Techniques for Breaking in a New Taylor Guitar

[FELIX6786]

 I heard that if one strums it "hard" once a day ...10-15 minutes play time....the wood will start opening "faster" and the color of the music will change and/or open faster than if not....is this myth ....or not?

[Strumming Fool]

Never tried that because I've liked the sound of the guitars I have today from Day One. My advice would be to play that guitar the way you typically like to play. Sound will change over time anyway, and you'll hopefully enjoy the changes you hear. I've recently sold a 10 year old guitar, because it had mellowed and darkened in its tone to the point that I no longer preferred its sound.

[Frettingflyer]

+1- play the way you play, the more you play the quicker it “plays in”. If I don’t like the starting sound I don’t want to endure 110’s of hours of play hoping it changes. Enjoy playing it.

[FELIX6786]

Never tried that because I've liked the sound of the guitars I have today from Day One. My advice would be to play that guitar they way you typically like to play. Sound will change over time anyway, and you'll hopefully enjoy the changes you hear. I've recently sold a 10 year old guitar, because it had mellowed and darkened in its tone to the point that I no longer preferred its sound.

I have 1988 k22. It does sounds muddier and a lot mellower than 21 years ago when I purchased it...but can’t part with it...thanks

[Strumming Fool]

Never tried that because I've liked the sound of the guitars I have today from Day One. My advice would be to play that guitar they way you typically like to play. Sound will change over time anyway, and you'll hopefully enjoy the changes you hear. I've recently sold a 10 year old guitar, because it had mellowed and darkened in its tone to the point that I no longer preferred its sound.

I have 1988 k22. It does sounds muddier and a lot mellower than 21 years ago when I purchased it...but can’t part with it...thanks

My 7 year old K24 has mellowed a bit. A change to different strings or a different  pick may mitigate the darkened tone of your K22.

[Edward]

I gotta toss in my two cents on this as I personally think there is far too much digital ink spilled on this subject.

An acoustic "opening up" is not myth, but neither is it as discernible as folks claim it is. 

My angle: the guitar changing its tonal profile comes with time and play, to be sure.  But the bigger variable is us, our ears (and along with that our age), our perceptions, and our preconceived biases.  I am a firm believer that folks all too often hear what they want to hear.  That's no indictment on anyone specific, nor to the the devotees of the "Tone Rite" device, but merely a statement that no one is immune to the bugaboo that is greatest variable of all: the human.  Which is why I personally never even consider this "opening up" business in a guitar's profile, never.  So maybe the tone did get sweeter over the 9 months, 3 weeks, and the 5th day of playing.  Or perhaps you just loved the tone that day.  Or you are finding the sum of its qualities more appealing.  Any way you look at it, it is yours to enjoy, or yours to consider selling.  Was it the guitar, or is it our perception?  (Is it live or is it memorex? ...never mind ).  This is not so much a rhetorical question but a literal one: which is the more likely to have changed, my physical hearing, my perceptions/opinions, the conditions of the moment in which I am drawing that conclusion, or the guitar.

So that's me.  I would never factor such an inconclusive, inconsistent, unpredictable facet of an acoustic into the equation of a guitar's "goodness quotient."  It just doesn't figure to me.  Again, I am not saying guits don't change over time; my contention is that too much is made over whatever changes may take place. There are far more tangible, genuine facets that affect an acoustic guitar's tone that deserve more time and consideration.  IMO, of course

Edward

[oldwasichu]

I heard that if one strums it "hard" once a day ...10-15 minutes play time....the wood will start opening "faster" and the color of the music will change and/or open faster than if not....is this myth ....or not?

Well, here’s one method I don’t recommend. Buy a new guitar (I just acquired a NAMM edition custom GA). Got to play it for several days. Absolutely love it. Then, I sliced my index finger pretty deep preparing dinner on Monday night. So my new Taylor sits in its case. The only opening up for next couple of weeks will be me opening the case to look at it. Fingerpicking is out of the question for a while. Will probably attempt holding a pick using my middle finger just to get a few strums in. As they say, the waiting is the hardest part.

Normally, I would put a Tonerite on a new guitar for a few days, but this one was perfect out of the box. I’m sure the demos in Nashville didn’t hurt the cause!

Have a great weekend.

[Frettingflyer]

I heard that if one strums it "hard" once a day ...10-15 minutes play time....the wood will start opening "faster" and the color of the music will change and/or open faster than if not....is this myth ....or not?

Well, here’s one method I don’t recommend. Buy a new guitar (I just acquired a NAMM edition custom GA). Got to play it for several days. Absolutely love it. Then, I sliced my index finger pretty deep preparing dinner on Monday night. So my new Taylor sits in its case. The only opening up for next couple of weeks will be me opening the case to look at it. Fingerpicking is out of the question for a while. Will probably attempt holding a pick using my middle finger just to get a few strums in. As they say, the waiting is the hardest part.

Normally, I would put a Tonerite on a new guitar for a few days, but this one was perfect out of the box. I’m sure the demos in Nashville didn’t hurt the cause!

Have a great weekend.

Sorry to hear of your accident, that guitar will be ready when you are! Hope you heal quickly.

[Rusty Chops]

Think of the guitar’s top as if it’s a banjo head.
As the wood “relaxes” into its new shape (loosens up), more of the top past the kerfing becomes available, drawing less tension across the face, like loosening a banjo head a skoash.
More deeper frequencies should show up for six months, then still more for years after.

[Earl]

I gotta toss in my two cents on this as I personally think there is far too much digital ink spilled on this subject.  An acoustic "opening up" is not myth, but neither is it as discernible as folks claim it is.

Agree on the verbosity involved, but I'll still pile on with some more thoughts based on many years of perspective.  It takes a while for a tree to realize that it is now a guitar and settle under the new stresses.  I always buy based on today's tone and usually with a specific goal in mind (body size, wood type, tone).  If the tone matures over the years, then that is sprinkles on top of the sundae.  I have experienced noticeable "opening up" on new guitars personally, while others never seem to change much.  Bob Taylor has commented on multiple occasions that there are audible changes:
1) within the first day after being strung up
2) after about one month of play time
3) a subtle change at about ten years 

Most of us don't get to hear the first two.  It usually takes longer than a month for the guitar to get from the factory to the retailer and then into our hands.

[mgap]

When it comes to a new guitar, I think of it as bringing home a new baby.  Yes, it is a human but not the mature human it will grow up to be.  I would never want to have a new baby become the mature adult it will become without enjoying the time in between.  My opinion is to let it happen when it happens and just enjoy the guitar. It is after all a journey.   

[SDTaylorman]

When it comes to a new guitar, I think of it as bringing home a new baby.  Yes, it is a human but not the mature human it will grow up to be.  I would never want to have a new baby become the mature adult it will become without enjoying the time in between.  My opinion is to let it happen when it happens and just enjoy the guitar. It is after all a journey.   

Quoted for truth (and beauty). Nicely said.

[TedBPhx]

After about a year I noticed my 814 seemed a little more responsive to finger picking, not that it was hard to begin with! Maybe this is confirmation bias as I was listening for it or maybe my fingers learned how to play this particular guitar or maybe the top loosened. Doesn’t matter. It’s a dream to play. Always was.

[Cosmic String Theory]

Keep it out of its case and play it daily.

[SDTaylorman]

Keep it out of its case and play it daily.

OR...keep it in the case (and protected) but play it daily (multiple times per day if you can). That 22 seconds to open the case and take out the guitar will be paid back in spades in keeping your guitar in great condition when you're not opening it up.