The ToneRite fatigues the strings, so new strings need to be put on the guitar to get an accurate idea of the sound improvement. Also what seems to improve the sound is after putting the ToneRite on for 140 hours with full vibration is the then put it on for another 72 hours at 1/2 vibration power. This sweetens the sound of the top end of the guitar. Another idea which I got from John Larivee is the idea that whatever notes are played more frequently on a guitar will sound better, so hence I also tried put the capo in two positions on the guitar so all 12 Chromatic notes would get equal vibration on the guitar. The sound change was absolutely incredible and amazing!!! I know that some people are sceptical about the ToneRite claiming a much improved sound...but in my experience having used it in all my guitars I really beg to differ!!
The guitar sounds brighter before the ToneRite and more mellow afterwards. A useful (and free) way to accomplish this is to keep your guitar next to stereo or television speakers. Interesting experiment. Thanks for posting it.
The obvious question is whether it was the guitar that changed or the strings. To improve the test, use a set of strings that you know to be consistent from one set to the next. Put on new strings before, do the benchmark, run the ToneRite, then replace the strings before repeating the benchmark.
I'm not surprised by the results as much as I'm surprised by the results _of this device_. The changing tonal properties of wood instruments (and others) over time and use has been well known for centuries. And as I said before, we used to keep our instruments in front of speakers just to do what this thing does. There's an entire physics explanation for all of this...but who cares? It works. It is nice to know there's a quiet option now.
One thing to note, if the strings were new before tonerite, they definitely won't be after. Tonerite will definitely use up new strings after 168 hours of use. But In sold on the device. I had a 10 year old John Hiatt J-45 that was basically new old stock, it was so tight when I 1st got it. 7 days after tonerite there was a very noticeable difference for the better.
Great review! I own one and feel that it improves the overtones of the guitar in a subtle way and insures all the acoustics get "exercised". Not an "OMG, it's 10x better", but an improvement. Read a paper once on trying to decipher why old violins like a Stradivarius sound so much better. This paper thought it was the combination of the aging causing micro-cracks in the varnish making it easier to flex and the wood getting stiffer (hence “torrified wood” coming out) as it dried out make a more complex sound with pleasing harmonics. Today, the construction of a current guitar unless it is a high end instrument isn’t with nitrocellulose finish and thinnest wood possible for the best sound. Most lower end instruments use some type of polyurethane which is excellent for durability, but closer to enclosing the wood in plastic. And to avoid warranty issues, the wood is thicker to cut down on cracking and split top claims. So you may notice more differences with a Martin D28 than an Epiphone because of the build quality.
What an apt name you have .. because I saw a TV programme some years ago which implied that another reason why very old violins sound as they do is that the wood used was floated up the Po river to Cremona, and often left in the river for weeks. This had the effect of dissolving the centre out of the circular wood fibres, making them lighter and more resonant. This was scientifically tested in the 70s I believe and did seem to show a different tone between soaked wood and unsoaked wood.
Through my headphones I certainly heard a difference in a positive way. That said the difference was subtle enough if there wasn’t a back to back comparison it may have been hard to notice.
My first impression listening to you play is that the guitar had lost some of the mids. The graph tends to show that also. My personal opinion is that the guitar sounded better before the treatment but that as I said is a personal opinion. Interesting and thank you for the effort.
Thanks for the demo! I know it took a great time and effort to set things up! One thought I had was the possibility of humidity changes influencing the differences in frequencies and/or tone. Thanks again for your hard work!
Bravo, Shane! Thanks for all the effort. I perceived a change in the tonality of the guitar. To use descriptors that don't have an actual fixed meaning... the instrument sounded more "open" and "airy" after using the device. I'm not shocked that it had an effect. I ran sound for a band years ago, and my Epiphone acoustic sat out all the time. It was right next to a stereo speaker, and every time one of my bandmates came by my place, someone picked up the guitar and played it. The instrument saw a lot of hours of extra vibration during that time. The folks that played the guitar regularly commented that the tone of the guitar was getting better and better. I'm not sure that using a device is a decent substitute for actually playing music on the guitar, but it does force the wood to vibrate, which is something. Great work!
Great comparison. Much appreciated Shane. These work. I’ve had one for about 3 years and I have used it on multiple acoustics. Biggest difference was with my all solid ones. This also does a number on the strings. I always change my strings afterward. I do 7 days of highest setting, 7 days of lowest setting and 7 days of middle setting. I do pick it up and play it whenever I want so it’s not like it can’t be played during the process. Laminated guitars need more time but it’s not as noticeable a difference on those kind.
To find (what I consider to be) the key difference: get you earphones and go to 5:32 and then 5:49 - the harmonic overtones after the last strum are a lot more present than before (which would explain the treble increase shown in the graph). Both strums were pretty similar. The only difference was pitch ("after" was slightly flat).I wouldn't think the results are influenced by such a small difference in pitch, BUT maybe the resonant frequency of this particular guitar is hit when tuned slightly flat (
For years, I've been placing a small Bluetooth speaker (like a Bose Soundlink, which works great) on the strings of my new acoustic guitars and playing pink noise on loop from an old phone. This happens when I spend time in the outdoors, or even while on vacation. Et voilà - excellent results (though I do change the strings because they wear out), and it's almost cost-free. I even have the impression that the noise helps my favorite plants grow better and makes my neighbors more relaxed.
This would have been a great demonstration, but unfortunately you missed a very important step. You should have put new strings on for the demo before the Toneright, and you should have put new strings on again for the demo after the Toneright. A subtle difference is heard when comparing your before and after clips, but unfortunately that doesn't tell us if the Toneright did anything at all. But what we do know for an absolute fact is that week-old strings are going to sound different than brand new strings.
Ted Riggs New strings sucks.New strings start sounding good after been played for a few days if you dont like lots of treble that is of course.A good sounding guitar is warm and fat sounding not brittle which is what you get with brand new strings but like with everything its just a matter of taste.
@@intheblues No I am usually brutal with scrutiny lol. But there’s definitely more lower mids. To be sure I kept rewinding to see if mic placement changed but you were as sterile as you could be
Thank you for carrying out such a difficult experiment. It would be nice to see this experiment repeated by others, as is the proper way of coming to a conclusion about if an effect is real. The strings are always an issue, as I'm not sure what effect the Tonerite has on the sound of the strings. What if the Tonerite simply "ages" the strings, but does nothing noticeable to the guitar. It's definitely good to be skeptical of products such as these, which means to let the evidence determine if there is a real effect and if it's useful. Confirmation bias is such a powerful phenomenon, and has been used in selling products for hundreds of years.
Agreed in general... but aged strings generally sound duller all around which doesn’t seem to be the case with the graphic eq data. Also less than 200 hours of treatment time is very different than the usual aging promoter (hands); I get a lot more string life washing thoroughly before playing and putting a thin layer of coconut oil on my fingertips and/or using fast-fret (mineral oil I believe). They last multiples longer, not marginally. If this dude lives near a swamp or some such air quality then your point increasingly makes sense. Ultimate test would be new string set before each sample recording. 👍
I use a ToneRite on my classical guitars - makes a definite improvement on my Spruce top/Maple back & sides Chinese made guitar. On my Cedar topped guitars, the effect is less but they are WAY older instruments. Great demo, but my advice is to try it and return it if you don’t like it. If you own acoustic and classical guitars that you let idle for long periods of time, it’s a very worthy accessory. Since I’m just a hobbyist playing at home, it’s a worthwhile “toy” for me.
