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Aging And Sound

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   Forums Archive -> The Vault: 2008Message format
 
Guitar Slinger
Posted 2008-05-29 2:05 PM (#37250)
Subject: Aging And Sound


Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 80

Location: On The Fringe Of Ground Zero
I am familiar with acoustic guitars that are all wood in composition. Over time as the wood ages the sound mellows. Does the same hold true for Ovations?
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BT717
Posted 2008-05-29 2:10 PM (#37251 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 2711

Location: Vernon CT
I wouldn't say the sound "mellows", It gets better!!!
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Damon67
Posted 2008-05-29 2:12 PM (#37252 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996

Location: Jet City
Slinger, it's the guitar's top that counts. Ovations "open up" just like any other guitar.
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Guitar Slinger
Posted 2008-05-29 4:45 PM (#37253 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 80

Location: On The Fringe Of Ground Zero
Thanks! :cool:
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Paulcc1
Posted 2008-05-29 5:03 PM (#37254 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
September 2004
Posts: 1180

Location: Vermont USA
Does the same hold true for the Adamas?
Pauly
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KPaul
Posted 2008-05-29 5:11 PM (#37255 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 118

Location: Winter Haven, FL
Originally posted by Paulcc1:
Does the same hold true for the Adamas?
Pauly
If it's a carbon fiber material, it won't change over time. That's part of the stability of carbon fiber. If you don't like the sound in the beginning, pass on it...carbon fiber will never open up.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-05-29 5:30 PM (#37256 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
I thought this was going to be about replacing batteries in hearing aids...
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Damon67
Posted 2008-05-29 5:58 PM (#37257 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996

Location: Jet City
What about a CBG? Does a cigar box top open up?
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stonebobbo
Posted 2008-05-29 6:15 PM (#37258 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307

Location: Tennessee
Originally posted by KPaul:
Originally posted by Paulcc1:
Does the same hold true for the Adamas?
Pauly
If it's a carbon fiber material, it won't change over time. That's part of the stability of carbon fiber. If you don't like the sound in the beginning, pass on it...carbon fiber will never open up.
I think that theory was debunked when they brought all of the original slotheads they could find back to the factory and ran the laser vibrometers on them. If I'm not mistaken, the fundamental frequency changed (non-insignificantly) over time and the owners generally agreed that the sound opened up after years of play.
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KPaul
Posted 2008-05-29 6:32 PM (#37259 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 118

Location: Winter Haven, FL
Originally posted by stonebobbo:
Originally posted by KPaul:
Originally posted by Paulcc1:
Does the same hold true for the Adamas?
Pauly
If it's a carbon fiber material, it won't change over time. That's part of the stability of carbon fiber. If you don't like the sound in the beginning, pass on it...carbon fiber will never open up.
I think that theory was debunked when they brought all of the original slotheads they could find back to the factory and ran the laser vibrometers on them. If I'm not mistaken, the fundamental frequency changed (non-insignificantly) over time and the owners generally agreed that the sound opened up after years of play.
I've been debunked more than once, so I can see it happening again. ;)

I don't have any research to back up my claims, just what I was told by the guys at CA when I was researching the purchase of a Legacy. I didn't see it as a bad thing as I liked the tone, so I did buy it...but their explanation for why it wouldn't open up made sense to me.
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FlicKreno aka Solid Top
Posted 2008-05-29 6:45 PM (#37260 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491

Location: Copenhagen Denmark
But the ADAMAS has a Laminated Top ...a Sandwiched Wooden Top , the Wood would cure too , would n`t it ?

Vic
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KPaul
Posted 2008-05-29 7:28 PM (#37261 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 118

Location: Winter Haven, FL
Originally posted by HumblePie aka Solid Top:
But the ADAMAS has a Laminated Top ...a Sandwiched Wooden Top , the Wood would cure too , would n`t it ?

Vic
If it was exposed to air, I would say yes. My understanding is that the opening up of a top is a result of the vibrations from the strings, and the aging of the wood working together to influence certain areas of the soundboard to become more supple. This in turn causes it to be more influenced by string vibrations, causing it to be louder and more responsive.
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Beal
Posted 2008-05-29 7:41 PM (#37262 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127

Location: 6 String Ranch
They do age some, particularly if they are really played.
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Trader Jim
Posted 2008-05-29 8:14 PM (#37263 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307

Location: South of most, North of few
A wise man once said... "Yes, they do open up, but you have to play them" or something to that effect.
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Guitar Slinger
Posted 2008-05-30 4:10 AM (#37264 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 80

Location: On The Fringe Of Ground Zero
I played a few Rainsongs and the sound plugged and unplugged just didn't get it for me. I've also owned a few Steinbergers electrics here it's the electronics not the wood.
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Damon67
Posted 2008-05-30 4:44 AM (#37265 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996

Location: Jet City
Don't forget the best electric guitar known to man was not wood at all.

The UKII.
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Damon67
Posted 2008-05-30 4:45 AM (#37266 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996

Location: Jet City
OK, the best electric guitar known to me is probably more realistic.

That damned Hamer thread is killin me.
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ProfessorBB
Posted 2008-05-30 10:14 AM (#37267 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881

Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains
I previously read somewhere on this forum an explanation about tops opening up that really made sense to me. I think it would likely apply, in varying degrees, to just about any guitar top. Think of it as a piece of cardboard. When cardboard is new, it is stiff and difficult to bend. However, bend it back and forth a few times, or many times, and the stiffness dissolves and the cardboard becomes quite flexible. Since guitar tops vibrate, the more they vibrate, the more flexible they become, and the more easily they vibrate, which relates directly to tone and output. More than anything else, this cardboard analogy explained this "opening up" principle to me. I'll leave it to the engineers to validate the accuracy of the theory.
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G8r
Posted 2008-05-30 10:27 AM (#37268 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969

Leave it to the Professor. Good analogy, since cardboard is made of cellulose fibers, as is wood.
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dippledopple
Posted 2008-05-30 1:32 PM (#37269 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound


Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 16

Location: new jersey, u.s.a.
me duh! until i came across this topic, i had never even heard of the term "opening up" in reference to why the guitar sound changes as the instrument ages. so, i really like proffesorbb's analogy. info. like this, really helps beginner's like me.
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stonebobbo
Posted 2008-05-30 1:45 PM (#37270 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307

Location: Tennessee
Originally posted by Damon67:
What about a CBG? Does a cigar box top open up?
Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Think of it as a piece of cardboard. When cardboard is new, it is stiff and difficult to bend. However, bend it back and forth a few times, or many times, and the stiffness dissolves and the cardboard becomes quite flexible. Since guitar tops vibrate, the more they vibrate, the more flexible they become, and the more easily they vibrate, which relates directly to tone and output.
Sounds to me like the answer is yes. After a few years and a lot of smoking licks, you'll think a Tiparillo is as good as a Montecristo No. 2.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2008-05-30 3:12 PM (#37271 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by stonebobbo:
you'll think a Tiparillo is as good as a Montecristo No. 2.
Not in my lifetime!
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Damon67
Posted 2008-05-30 3:18 PM (#37272 - in reply to #37250)
Subject: Re: Aging And Sound



Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996

Location: Jet City
:D
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