Has your Heritage archtop 'opened up' yet?

[Gitfiddler]

Over the weekend I spent some quality unplugged time with my H-575's and '93 Golden Eagle. I haven't played them as much of late, so maybe it is my imagination...perspective...or reality...but they have really opened up, tone-wise over the last few years. The GE in particular, has always been a great sounding archtop, but now that it approaches 23 years, it seems to have reached its stride, tonally.

 

The acoustic qualities of the 575's and GE are much louder than before. What has remained a constant in both is the attack, wonderful woody tone and subtle sustain.

 

Everything about these archtops just seem to have improved...and I couldn't be happier with them.

 

Thank you, Heritage!!

[big bob]

I feel the same way about my 575. Bought it new in 1998, I think.

[tsp17]

Same here. My 575MH gets better every year. I got it out for the first time in 6 months to see how it sounded through my new Mesa Boogie Express+. It was pretty much still in tune; and in full voice. This one was my first guitar love. I always come away very satisfied with it both acoustically and plugged-in, more and more so over the years.

[Kuz]

I think its "our ears" opening up. Really, I doubt very much that the guitars have changed (especially unplayed or played very little). But we haven't heard how good they sound in such a long time..... we swear the guitar has opened up.

[LK155]

I recall reading an article about acoustics 'opening up' which claimed a great deal of the 'opening up' process was due to nothing more than the wood aging.

Which it will do whether the guitar has been played or not.

[mad dog]

My H575 is a 2004. Judging by condition, looks little played. I've not noticed a change in the short time it's been here, but I would not be surprised to have the sound change somewhat. It's already damn good. Showed it to my jazz teacher, who commented first on how good it sounded unplugged. His judgement: a worthy, well built pro guitar.

 

Which is exactly what I think. Putting in a lot of playing time could make us both (me and the H575) better.

MD

[Doug]

I read in an article that Jason Isbell claimed to play rap music at a decent volume with the speakers pointed at his newer model Martin acoustics to help them open up quicker.

 

Sounds crazy to me and not worth the annoyance... but maybe he does it when he's out on tour and not at home.

[Spectrum13]

Over the weekend I spent some quality unplugged time with my H-575's and '93 Golden Eagle. I haven't played them as much of late, so maybe it is my imagination...perspective...or reality.... , but now that it approaches 23 years, it seems to have reached

 

 

I must have killed off a lot of my hearing back in the 60's and 70's. Could aging and the loss of higher frequencies provide the perception of a mellower tone? Lots of hearing loss in 23 years... Just throwing out a theory.

[Gitfiddler]

I think its "our ears" opening up. Really, I doubt very much that the guitars have changed (especially unplayed or played very little). But we haven't heard how good they sound in such a long time..... we swear the guitar has opened up.

 

John, I thought that you were an advocate of using the Tone Rite device to open up your archtops? I was considering getting one to speed the process.

[yoslate]

Shy, reticent, and rarely seen in public, my Super Eagle opened up a bunch...once it made the trip to some gigs and got drunk at Dog Bar in Memphis....

[pressure]

I can't comment on acoustics but all the new Guitars I purchased from Heritage and Fender made a noticeable change in tone after about 2 years from when they were built. A good change. More resonance both plugged and unplugged. This includes 2 Fender Custom Shop Telecasters, about the most basic bolt on neck Guitars ever created. Thank you Leo Fender.

[FredZepp]

 

John, I thought that you were an advocate of using the Tone Rite device to open up your archtops? I was considering getting one to speed the process.

Yes.. I remember these conversations also.

 

I remember my thought at the time was that if I subscribed to this concept, I would set my archtop next to a speaker playing all my favorite tunes to try and give it this benefit. Being next to amplified music certainly makes them resonate quite a bit.

[HANGAR18]

It has been said that the older the wood gets, the more the sap in the wood crystallizes and thus the better that vibration can travel through the wood as you would expect from a fine old instrument.

[Kuz]

OK, here we go.... you don't have to agree with me but this is what I have been told directly....

