Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Topic started by: Colorancher on March 16, 2012, 10:50:03 PM
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Has anyone gotten a good aging experience from a Tonerite on a Taylor? I realize that with the poly finish and edge milling that they will be less amenable to "opening up". But i was wondering if there are any members who have used the device on a Taylor with good or bad experience. Specifically, I was thinking of my 2011 LTD Koa. I have heard a lot about Koa's needing a few years to age but can a tonerite help? Any thoughts?
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I tried the Tonerite on my K22ce and 716ce. There was a slight difference on the K22, but much more on the 716 (both were improvements). I had the Tonerite on each for about 3 days apiece.
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Thanks. Three days sounds a bit short, though. I must say I was kind of convinced when I went into Gruhn's guitars and saw a guitar in the corner with a Tonerite on it. I mean this was Gruhn's. Hmmm.
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There's only one way to age a guitar...
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I agree with Steve here. Only one way to "age" a guitar.
On the other hand, I used a ToneRite on my GS-LTD Mahogany (the suggested 144 hour treatment) and found a marked improvement in clarity and note separation. Volume was slightly better.
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And I would say, play your guitar for 144 hours straight and not only will it sound better, you will too. OTOH, unplug the ToneRite and put the guitar in the case for a few days, and all that benefit goes away. Just like if you leave the guitar in the case and not play it for a week -- it takes time to warm the guitar up and loosen the top.
With your hand & pick, or with a vibrator, the results of action or inaction are the same. Why let the vibrator have all the fun? :)
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<snip> ... I realize that with the poly finish and edge milling that they [Taylor] will be less amenable to "opening up".
I don't mean to be argumentative, but who fed you this wive's tale?
The UV finish is actually thinner and more flexible than Nitrocellulose lacquer, allowing the top to flex more freely and thereby exercise and, ultimately, break down the inter- and intra-cellular 'sap' in the top wood in a timely manner. Between this and Taylor's process controlled kiln drying of the woods, your Taylor will open up just as quickly, if not faster, than the more traditional builders.
As for milling, are you speaking of quartersawing the tops? Are you speaking of the actual mills that they use (the same as everyone else uses)? Help me understand your point.
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Why let the vibrator have all the fun?
Gutch, I think you've just found the title to my next book.
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Why let the vibrator have all the fun?
Gutch, I think you've just found the title to my next book.
;D 8) ;D
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Why let the vibrator have all the fun?
Gutch, I think you've just found the title to my next book.
You think Wood & Steel may pickup the rights on that one too? ::)
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The edge milling is the groove they mill around the edge of the tops. I believe they call it the "relief rout". And that groove certainly starts the tops off loose to begin with. And the poly finish is not thinner and it is a heck of a lot stronger and stiffer that nitro. I mean, these finishes are bullet proof, which is nice since it protects from dings.
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Re: Finish -- Durability does not equate to stiffness or thickness. In fact, if the finish was stiff, the dings you mention would cause cracks in the finish, not to mention the checking you commonly see on instruments that have been exposed to temperature or humidity extremes. The acrylate UV cured finish is actually more flexible than nitro, and goes on much thinner (and faster...).
Read this tech sheet, paying particular attention to pages 3 & 4...:
http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/finish_line.pdf
And then read this article, paying attention to the comments regarding flexibility and how little finish is used...: http://www.nymphusa.com/tele/UVCoatings.pdf
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I use one my my BTO, and it helped to loosen up the Adirondack top.
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... And the poly finish is not thinner and it is a heck of a lot stronger and stiffer that nitro. ...
A bit OT, but are you sure about this? I definitely recall Bob writing somewhere that since their "robo-sprayer" of late (what, since early 2000s?), the factory fin is considerably thinner than your standard hand-shot nitro, not to mention absolutely consistent across the entire surface of the guitar.
Now comes my pure anecdotal speculation: looking at my RTs and 2008 DN's tops, I can see very defined grain when looking at a shallow angle with good light; when I see old Martys and Gibbys, I see this same pronounced grain, leaving me to "think" (surmise?) that Taylor's fin is pretty dang thin, which is sonically a good thing. Not to mention I dented the top of my old GA7 down to the wood ...lol, apart from the exposed cedar that fin looked pretty thin to me. Again, all just observational, but I'm sure someone here has got a finish-thickness spec somewhweres...
(that's you, Michael, I'm a callin you out, man! :) :) :) )
Edward
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Colorancher,
I also have a 2011 Koa LTD and put my Tone-Rite on it for 72 hours after I got it at Thanksgiving; I think it helped a little, maybe not as tight sounding. It's been four months, so I'll give it another go. The Taylor is my second all koa guitar; my first is a Martin D-42K2 that I've had for 10 years. It took about 9 months of constant playing before it started to develop the "sweet" all koa sound, so I'm guessing at least this long for the Taylor.
I'd say my Tone-Rite use has made a marked difference about a third of the time, a slight difference another third and no noticeable difference the other third (I've tried this on about 15 different guitars). I view it as really keeping your guitars warmed up at idle and ready to go. I feel some guitars do hibernate and it takes 20-30 minutes to rouse them. I like the Tone-Rite but am hard pressed to quantify any improvements.