Nice job. From the first chord I didn’t like the way the high E string jumped out. I couldn’t hear the bass because it wasn’t hit very hard but the eq showed it. The high string settled down after you used the device. I’m sold.
If you cannot hear that difference, even with the shitty RUclips audio compression algorithm then you are either choosing to ignore the difference or your ears are not very good anymore. That was so much different. Now, you will notice I did not say better. That is up to the brain interpreting the sound. But to say there is not a difference is looney. It was a huge difference. I personally loved the outcome. Nice work.
Thanks Shane, good job with the test. I think you did your best to manage all the variables to where your results provide an unbiased view of the effectiveness of this device. The main thing i heard was a more pronounced midrange before. The after sounded more even across the frequencies & the guitar definitely had a more vintage sound. There's something in the ToneRite, at least for new acoustic instruments.
OK! Well Shane, you know me and you know my ears! WON'T BS you! It DID make a difference, NO doubt about it! Pre vibing, your guitar had a pronounced MID hump to it, like most 'Gibsons/Epis'. After, it sounded more scooped, with better, more defined, almost hifi trebles! Reading your comments after stating the strings were already OLD, so had been well and truly played in, this is nothing short of, I won't say amazing, but compelling anyway! New sets of string or at least a new set to start with before vibe conditioning, might have had an even more marked effect!!! Still, the fact we all heard a different, along with fairly significantly different graphing results, shows it DID something! What... well who's to know for sure, but something DID change in that guitar! Kinda miffed you DIDN'T include a sample of the PIEZO response as piezo elements are full range, and may have revealed more, both audibly and analytically. Also the other materials variable, I would say this device WOULD (sic) have a more profound effect on a SOLID wood acoustic, either with just a solid top or solid top and back. Still , this is interesting. I'd whack it on for a few more weeks and record some more samples, so see if any more conditioning occurs! GREAT job Mate! :o)
I used this on my J160e that always sounded a little brittle. I was just shocked at how this made that guitar responsive and toneful. It really worked nice. I'm now using it on my Martin because it sounded like it had no personality compared to the Gibson. One thing I will note is the Tonerite didn't do anything to help the strings. I had a fairly new set on the guitar and after 144 hours with the Tonerite they were beaten. But after a new set it sounds warmer, clearer and better than ever. I'm a convert, after the Martin Is done it's going on my Strat.
Interesting test. There is definitely a difference in the before and after. I have a 20+ year old Martin that has “opened” with age, but if I play a different guitar for a few days,and then play it again it has a slightly different feel and tone until it “warms up” (for lack of a better description). I wonder if the ToneRite has the same effect in that the change is temporary.
I can't agree. First of all, why did you lowered second graph when you compare them? When I took print screens of first graph (before) and second graph (after) and compared them, I noticed that first graph (before) has higher volume (db) on almost all frequences except 247Hz (this is B string). Additionally, decay on first graph (before) on 16kHz is good, because we don't want wasting energy on so high frequences. Finally, if you want appropriate test you should test one by one string, and you can't do that with your hand because force which produce your hand can't be the same (especially after 2 weeks) - for that you should use some mechanic device. If you want to measure micro-differences you need very precise test.
Great test and review! This is very helpful and much appreciated! Thanks! BTW: I understand the effect of old vs. new strings, on the other hand, much of the change in sound we know is from many hours of "dirty" hands (not a clean device). If the guitar still opens up a little bit even with those same strings, I would say: Subtle change, certainly doable with an eq - but you hear it and you see it on the graph. As an electric jazz player I would also say, volume DOES matter (again - subtle, but noticeable), with a humbucker PU it changes the sound even more.
A professional violin player explained me once how she would place a new violin at least 500 hours between speakers playing violin music. Same principle only louder. Nice video. I was interested as I want to buy a new acoustic guitar. Thx 😊
it definitely did what it said on the tin, it changed the sound audibly! I wouldn't actually mind either of the tones from before or after. I dunno, there wasn't a lot in it at all! But awesome work anyway Shane, good effort on the video. ;)
I tape a miniature ouija board to all my guitars. it makes the string vibration cycle 5 more cycles per millisecond producing additional harmonics in the overtone series that amaze anybody hearing my sound. I'm constantly asked about my gear and what strings I use. I know like 6 chords , D , A minor , E major 7th, C, G. I count the E major 7th as 2 chords .
Not judging the device either way, but I wanted to point out that there's a bit of a flaw in your testing: note the mic position at 5:27 and its angle over the pickguard, roughly over the second ring around the sound hole...then its position at 5:46, which is over the high E string, further back from the sound hole, and at a different angle. I don't see how this wouldn't affect your recording. The proximity effect plus the supercardiod polar pattern of this mic in relation to these two different positions is going to make for a different recording. Anyway, thanks for showing this device to us, and love your channel.
This reminds me of "The Practice Effect", a classic SF novel by David Brin. The key idea is that by using something it gets more fitted to its purpose. So by sitting in a chair it gets better at being a chair, playing a guitar makes guitar better at being a guitar etc. Story's hero ends up in a world where this is all actually true! The basic concept comes from maverick scientist Rupert Sheldrake, whose theory of "morphic resonance" entertains or enrages scientists depending on their sense of humour. For there is lots of evidence annoyingly supporting it. Lab rats have got better at running mazes, for example. Old shoes do feel more comfortable, shock. Tonerited guitars sound, um, different!
Aging for years will change the wood's characteristics. Vibrations for a few days, I doubt it makes any discernable difference. Before actually sounded brighter. I wouldn't spend money on this for sure. But great video and effort. Thanks.
By my reckoning the after has more of a pronounced mellow or rounded tone that being said I high end sounds more subdued or less bright. This loss of brightness seems to be across the board on every video testing the of ToneRight I have seen. I'll keep my axe by my speakers and save the $150 bucks thank you ; )
Whatever the comments on new strings vs old strings and s.f - the effect seems to be at a minimum so the question for me would be if it's worth spending a lot of money in a Tonerite. I don't say that there isn't any effect at all but is the effect worth the investment? I highly doubt it. Here in Norway the price is allmost 200 euro. And then, what to do with the apparatus after I've used it on my guitar? Is it something to do on a regular basis or is it enough with one time?
Interesting. It makes physical sense that adding vibration will loosen the molecules in wood. I would say that common sense says that ToneRite accelerates loosening the soundboard. The issue is paying $150 for a "tool" that you may use a couple or few times. Also, it is a weak massager motor without any tech. I could hear the difference in this test, it was mellower, and that is what we all like in an older guitar (except a few). But, an Epiphone EJ is a honking beast and should have been run through a few more 168 hour testing periods. Many years ago, I read an article about a guy that put his new guitar on the stand in front of his stereo system and pointed the speaker toward the soundhole. He went to work and his guitar jammed all day. He did it for a "few days," but he said it works. At this point, I'm not convinced to buy a ToneRite.
I used it on a stiff 2003 Guild D40. It increased volume and sustain, plus produced more bass. I did 144 hours on high and 72 on low. That said, it worked better than expected. However, I was a bit desperate. With a guitar that already sounds really nice I would be wary of messing with it Since it altered the tone on the Guild, I think it may be a risk on an already well balanced instrument. My concern is that using the max setting is supposed to boost bass and volume. If you needed more treble or wanted to boost scooped mids you may have the opposite (undesired) effect. Also, since it is summer and my room windows are open, the guitar is also left out to dry the wood slowly and naturally without fear of creating cracks. With our long winters I must humidity during furnace season. I will be curious if using a humidifier device will make some tone revert. With the Guild though it was absolutely worth it. By adding Martin flexible core lights it gave me the classic Guild sound I wanted. And it is loud.