 

I have read and heard from some excellent luthiers opinions that I trust, these common held beliefs (true for all guitars, but mostly addressing acoustic flattops & archtops);

 

1) Not all guitars "open up". If a guitar is a turd when new, don't assume it will get better 20 yrs from now after heavy playing

2) A good new guitar has the potential to be great, but again, don't assume it will get better. It is ALWAYS a safe bet that the better the guitar sounds new, the better (but not a certainty) the chance that it will become amazing.

3) A couple luthiers stated directly that a guitar will "open up" 75-80% of it's potential within the first two weeks of heavy playing when it is new, the other 20-25% (if it happens) can take 20-30 years of heavy playing

4) Guitars can't "open up" (if they are going to at all) without being played. The vibrations of playing break down molecular bonds in the wood allowing the guitar to enhance its frequencies & response. So yes, theoretically a 50 year old guitar that was never played, stored under the bed, will sound like a new guitar.

 

Bottom line, from what I have been told is;

that most guitars will open up some..... most of the opening will occur within 2 weeks or so..... not all guitars will become open cannons..... buy the best sounding new guitar you can get.... maybe that new great sounding guitar will become an amazing sound guitar.... but don't assume that age & playing will make any guitar amazing over time.

[Kuz]

 

John, I thought that you were an advocate of using the Tone Rite device to open up your archtops? I was considering getting one to speed the process.

 

Yep, I am an advocate and have mixed results, mostly positive.

 

I subscribe that ANY guitar if it is going to "open up" only can with increased vibrations from constant playing (or simulated constant playing).

 

The Tone Rite says to use for 3-4 days straight and then ideally leave it on indefinitely. This can only help a guitar and could never hurt its tone!!! The problem is that I don't like to leave my expensive guitars sitting outside of their cases with a vibrator attached to them. The kids, company, pets, and even the weather, can potentially harm a guitar "just sitting out." I am try to use the Tone Rite more frequently, especially with my flattops. I feel it has made between a 5-15% difference on my guitars (more for flattops, then archtops, then electric guitars). But honestly, I am just trying to rotate my guitars and play them more frequently..... I know, a tough problem to have!!!!!

 

If you would like to try it, I would be happy to mail it to you (I am less like to leave my guitars outside their case during winter). Just pay the shipping.

[Kuz]

I recall reading an article about acoustics 'opening up' which claimed a great deal of the 'opening up' process was due to nothing more than the wood aging.

Which it will do whether the guitar has been played or not.

Lyle, I am not sure how that can happen if the wood has been stained & sealed. Maybe some minor aging from climate & humidity changes to the wood, but I still contend that vibrations to the wood are necessary to "open up" a guitar.

[Vanschoyck]

I can't say with certainty any of mine have "opened up." I know that if I leave one alone for a while and come back, if my technique has evolved at all, and I would hope that it does, I'll discover new tones in the instrument and rediscover old ones. Changing strings has a similar effect. My perception is that a brand new guitar can feel a little stiff in my hands, as if all the parts aren't quite used to being glued together yet. I also perceive if an instrument has become too dry when I've neglected to keep the humidifier wet.

 

Barely related, often when I pick up my guitar I would swear someone raised the action on me. I'm always measuring it to convince myself that it's still the same. I'm reasonably sure none of my fingers turned into thumbs over night.

[Yooper]

I don't know if my '98 Eagle Classic has opened up or not. I've only had it a few years.

 

I do know my playing has opened up a lot thanks to this Seth-loaded sweetie. I just learned Well You Needn't. I'm pretty sure that opened up something.

[TalismanRich]

What Hangar said is true. The sap / rosin in the wood will oxidize and crystallize over time, which will change the way the wood resonates. Conifers, like redwood, cedar spruce and pine have an high rosin content.

 

I remember hearing an artist talk about liking Ovation guitars (with the composite body) because if it sounded good when you got it, it would sound the same in 10 years.

