few years, and I'm not sure that's long enough to know! If that old SG changed tonally, I was too dumb/young/inexperienced to realize it."
We've all read the theories - the glue loosens (gee I hope the neck doesn't fall off!), the paint gets more porous, the wood vibrates, etc., etc,. etc. But there doesn't really seem to be anything more than anecdotal evidence for the whole ball of wax. Now, I'm not going to discount anecdotal evidence; it's been passed down from generation to generation, and there is probably a grain of truth to it. But no one really knows why.
Today there are gizmos that will vibrate your guitar while it sits in your closet - well, to me this isn't going to be the same as playing, unless it changes the notes that vibrate, but again, what do I know?
I have friends who collect old and valuable instruments, and I do play them when I visit. And...well...some of the acoustics do seem very mellow and open, though some age badly and I wonder what my friend who paid new-car money was thinking when he bought them, but that's another matter.
I have more trouble with the old solid body instruments. I think some are special. But maybe they were special when new. I think some are dogs. I'm not sure there's an "aged" solid body sound the way there is with an old acoustic.
For the most part, I hate the smell of old 30s-50s guitar cases anyway. Musty.
Edit - I'll add another thing I've thought about - museums that have historical instruments on hand have the most valuable, playable ones periodically played by professionals. Whether this is because they have some evidence that playing them keeps them sounding good, or they do it because they're afraid not to, is a good question!
Another question - collectors often put instruments away as investments and don't play them. Do they wind up aging as well, or worse because they aren't played?
At my age, the question about electric guitars may be academic - I'll likely be dead before a current electric guitar I own becomes old enough to sound different (if that ever happens). I do think it happens with my acoustics, in fact my 2013 Tonare Grand hit that point this spring. It just sounded phenomenally better to me.
Finally, James Taylor once did a video interview at his guitar storeroom, and talked about his old guitars. He claims that after a while of being played a lot, a guitar reaches a point where it doesn't sound as good any more. At least to him. And he will replace it. He's the only person I've heard say that. He's a great player. So does he just get bored with them, or does he have better hearing than the rest of us?
Forgive my random thoughts. I'm not trying to make a point, just have an interesting discussion.
Although I was a mostly a keyboard player, I'd heard about the way guitars got better the more you played them from the guitar and bass players in my bands. It was a given; no one had to prove it, and no one thought about it. Nor did I. And as the guitar got played more, it did seem to me that it began to sound a little fuller and louder.
In fact, it seems to me that every acoustic guitar I've owned has reached a point where it's begun to sound better, more open, and more alive. Although in my experience, they do seem to plateau and the changes in tone come much more slowly after that point.
I've heard similar claims made for electric guitars, but I've never really noticed a point where they sound better or more open, like acoustic guitars do. Maybe they change over time, but it's a much slower process that is less noticeable -- if it happens at all.
I've got a 1965 Gibson SG Special that was my brother's from new until he gave it to me in 1967. It always sounded the same to me. That is, very good. It lives at his place once again, and every time I play it, I think it's that old, familiar sound. Neither better nor worse than the last time. Of course, the thing is turning 50 years old this year, so there's that. Maybe its change happened long ago.
Fast-forward to tonight. I was reading the Guitarist Vintage Issue from a couple of months back. And once again, I found myself reading the claim that guitars age better, and sound better, when they're played a lot. They quoted a builder, and they opined on how it happens.
Now, I don't have any vintage electric guitars on hand in my own studio lately. I've played only PRSes in recent years, and I play them daily, though not for long periods of time. I play them while I practice, maybe a half an hour to an hour. I play them when I record. That can vary in terms of time. And I've been through a number of guitars over the past couple of decades, but I seem to change out too often to learn much about how they age.
But in any case, if someone were to ask me, "Do electric guitars' sounds change if you play them a lot compared to new ones?" I'd have to say, "I have no idea. I haven't kept one for more than a few years, and I'm not sure that's long enough to know! If that old SG changed tonally, I was too dumb/young/inexperienced to realize it."
We've all read the theories - the glue loosens (gee I hope the neck doesn't fall off!), the paint gets more porous, the wood vibrates, etc., etc,. etc. But there doesn't really seem to be anything more than anecdotal evidence for the whole ball of wax. Now, I'm not going to discount anecdotal evidence; it's been passed down from generation to generation, and there is probably a grain of truth to it. But no one really knows why.
Today there are gizmos that will vibrate your guitar while it sits in your closet - well, to me this isn't going to be the same as playing, unless it changes the notes that vibrate, but again, what do I know?
I have friends who collect old and valuable instruments, and I do play them when I visit. And...well...some of the acoustics do seem very mellow and open, though some age badly and I wonder what my friend who paid new-car money was thinking when he bought them, but that's another matter.
I have more trouble with the old solid body instruments. I think some are special. But maybe they were special when new. I think some are dogs. I'm not sure there's an "aged" solid body sound the way there is with an old acoustic.
For the most part, I hate the smell of old 30s-50s guitar cases anyway. Musty.
Edit - I'll add another thing I've thought about - museums that have historical instruments on hand have the most valuable, playable ones periodically played by professionals. Whether this is because they have some evidence that playing them keeps them sounding good, or they do it because they're afraid not to, is a good question!
Another question - collectors often put instruments away as investments and don't play them. Do they wind up aging as well, or worse because they aren't played?
At my age, the question about electric guitars may be academic - I'll likely be dead before a current electric guitar I own becomes old enough to sound different (if that ever happens). I do think it happens with my acoustics, in fact my 2013 Tonare Grand hit that point this spring. It just sounded phenomenally better to me.
Finally, James Taylor once did a video interview at his guitar storeroom, and talked about his old guitars. He claims that after a while of being played a lot, a guitar reaches a point where it doesn't sound as good any more. At least to him. And he will replace it. He's the only person I've heard say that. He's a great player. So does he just get bored with them, or does he have better hearing than the rest of us?
Forgive my random thoughts. I'm not trying to make a point, just have an interesting discussion.
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