There was definitely a difference before and after, and to my ears it got better. When overlaying the graphs, I'm not sure if it was correct to scale them so the volume was equal. I've read about people using the ToneRite, and a lot of them say that the guitar gets louder. It would be interesting to see the overlay without any scaling :) But thanks for your effort!
It actually uses a proprietary frequency and works much more if you use it for longer (144 hours (6 days, 12 days etc.) keep in mind this was only his first 168-hour test. I work for Tonerite. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, Charlie OrganicVisionPresents@gmail.com
@@OrganicVisionPresent Charlie, Thanks for posting here. Listing my questions here for the benefit of others. 1. will the tonerite affect the magnetic properties of humbuckers in a 2-pickup Les Paul? Like should the pickups be removed to be sure? I assume it would sit between the pickups. 2. Does the tonerite have a frequency or range adjustment to focus “development” of the instrument’s frequency ranges (lows, mids, highs)? 3. Would placing the tonerite closer to where I pluck the strings for the tones I want whilst playing, yield development of those same tonal characteristics? 4. If I want to simulate 60 years of aging a Les Paul reissue, should I simply use the tonerite as much as possible? Is there an upper limit? 5. Would it be good to use the tonerite with: 6. Different tunings and/or a capo? 7. Heavier or lighter string gauge? 8. The guitar (temp-stabilized first) sitting in sunlight and/or a moderately warmer or cooler environment? 9. The guitar resting vertically, horizontally, or hung by the strap as when being played? Pretty stoked about this product. Might do a before/after vid of my own... and with new strings each time ;)
My comments are meant to be helpful. The device and the test are very interesting. At the outset I would say a control would help better understand the differences obviously apparent by ear. A control of, say the same guitar with the same brand of new strings hand played for the same number of hours, 168. I assume the device is meant to simulate a "break-in" period of some number of hours of playing, thereby saving the musician the time spent. Then the test would be a comparison of playing vs tone rite break-in. I definitely hear a difference, though it is is somewhat subtle. To my ears the main effects I heard were a reduction in volume of strings 1-4. The unwound strings were especially less bright, as if they were old and used up. I confess I did not hear any difference in string 6, but that may be due to listening through computer speakers. There is another comment here about the difference between breaking strings in, and breaking a guitar in, two vastly different situations. But the comment is on point. Break-in of a guitar's wood takes years, and is only partially due to vibration. Most of the changes to a guitar's wood during aging are due to temperature and humidity changes resulting in micro swelling and contraction, and also crystallization of the resinous acids found in the pores. This is a natural process that occurs in all wood. Vibrations likely help in some way in aging of wood, but I think temperature and humidity are the main drivers. There is a reason why a 1940 Martin D-28 sells for $75k at Carter's Vintage Guitars, there is no substitute for playing a guitar.
Quality test, before and after is hard to emulate at home. There’s definitely a favourable sound change. I’ve also read that the intensity residence control can work the lows mids or highs better depending how you set the control nob. In summary a guitar does respond to this style of product and lays to bed the conversation that playing a guitar for an expended period of time moulds a sound of the instrument differently compared to not playing a guitar.
Great job on keeping it as controlled as possible... very helpful and a very noticeable difference... did you have scalloped braces cause i feel this is why it showed a mid range scoop once it was opened up... I felt it became softer and less dark but also the volume got a boost which is why it shows it having higher volume!!! Great review!!
Hey Shane, did you feel the guitar resonating / vibrating more into your chest when you played? That's one of my favourite things about older guitars - that feel of the vibration resonating into my hands and chest. Also, I could totally hear the shift in tone. More balanced afterwards and maybe a bit more fendery..
I was able to accomplish great results with a vibe it. It was a device that could turn anything( and I mean anything) into a speaker. You could plug one end into a stereo, radio, or computer and play music or just sounds and the other end ,you would stick it on anything that you wanted the vibrations to be transmitted to turn it into a speaker. I had a new fiddle that I wanted to break in quicker, so I stuck the vibe it contact onto the metal practice mute and that went on the bridge. When I wasn't playing it, I had it playing me music trough my fiddle. It opened it up greatly within a week. The vibe it cost me $10 instead of $200. I've seen a few on ebay.
Did you start with fresh strings before and did you restring before the after test? For consistency of testing this is what is required because while the Tonerite does simulate hours of playing, 168 hours of playing will break down the metalurgical properties of the strings. Just saying. I've used the Tonerite initially on a couple guitars and it does work. However unless the video author did in fact begin and end the demo with new strings the demonstration/test won't show the real result. Personally I liked the before sound better.
Having verified that the tool works, I have a question: how should you position the guitar while using it? In the same position as you play or is it indifferent? It could be that the resins of the spruce top position themselves differently depending on the guitar position.
Thanks Shane. I've heard guitars changie in the first few hours of playing after they are initially strung up. We also hear instruments change some more over their lifespans- pianos, violins, guitars etc. Often they get sweeter and less precise sounding. However, I would rather play a guitar to let it settle in than hook it up to vibrate it. It's the obvious thing to do.
Thanks for the effort good video. I have never been convinced that playing makes the difference. I believe it’s totally environment. If the same test was done with constant humidity prior and during the test I think it would be better. It did sound better to me after the unit was installed. Good test otherwise.
Probably varies by guitar too. Thought it was more balanced after Tonerite, almost too trebley for my ears, but also thinner sounding, especially in the lower notes. I would not say it especially improved the tone.
Thank you Shane! Facts are facts! It appears to have made a difference. Is it really worth it?? I don't know yet, I will probably buy one. Your video was as true as it gets. Thanks Bro., from Nova Scotia!!
To me it just sounds like older strings. I notice a big difference between new strings and strings that are a week old. I think the Tonrite has probably just aged the strings. Is the Epiphone a solid top guitar? It's normally only solid top guitars that improve with age. Also if the guitar has been played a lot, 168 hours of Tonrite won't make much difference I expect. I notice my guitars normally sound quite a bit better than brand new after a couple of months of playing and then it is just a very gradual improvement. My 26 year old Maton sounds better than it did when new, but the fastest change was in the first six months.
intheblues Wow. It made that much difference on an old guitar with old strings. I’m amazed except I actually liked the slightly brighter sound of the first recording. Still I think the fun of acoustics is enjoying the change in sound as you age them yourself.
It did sound slightly different afterwards to me. It sounded a little less harsh maybe? But it was very slight and kinda hard to tell. I think I'd have had to hear it in person to be sure. I'm curious what you thought, being the one playing it and hearing it in person. It seems to me that maybe this would have more of a difference on how the guitar feels to play than on how it actually sounds through a mic.
I feel that the guitar sounded better, more naturally resonant, prior to using the tone-right. I also believe (quite unscientifically) that your guitar sounds more individually better after it is played for awhile and absorbs the individuals' spirit (or soul). Of course, this cannot be quantified scientifically, but I have noticed that my own guitars sound completely different from another of the exact same model. Some call it "breaking in" or "opening up", I call it imbuing an instrument with your own personal feeling (to some this is merely spooky!!!). Ask any older player and they'll tell you pretty much what I have just stated. If you think my opinion is malarkey, that's okay with me too!