[schundog]

I don't know if my '98 Eagle Classic has opened up or not. I've only had it a few years.

 

I do know my playing has opened up a lot thanks to this Seth-loaded sweetie. I just learned Well You Needn't. I'm pretty sure that opened up something.

 

Monk was nuts..... Brilliantly nuts!!! His stuff sounds so wrong, yet so right.

[Vanschoyck]

Monk was nuts..... Brilliantly nuts!!! His stuff sounds so wrong, yet so right.

 

Gotta love the Monk!

[Gitfiddler]

 

Yep, I am an advocate and have mixed results, mostly positive.

 

I subscribe that ANY guitar if it is going to "open up" only can with increased vibrations from constant playing (or simulated constant playing).

 

The Tone Rite says to use for 3-4 days straight and then ideally leave it on indefinitely. This can only help a guitar and could never hurt its tone!!! The problem is that I don't like to leave my expensive guitars sitting outside of their cases with a vibrator attached to them. The kids, company, pets, and even the weather, can potentially harm a guitar "just sitting out." I am try to use the Tone Rite more frequently, especially with my flattops. I feel it has made between a 5-15% difference on my guitars (more for flattops, then archtops, then electric guitars). But honestly, I am just trying to rotate my guitars and play them more frequently..... I know, a tough problem to have!!!!!

 

If you would like to try it, I would be happy to mail it to you (I am less like to leave my guitars outside their case during winter). Just pay the shipping.

 

Thanks for offering to ship your ToneRite to me for testing. But nah...I'll keep playing my gits and see if my perception of subtly increasing tonal and volume levels continue.

 

I often place my acoustic and archtop guitars on stands directly in front of amps as I play at home. Its fun to listen to them 'hum along' with their sympathetic string vibrations. My J200 in particular sings loudly as I play my electrics. She always makes me smile.

[SteveinToulouse]

Just a theory !

 

A guitar left unplayed for a while and left in it's case is going to stabalise to it's environment. A change in humidty levels in the wood may have an effect on the sound ?

[Speedyeast]

+1 Kuz. Not all guitars will open up, and none of them will if you don't play them. That said, I have a 2001 Super Eagle that sounds pretty good acoustically. I attribute this to the fact that I have played it a lot...and that the woods are aging. I bet that when the guitar was new it looked beautiful, but it sounded tight--i.e., less bass response and a more damped top from all of the electronics. Now, everything is nice and settled in. The guitar is pretty vibrant.

 

Is it as loud as my acoustic archtops (as opposed to acoustic/electric archtops)? Not quite. However, it is pretty loud on its own.

 

You gotta play 'em, though, to break them in.

[ironmike]

, I have for Heritage Guitars for Gibson guitars to GL Guitars and a lot of antique guitars from the turn of the century cut through the forties, 575 maple top certainly opened up and stabilized after a good many years so well that it stays in tune for months in the case. I own about 20 guitars and some go out of rotation for a while so it's not hard to tell. 575 spruce top is about 5 years old and he's just coming into its own very stable but not eyes open as simple my older archtops, it simply takes time and age for the gums to crystallized in the wood fiber to find itself where it belongs. You can't break in a guitar by vibrating that's a fairytale. Guitars that have smaller next profiles then the C shape become more stable with age what should I say it becomes more apparent has a C shape is stable right out of the gate. I found the same to be true with my solid bodies , like so many things that are out there today young people or believe or want to believe in some insto <facto methods to get to whatever it is they think they're going to get to. I've been playing for over 45 years, I had a few guitars in my day and I expect I'm going to have a whole lot more, you can't replace time. Cakes have to be baked, and seasons have to pass in order for full forms maturity. My es 335 is the Memphis built black beauty manufactured in 88, it is only come into its own these past 10 years, wood selection moisture content resin environment glue type and finish are the many factors and I'm sure I'm leaving a few out. Time time time time time, the good news is if you practice practice practice practice practice practice practice you will be wisely using your time the guitar will be ready for you when you're done hahaha