3:10 3:26 (he’s not picking the 1st string as much, proof in the last strum) 5:29 5:47 Definitely hearing more harmonic shimmer in the “after”, despite fundamentals sounding a bit duller. 👏👏
Overall the picking pattern is too inconsistent. Should just be a straight sweep with little to no wrist action, and unlike later when that was done, using a pick instead of a thumb. Overall good effort, but the subtlety of differences have smaller margins than the testing tolerances.
I build acoustic guitars and have used 'ToneRite'. Your tests confirms that a slight change in frequency does happen. Some of the bass frequencies slightly increases and some of the mid frequencies drop off slightly. At the very high frequency end a tiny increase in presence sometimes can be heard. I how found that for some guitars these changes are not desirable.
I had a friend who would put the guitar in front of speakers for a week to achieve the vibration of the wood. I wonder if it would work with carbon fiber guitars to mellow it out.
I noticed my acoustic sounded different after being strapped to the sissy bar on my Shovelhead. I thought I was hearing things (or maybe not hearing things as I've got straight drag pipes, lol).
It's about vibrating the soundboard, essentially. The sides and back are also along for the ride. It changes the tonal properties, allegedly. If you click between the before and after sound clips, I feel theres a noticeable difference (which, to me, sounds like a tonal improvement)
I heard a considerable difference in the tone, before you used it the guitar sounded a bit dry to my ears... I was actually gonna ask if the strings were old or something. after you used it, it sounded like a better instrument for sure.... I'm amazed that it actually works. I wonder what something like this would do to a high end guitar like a Taylor or a Martin...
There is no doubt that most acoustic guitars do open up over time. Some take longer than others. The finish (how thick or thin) has something to do with it for sure. However, some seem "open" right out of the box, while others seem never to open up. These days the torrification (probably spelled wrong by me) used on many new guitars is an effort to deal with this problem. Does it work? I have no experience with that process. Maybe somebody here knows.
Looking through these tests I've never seen a control, I would like to see someone compare the sound of a guitar just after a restring and then again after being left to settle for a week without the tonerite. I'm not saying there would definitely be different but having strings under tension for a week could be the cause of the change rather than this g-string vibrator.
Not sure about this product Shane. I Really appreciate the effort in making the video, so thank you. As with all your work it's well made. What I heard was a difference. I Can't say it improved the sound. Seams like this is a product that one would rent for a bit of time (couple weeks?). I am still skeptical. Peace! Be well
I wonder if I just set my guitar in front of a loudspeaker (evm12!) with a random music playlist cranking while I'm at work for a week. That should cover a wide range of frequencies. Plus playing it too of course. Any thoughts?
So i am a classical guitar player. I know firsthand that there is something really odd that happens when you wear in a guitar. I have a feeling some of you can emulate this if you have a classical guitar. Get the guitar in tune, and move one of the strings out of tune. play a note and try to tune it without a reference. You will note that as you are trying to get it into tune that suddenly the guitar will get louder. I can often tune my guitars without a tuner because of this. Now with this in mind I am actually a little worried about this product, cus if you arent diligent at keeping the guitar in tune while it is being used that it might create an out of tune sweet spot.
Over 160 hours on a set of strings! I change mine after about 40 hours because after that they just sound terrible. Anyway I preferred the sound before but had to admit that there is a shift on the graph which I didn't expect
Sounds much better after the test to my ears. Thanks for your efforts, it’s much appreciated. Btw I’m a lefty too, I’ve just bought a Martin DX 12 string, it already sounds sweet. I was told about the ToneRite today and came across your post. If it’s a reasonable price I may get one just for the hell of it and see how much nicer my acoustic guitars sound. It’s all about the sound for me, get it sounding sweet and I’m inspired to play for as long as I can, plus get more creative. All the best!
Strings sound dead after the tonebrite. But I mean... strings only last for 100 hours or so of playing and you had them vibrating for 168 hours. Should have done both before and after tests on new strings.
Definately sounds different BUT strings are probably just a little dead after... You need to use an all wood guitar and use new strings each time or take strings off and seal them somehow while putying on stand in strings for the tonrite..
I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but there is a difference in sound. 0_0 Yes, there is! The before sound is (boy this is tough to gauge..) 20%-40% brighter than the after sound. I wouldn't say that's better or worse, but it is different for sure. Considering that our ears do play tricks on us, this difference could be the result of a few things. 1. There is actually less top end. 2. The bottom and mids are more pronounced thus blending better and masking the high end which didn't change. 3.The bottoms and mids are more pronounced and the highs decreased. You get the idea...There are other variations that could also exist. ...and it's very tough to pin point exactly which one is true. I wouldn't say there was a volume drop overall, but definitely a change in tone. All I can say is simply this: If I hadn't heard it myself I would not have believed it. Thanks
Looks like a great way to quickly wear down strings. They're already starting to sound a bit "wooly". I could see a benefit in breaking in new strings this way but 1 and not 100+ hours would be the way to do it.
The ToneRite fatigues the strings, so new strings need to be put on the guitar to get an accurate idea of the sound improvement. Also what seems to improve the sound is after putting the ToneRite on for 140 hours with full vibration is the then put it on for another 72 hours at 1/2 vibration power. This sweetens the sound of the top end of the guitar. Another idea which I got from John Larivee is the idea that whatever notes are played more frequently on a guitar will sound better, so hence I also tried put the capo in two positions on the guitar so all 12 Chromatic notes would get equal vibration on the guitar. The sound change was absolutely incredible and amazing!!! I know that some people are sceptical about the ToneRite claiming a much improved sound...but in my experience having used it in all my guitars I really beg to differ!!
@Pickaxe1964 I love how you just copy paste this response to anything ToneRite related. LOL Plant ;)
@@MrAkaroc lol
What were the two capo positions? I'd be interested to try this.
Thanks for sharing your experience and formula. I'm currently doing this with my new Custom Martin D18 Adirondack.
@@begelston What happened? Please provide some update! Thx!
The guitar sounds brighter before the ToneRite and more mellow afterwards. A useful (and free) way to accomplish this is to keep your guitar next to stereo or television speakers. Interesting experiment. Thanks for posting it.
Agreed. After Tonerite I trhought the bass sounded almost muddy whereas the treble was either brighter or was clearer because of the change in bass.
The obvious question is whether it was the guitar that changed or the strings. To improve the test, use a set of strings that you know to be consistent from one set to the next. Put on new strings before, do the benchmark, run the ToneRite, then replace the strings before repeating the benchmark.
I don’t think that’s an obvious question.
It sounds better.
Excellent testing procedures. I appreciate your taking the time to do this.
I'm not surprised by the results as much as I'm surprised by the results _of this device_. The changing tonal properties of wood instruments (and others) over time and use has been well known for centuries. And as I said before, we used to keep our instruments in front of speakers just to do what this thing does. There's an entire physics explanation for all of this...but who cares? It works.
It is nice to know there's a quiet option now.
ravenslaves We don't know that it works because he didn't change the strings before each test.
@@ClassicalPan No, strings are fatigued by finger sweat chemistry much more than acoustic wave contact.
@@ejtonefan What's that got to do with my comment?
One thing to note, if the strings were new before tonerite, they definitely won't be after. Tonerite will definitely use up new strings after 168 hours of use. But In sold on the device. I had a 10 year old John Hiatt J-45 that was basically new old stock, it was so tight when I 1st got it. 7 days after tonerite there was a very noticeable difference for the better.
Great review! I own one and feel that it improves the overtones of the guitar in a subtle way and insures all the acoustics get "exercised". Not an "OMG, it's 10x better", but an improvement. Read a paper once on trying to decipher why old violins like a Stradivarius sound so much better. This paper thought it was the combination of the aging causing micro-cracks in the varnish making it easier to flex and the wood getting stiffer (hence “torrified wood” coming out) as it dried out make a more complex sound with pleasing harmonics. Today, the construction of a current guitar unless it is a high end instrument isn’t with nitrocellulose finish and thinnest wood possible for the best sound. Most lower end instruments use some type of polyurethane which is excellent for durability, but closer to enclosing the wood in plastic. And to avoid warranty issues, the wood is thicker to cut down on cracking and split top claims. So you may notice more differences with a Martin D28 than an Epiphone because of the build quality.
What an apt name you have .. because I saw a TV programme some years ago which implied that another reason why very old violins sound as they do is that the wood used was floated up the Po river to Cremona, and often left in the river for weeks. This had the effect of dissolving the centre out of the circular wood fibres, making them lighter and more resonant. This was scientifically tested in the 70s I believe and did seem to show a different tone between soaked wood and unsoaked wood.
Through my headphones I certainly heard a difference in a positive way. That said the difference was subtle enough if there wasn’t a back to back comparison it may have been hard to notice.
My first impression listening to you play is that the guitar had lost some of the mids. The graph tends to show that also. My personal opinion is that the guitar sounded better before the treatment but that as I said is a personal opinion. Interesting and thank you for the effort.
I think it's probably the strings.
More than likely the strings dying
Thanks for the demo! I know it took a great time and effort to set things up!
One thought I had was the possibility of humidity changes influencing the differences in frequencies and/or tone.
Thanks again for your hard work!
Bravo, Shane! Thanks for all the effort. I perceived a change in the tonality of the guitar. To use descriptors that don't have an actual fixed meaning... the instrument sounded more "open" and "airy" after using the device. I'm not shocked that it had an effect. I ran sound for a band years ago, and my Epiphone acoustic sat out all the time. It was right next to a stereo speaker, and every time one of my bandmates came by my place, someone picked up the guitar and played it. The instrument saw a lot of hours of extra vibration during that time. The folks that played the guitar regularly commented that the tone of the guitar was getting better and better. I'm not sure that using a device is a decent substitute for actually playing music on the guitar, but it does force the wood to vibrate, which is something. Great work!
Great comparison. Much appreciated Shane. These work. I’ve had one for about 3 years and I have used it on multiple acoustics. Biggest difference was with my all solid ones. This also does a number on the strings. I always change my strings afterward. I do 7 days of highest setting, 7 days of lowest setting and 7 days of middle setting. I do pick it up and play it whenever I want so it’s not like it can’t be played during the process. Laminated guitars need more time but it’s not as noticeable a difference on those kind.
You know it's just a vibrator right?
@@breadwine1741 yes I do. Thanks. But a vibrator specifically designed to vibrate guitar strings and open up the wood a little.
To find (what I consider to be) the key difference: get you earphones and go to 5:32 and then 5:49 - the harmonic overtones after the last strum are a lot more present than before (which would explain the treble increase shown in the graph). Both strums were pretty similar. The only difference was pitch ("after" was slightly flat).I wouldn't think the results are influenced by such a small difference in pitch, BUT maybe the resonant frequency of this particular guitar is hit when tuned slightly flat (
For years, I've been placing a small Bluetooth speaker (like a Bose Soundlink, which works great) on the strings of my new acoustic guitars and playing pink noise on loop from an old phone. This happens when I spend time in the outdoors, or even while on vacation. Et voilà - excellent results (though I do change the strings because they wear out), and it's almost cost-free. I even have the impression that the noise helps my favorite plants grow better and makes my neighbors more relaxed.
This would have been a great demonstration, but unfortunately you missed a very important step. You should have put new strings on for the demo before the Toneright, and you should have put new strings on again for the demo after the Toneright.
A subtle difference is heard when comparing your before and after clips, but unfortunately that doesn't tell us if the Toneright did anything at all. But what we do know for an absolute fact is that week-old strings are going to sound different than brand new strings.
I was wondering the same thing. Thanks for asking.
Ted Riggs New strings sucks.New strings start sounding good after been played for a few days if you dont like lots of treble that is of course.A good sounding guitar is warm and fat sounding not brittle which is what you get with brand new strings but like with everything its just a matter of taste.
Eric Presley you might be right about brand new strings, but you miss the point- the same set of strings was aged by the vibration.
Much fuller sound, not as harsh at the top end.
Really interesting, thanks Shane!
The difference is striking, I honestly wasn’t expecting any but that’s significant
You might be hearing what you want to hear. haha
@@intheblues No I am usually brutal with scrutiny lol. But there’s definitely more lower mids. To be sure I kept rewinding to see if mic placement changed but you were as sterile as you could be
Thank you for carrying out such a difficult experiment. It would be nice to see this experiment repeated by others, as is the proper way of coming to a conclusion about if an effect is real. The strings are always an issue, as I'm not sure what effect the Tonerite has on the sound of the strings. What if the Tonerite simply "ages" the strings, but does nothing noticeable to the guitar. It's definitely good to be skeptical of products such as these, which means to let the evidence determine if there is a real effect and if it's useful. Confirmation bias is such a powerful phenomenon, and has been used in selling products for hundreds of years.
Agreed in general... but aged strings generally sound duller all around which doesn’t seem to be the case with the graphic eq data. Also less than 200 hours of treatment time is very different than the usual aging promoter (hands); I get a lot more string life washing thoroughly before playing and putting a thin layer of coconut oil on my fingertips and/or using fast-fret (mineral oil I believe). They last multiples longer, not marginally.
If this dude lives near a swamp or some such air quality then your point increasingly makes sense. Ultimate test would be new string set before each sample recording. 👍
I use a ToneRite on my classical guitars - makes a definite improvement on my Spruce top/Maple back & sides Chinese made guitar. On my Cedar topped guitars, the effect is less but they are WAY older instruments. Great demo, but my advice is to try it and return it if you don’t like it. If you own acoustic and classical guitars that you let idle for long periods of time, it’s a very worthy accessory. Since I’m just a hobbyist playing at home, it’s a worthwhile “toy” for me.
Nice job. From the first chord I didn’t like the way the high E string jumped out. I couldn’t hear the bass because it wasn’t hit very hard but the eq showed it. The high string settled down after you used the device. I’m sold.
If you cannot hear that difference, even with the shitty RUclips audio compression algorithm then you are either choosing to ignore the difference or your ears are not very good anymore. That was so much different. Now, you will notice I did not say better. That is up to the brain interpreting the sound. But to say there is not a difference is looney. It was a huge difference. I personally loved the outcome. Nice work.
I heard a difference! I wasn't expecting to at all. Afterwards sounded more "focused" to my slightly damaged hearing. 🤘
Thanks Shane, good job with the test. I think you did your best to manage all the variables to where your results provide an unbiased view of the effectiveness of this device. The main thing i heard was a more pronounced midrange before. The after sounded more even across the frequencies & the guitar definitely had a more vintage sound. There's something in the ToneRite, at least for new acoustic instruments.
OK! Well Shane, you know me and you know my ears!
WON'T BS you! It DID make a difference, NO doubt about it!
Pre vibing, your guitar had a pronounced MID hump to it, like most 'Gibsons/Epis'.
After, it sounded more scooped, with better, more defined, almost hifi trebles!
Reading your comments after stating the strings were already OLD, so had been well and truly played in, this is nothing short of, I won't say amazing, but compelling anyway!
New sets of string or at least a new set to start with before vibe conditioning, might have had an even more marked effect!!!
Still, the fact we all heard a different, along with fairly significantly different graphing results, shows it DID something! What... well who's to know for sure, but something DID change in that guitar!
Kinda miffed you DIDN'T include a sample of the PIEZO response as piezo elements are full range, and may have revealed more, both audibly and analytically.
Also the other materials variable, I would say this device WOULD (sic) have a more profound effect on a SOLID wood acoustic, either with just a solid top or solid top and back.
Still , this is interesting. I'd whack it on for a few more weeks and record some more samples, so see if any more conditioning occurs!
GREAT job Mate! :o)
I used this on my J160e that always sounded a little brittle. I was just shocked at how this made that guitar responsive and toneful. It really worked nice. I'm now using it on my Martin because it sounded like it had no personality compared to the Gibson.
One thing I will note is the Tonerite didn't do anything to help the strings. I had a fairly new set on the guitar and after 144 hours with the Tonerite they were beaten. But after a new set it sounds warmer, clearer and better than ever.
I'm a convert, after the Martin Is done it's going on my Strat.
Thank you for using graphs.
There are a lot of skeptical people on the internet but I truly think Tonerite is a great tool.
Subjectively, I thought it sounded a little brighter & fuller in the "after". Now you ought to try it on an electric! Thanks, I enjoyed the video.
Is the improvement on tone permanent or just temporary?Can you show us the graph after say 3 month time?
Interesting test. There is definitely a difference in the before and after. I have a 20+ year old Martin that has “opened” with age, but if I play a different guitar for a few days,and then play it again it has a slightly different feel and tone until it “warms up” (for lack of a better description). I wonder if the ToneRite has the same effect in that the change is temporary.
I can't agree. First of all, why did you lowered second graph when you compare them? When I took print screens of first graph (before) and second graph (after) and compared them, I noticed that first graph (before) has higher volume (db) on almost all frequences except 247Hz (this is B string). Additionally, decay on first graph (before) on 16kHz is good, because we don't want wasting energy on so high frequences. Finally, if you want appropriate test you should test one by one string, and you can't do that with your hand because force which produce your hand can't be the same (especially after 2 weeks) - for that you should use some mechanic device. If you want to measure micro-differences you need very precise test.
I can hear the difference my Friend bought one and he loves it. Its making a big difference in sound on his acoustics i need to get one
Great test and review! This is very helpful and much appreciated! Thanks!
BTW: I understand the effect of old vs. new strings, on the other hand, much of the change in sound we know is from many hours of "dirty" hands (not a clean device). If the guitar still opens up a little bit even with those same strings, I would say: Subtle change, certainly doable with an eq - but you hear it and you see it on the graph. As an electric jazz player I would also say, volume DOES matter (again - subtle, but noticeable), with a humbucker PU it changes the sound even more.
A professional violin player explained me once how she would place a new violin at least 500 hours between speakers playing violin music. Same principle only louder. Nice video. I was interested as I want to buy a new acoustic guitar. Thx 😊
would have been interesting to hear the guitar with a new set of strings on it both before, and after the application of the tonerite.
The strings were already old. I figured they couldn't get much older in the one week they were on :-)
it definitely did what it said on the tin, it changed the sound audibly! I wouldn't actually mind either of the tones from before or after. I dunno, there wasn't a lot in it at all! But awesome work anyway Shane, good effort on the video. ;)
Sounded warmer to me as well....with a less brittle top end than before despite what the graph said.
Josh Shine Because the strings are older.
I tape a miniature ouija board to all my guitars. it makes the string vibration cycle 5 more cycles per millisecond producing additional harmonics in the overtone series that amaze anybody hearing my sound. I'm constantly asked about my gear and what strings I use. I know like 6 chords , D , A minor , E major 7th, C, G. I count the E major 7th as 2 chords .
5000 intellects 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Not judging the device either way, but I wanted to point out that there's a bit of a flaw in your testing: note the mic position at 5:27 and its angle over the pickguard, roughly over the second ring around the sound hole...then its position at 5:46, which is over the high E string, further back from the sound hole, and at a different angle. I don't see how this wouldn't affect your recording. The proximity effect plus the supercardiod polar pattern of this mic in relation to these two different positions is going to make for a different recording. Anyway, thanks for showing this device to us, and love your channel.
This reminds me of "The Practice Effect", a classic SF novel by David Brin. The key idea is that by using something it gets more fitted to its purpose. So by sitting in a chair it gets better at being a chair, playing a guitar makes guitar better at being a guitar etc. Story's hero ends up in a world where this is all actually true!
The basic concept comes from maverick scientist Rupert Sheldrake, whose theory of "morphic resonance" entertains or enrages scientists depending on their sense of humour. For there is lots of evidence annoyingly supporting it. Lab rats have got better at running mazes, for example. Old shoes do feel more comfortable, shock. Tonerited guitars sound, um, different!
I wish more reviews were as objective as this. Thank you.
Aging for years will change the wood's characteristics. Vibrations for a few days, I doubt it makes any discernable difference. Before actually sounded brighter. I wouldn't spend money on this for sure. But great video and effort. Thanks.
By my reckoning the after has more of a pronounced mellow or rounded tone that being said I high end sounds more subdued or less bright. This loss of brightness seems to be across the board on every video testing the of ToneRight I have seen. I'll keep my axe by my speakers and save the $150 bucks thank you ; )
Whatever the comments on new strings vs old strings and s.f - the effect seems to be at a minimum so the question for me would be if it's worth spending a lot of money in a Tonerite. I don't say that there isn't any effect at all but is the effect worth the investment? I highly doubt it.
Here in Norway the price is allmost 200 euro. And then, what to do with the apparatus after I've used it on my guitar? Is it something to do on a regular basis or is it enough with one time?
Interesting. It makes physical sense that adding vibration will loosen the molecules in wood. I would say that common sense says that ToneRite accelerates loosening the soundboard. The issue is paying $150 for a "tool" that you may use a couple or few times. Also, it is a weak massager motor without any tech. I could hear the difference in this test, it was mellower, and that is what we all like in an older guitar (except a few). But, an Epiphone EJ is a honking beast and should have been run through a few more 168 hour testing periods. Many years ago, I read an article about a guy that put his new guitar on the stand in front of his stereo system and pointed the speaker toward the soundhole. He went to work and his guitar jammed all day. He did it for a "few days," but he said it works. At this point, I'm not convinced to buy a ToneRite.
I used it on a stiff 2003 Guild D40. It increased volume and sustain, plus produced more bass. I did 144 hours on high and 72 on low.
That said, it worked better than expected. However, I was a bit desperate.
With a guitar that already sounds really nice I would be wary of messing with it Since it altered the tone on the Guild, I think it may be a risk on an already well balanced instrument. My concern is that using the max setting is supposed to boost bass and volume. If you needed more treble or wanted to boost scooped mids you may have the opposite (undesired) effect.
Also, since it is summer and my room windows are open, the guitar is also left out to dry the wood slowly and naturally without fear of creating cracks. With our long winters I must humidity during furnace season. I will be curious if using a humidifier device will make some tone revert.
With the Guild though it was absolutely worth it. By adding Martin flexible core lights it gave me the classic Guild sound I wanted. And it is loud.
BS
🤣
There was definitely a difference before and after, and to my ears it got better.
When overlaying the graphs, I'm not sure if it was correct to scale them so the volume was equal. I've read about people using the ToneRite, and a lot of them say that the guitar gets louder. It would be interesting to see the overlay without any scaling :)
But thanks for your effort!
To my ear the ToneRite has given the guitar a mellower, more balanced sound with a less brittle top end. I like it.
It actually uses a proprietary frequency and works much more if you use it for longer (144 hours (6 days, 12 days etc.) keep in mind this was only his first 168-hour test. I work for Tonerite. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Charlie
OrganicVisionPresents@gmail.com
@@OrganicVisionPresent
Charlie,
Thanks for posting here. Listing my questions here for the benefit of others.
1. will the tonerite affect the magnetic properties of humbuckers in a 2-pickup Les Paul? Like should the pickups be removed to be sure? I assume it would sit between the pickups.
2. Does the tonerite have a frequency or range adjustment to focus “development” of the instrument’s frequency ranges (lows, mids, highs)?
3. Would placing the tonerite closer to where I pluck the strings for the tones I want whilst playing, yield development of those same tonal characteristics?
4. If I want to simulate 60 years of aging a Les Paul reissue, should I simply use the tonerite as much as possible? Is there an upper limit?
5. Would it be good to use the tonerite with:
6. Different tunings and/or a capo?
7. Heavier or lighter string gauge?
8. The guitar (temp-stabilized first) sitting in sunlight and/or a moderately warmer or cooler environment?
9. The guitar resting vertically, horizontally, or hung by the strap as when being played?
Pretty stoked about this product. Might do a before/after vid of my own... and with new strings each time ;)
IMO warmer, more balanced and open sound. I use a tonerite on my violin since many years and it makes a difference.
How often and for how long do you use it on the violin? 👍
Great effort. Interesting concept. Nice test. Thanks for all of this.
Very interesting video..thanks for taking the time to put this together!cheers!
My comments are meant to be helpful. The device and the test are very interesting. At the outset I would say a control would help better understand the differences obviously apparent by ear. A control of, say the same guitar with the same brand of new strings hand played for the same number of hours, 168. I assume the device is meant to simulate a "break-in" period of some number of hours of playing, thereby saving the musician the time spent. Then the test would be a comparison of playing vs tone rite break-in. I definitely hear a difference, though it is is somewhat subtle. To my ears the main effects I heard were a reduction in volume of strings 1-4. The unwound strings were especially less bright, as if they were old and used up. I confess I did not hear any difference in string 6, but that may be due to listening through computer speakers. There is another comment here about the difference between breaking strings in, and breaking a guitar in, two vastly different situations. But the comment is on point. Break-in of a guitar's wood takes years, and is only partially due to vibration. Most of the changes to a guitar's wood during aging are due to temperature and humidity changes resulting in micro swelling and contraction, and also crystallization of the resinous acids found in the pores. This is a natural process that occurs in all wood. Vibrations likely help in some way in aging of wood, but I think temperature and humidity are the main drivers. There is a reason why a 1940 Martin D-28 sells for $75k at Carter's Vintage Guitars, there is no substitute for playing a guitar.
Quality test, before and after is hard to emulate at home. There’s definitely a favourable sound change. I’ve also read that the intensity residence control can work the lows mids or highs better depending how you set the control nob. In summary a guitar does respond to this style of product and lays to bed the conversation that playing a guitar for an expended period of time moulds a sound of the instrument differently compared to not playing a guitar.
Working the mids would make them more resonant, right?
Great job on keeping it as controlled as possible... very helpful and a very noticeable difference... did you have scalloped braces cause i feel this is why it showed a mid range scoop once it was opened up... I felt it became softer and less dark but also the volume got a boost which is why it shows it having higher volume!!! Great review!!
Just noticed he had long sleeves on at the beginning and short sleeves afterward. Maybe the long sleeves muted the top? Seems like a cool idea tho
Hey Shane, did you feel the guitar resonating / vibrating more into your chest when you played? That's one of my favourite things about older guitars - that feel of the vibration resonating into my hands and chest.
Also, I could totally hear the shift in tone. More balanced afterwards and maybe a bit more fendery..
I was able to accomplish great results with a vibe it. It was a device that could turn anything( and I mean anything) into a speaker. You could plug one end into a stereo, radio, or computer and play music or just sounds and the other end ,you would stick it on anything that you wanted the vibrations to be transmitted to turn it into a speaker. I had a new fiddle that I wanted to break in quicker, so I stuck the vibe it contact onto the metal practice mute and that went on the bridge. When I wasn't playing it, I had it playing me music trough my fiddle. It opened it up greatly within a week. The vibe it cost me $10 instead of $200. I've seen a few on ebay.
Did you start with fresh strings before and did you restring before the after test? For consistency of testing this is what is required because while the Tonerite does simulate hours of playing, 168 hours of playing will break down the metalurgical properties of the strings. Just saying. I've used the Tonerite initially on a couple guitars and it does work. However unless the video author did in fact begin and end the demo with new strings the demonstration/test won't show the real result. Personally I liked the before sound better.
Having verified that the tool works, I have a question: how should you position the guitar while using it? In the same position as you play or is it indifferent? It could be that the resins of the spruce top position themselves differently depending on the guitar position.
Wonderfully thorough.... Thanks for taking the time :-) 👍
Thanks Shane. I've heard guitars changie in the first few hours of playing after they are initially strung up. We also hear instruments change some more over their lifespans- pianos, violins, guitars etc. Often they get sweeter and less precise sounding. However, I would rather play a guitar to let it settle in than hook it up to vibrate it. It's the obvious thing to do.
Why not do both? I vibrate mine whenever I’m not playing it...
Will Wilson It seems like a waste of time and money to me. You are welcome to do it of course.
Thanks for the effort good video. I have never been convinced that playing makes the difference. I believe it’s totally environment. If the same test was done with constant humidity prior and during the test I think it would be better.
It did sound better to me after the unit was installed. Good test otherwise.
Probably varies by guitar too. Thought it was more balanced after Tonerite, almost too trebley for my ears, but also thinner sounding, especially in the lower notes. I would not say it especially improved the tone.
Thank you Shane! Facts are facts! It appears to have made a difference. Is it really worth it?? I don't know yet, I will probably buy one. Your video was as true as it gets. Thanks Bro., from Nova Scotia!!
To me it just sounds like older strings. I notice a big difference between new strings and strings that are a week old. I think the Tonrite has probably just aged the strings. Is the Epiphone a solid top guitar? It's normally only solid top guitars that improve with age. Also if the guitar has been played a lot, 168 hours of Tonrite won't make much difference I expect. I notice my guitars normally sound quite a bit better than brand new after a couple of months of playing and then it is just a very gradual improvement.
My 26 year old Maton sounds better than it did when new, but the fastest change was in the first six months.
The strings were already old and they are coated as well. They were months old before I started using it.
intheblues
Wow. It made that much difference on an old guitar with old strings. I’m amazed except I actually liked the slightly brighter sound of the first recording. Still I think the fun of acoustics is enjoying the change in sound as you age them yourself.
It did sound slightly different afterwards to me. It sounded a little less harsh maybe? But it was very slight and kinda hard to tell. I think I'd have had to hear it in person to be sure.
I'm curious what you thought, being the one playing it and hearing it in person. It seems to me that maybe this would have more of a difference on how the guitar feels to play than on how it actually sounds through a mic.
I feel that the guitar sounded better, more naturally resonant, prior to using the tone-right. I also believe (quite unscientifically) that your guitar sounds more individually better after it is played for awhile and absorbs the individuals' spirit (or soul). Of course, this cannot be quantified scientifically, but I have noticed that my own guitars sound completely different from another of the exact same model. Some call it "breaking in" or "opening up", I call it imbuing an instrument with your own personal feeling (to some this is merely spooky!!!). Ask any older player and they'll tell you pretty much what I have just stated. If you think my opinion is malarkey, that's okay with me too!
Hi I have a brand new standard Martin D18. Do you recommend using Tone Rite and for how many days on what settings? Thanks
Thank you for your effort an honest review
great demo Shane
thanx for the review, sounds better to me, more bass, more medium
what about using the tonerite for a long time ?
3:10
3:26 (he’s not picking the 1st string as much, proof in the last strum)
5:29
5:47 Definitely hearing more harmonic shimmer in the “after”, despite fundamentals sounding a bit duller. 👏👏
Overall the picking pattern is too inconsistent. Should just be a straight sweep with little to no wrist action, and unlike later when that was done, using a pick instead of a thumb.
Overall good effort, but the subtlety of differences have smaller margins than the testing tolerances.
Thank you ! there was an improvment that you could hear.
I build acoustic guitars and have used 'ToneRite'. Your tests confirms that a slight change in frequency does happen. Some of the bass frequencies slightly increases and some of the mid frequencies drop off slightly. At the very high frequency end a tiny increase in presence sometimes can be heard. I how found that for some guitars these changes are not desirable.
I had a friend who would put the guitar in front of speakers for a week to achieve the vibration of the wood. I wonder if it would work with carbon fiber guitars to mellow it out.
I think you should also consider the pullover you are wearing...
There's definitly a difference in sound. It is more mellow and not as harsh on the high end.
Les Loranzan That could be because we're hearing new strings vs week-old strings.
I noticed my acoustic sounded different after being strapped to the sissy bar on my Shovelhead. I thought I was hearing things (or maybe not hearing things as I've got straight drag pipes, lol).
It just wore down the strings.
It's about vibrating the soundboard, essentially. The sides and back are also along for the ride. It changes the tonal properties, allegedly. If you click between the before and after sound clips, I feel theres a noticeable difference (which, to me, sounds like a tonal improvement)
I heard a considerable difference in the tone, before you used it the guitar sounded a bit dry to my ears... I was actually gonna ask if the strings were old or something.
after you used it, it sounded like a better instrument for sure.... I'm amazed that it actually works.
I wonder what something like this would do to a high end guitar like a Taylor or a Martin...
Keep in mind that the strings are a week older after the Toneright, so we have no way of knowing if that device made any difference whatsoever.
There is no doubt that most acoustic guitars do open up over time. Some take longer than others. The finish (how thick or thin) has something to do with it for sure. However, some seem "open" right out of the box, while others seem never to open up. These days the torrification (probably spelled wrong by me) used on many new guitars is an effort to deal with this problem.
Does it work? I have no experience with that process. Maybe somebody here knows.
Looking through these tests I've never seen a control, I would like to see someone compare the sound of a guitar just after a restring and then again after being left to settle for a week without the tonerite. I'm not saying there would definitely be different but having strings under tension for a week could be the cause of the change rather than this g-string vibrator.
Nobody even sciences.
Not sure about this product Shane. I Really appreciate the effort in making the video, so thank you. As with all your work it's well made. What I heard was a difference. I Can't say it improved the sound. Seams like this is a product that one would rent for a bit of time (couple weeks?). I am still skeptical. Peace! Be well
I am very interested to know about the test on a Classical Guitar?
I've been waiting for this video
I wonder if I just set my guitar in front of a loudspeaker (evm12!) with a random music playlist cranking while I'm at work for a week. That should cover a wide range of frequencies. Plus playing it too of course. Any thoughts?
Hi Shane, Can you do a Demo of a Ibanaze or maxon sonic distortion and sonic distortion mod please?
cheers keep up the great work! :)
So i am a classical guitar player. I know firsthand that there is something really odd that happens when you wear in a guitar. I have a feeling some of you can emulate this if you have a classical guitar. Get the guitar in tune, and move one of the strings out of tune. play a note and try to tune it without a reference. You will note that as you are trying to get it into tune that suddenly the guitar will get louder. I can often tune my guitars without a tuner because of this. Now with this in mind I am actually a little worried about this product, cus if you arent diligent at keeping the guitar in tune while it is being used that it might create an out of tune sweet spot.
Hi Shane, Can you do a Demo of a Ibanez or Maxon Sonic Distortion and Sonic Distortion Mod please?
Cheers keep up the great work! :)
Over 160 hours on a set of strings! I change mine after about 40 hours because after that they just sound terrible. Anyway I preferred the sound before but had to admit that there is a shift on the graph which I didn't expect
This guitar has laminate back and sides. It's not representative of the demographic that will purchase.
Sounds much better after the test to my ears. Thanks for your efforts, it’s much appreciated. Btw I’m a lefty too, I’ve just bought a Martin DX 12 string, it already sounds sweet. I was told about the ToneRite today and came across your post. If it’s a reasonable price I may get one just for the hell of it and see how much nicer my acoustic guitars sound. It’s all about the sound for me, get it sounding sweet and I’m inspired to play for as long as I can, plus get more creative. All the best!
Strings sound dead after the tonebrite. But I mean... strings only last for 100 hours or so of playing and you had them vibrating for 168 hours. Should have done both before and after tests on new strings.
I’d be interested to see how it works with a guitar with solid back and sides.
@@lostintheinternet2814 there is a difference between the 2 tests.
Definately sounds different BUT strings are probably just a little dead after... You need to use an all wood guitar and use new strings each time or take strings off and seal them somehow while putying on stand in strings for the tonrite..
Great video and no bullshit.
Solid test. The guitar sounds has much less mid range and that plastic sound.
Nice video. That's interesting. They could make one for wooden speaker cabinets.
😐
I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but there is a difference in sound. 0_0
Yes, there is!
The before sound is (boy this is tough to gauge..) 20%-40% brighter than the after sound.
I wouldn't say that's better or worse, but it is different for sure.
Considering that our ears do play tricks on us, this difference could be the result of a few things.
1. There is actually less top end.
2. The bottom and mids are more pronounced thus blending better and masking the high end which didn't change.
3.The bottoms and mids are more pronounced and the highs decreased.
You get the idea...There are other variations that could also exist.
...and it's very tough to pin point exactly which one is true.
I wouldn't say there was a volume drop overall, but definitely a change in tone.
All I can say is simply this: If I hadn't heard it myself I would not have believed it.
Thanks
This should be a product available to rent, because after a single use there is not much point on keeping it
Looks like a great way to quickly wear down strings. They're already starting to sound a bit "wooly".
I could see a benefit in breaking in new strings this way but 1 and not 100+ hours would be the way to do it.