Bit the bullet, bought a ToneRite....

[dhanners623]

...or I should say I ordered one. The local shop that carried them was out, so I ordered one from ToneRite directly. Allegedly will take 2-3 weeks to arrive.

 

I know some people here (well, at least one person) has expressed disdain for the device, the concept behind it and anybody fool enough to buy it. But I'm spending my money, not theirs, so I don't need to hear it. Once it arrives and I've had a chance to try it out, I'll offer a full report.

 

My intent is to use it on the IB'64 Texan first. As I've said numerous times before, it is a fine guitar and I really like the unplugged sound. Extremely pleased with it. But after my roadtrip last week and playing both the '98 J-45 and the Texan, it struck me that the Texan, while a fine-sounding guitar, just didn't have the bottom end of the J-45. There were some other tonal differences, as well. (Granted, they are different guitars, so some differences are to be expected.)

 

But I figured I'd give the ToneRite a try to see if it would bring out the guitar's potential faster than waiting 12 years.

[frenchie1281734003]

I will be interested to see what your conclusions are, let us know.

 

Steve.

[Rockanrolla]

I look forward to see how it goes, I have often thought about doing the same.

best of luck. Mo

[powerpopper]

I've witnessed the Tonerite wars on many a forum. I have to say that I've been skeptical but oddly enough would entertain trying it on my Texan. I will be very interested to hear how it goes, David.

[Red 333]

Can you make some before and after recordings for us?

 

I see no reason the device won't work as advertised. The extent of the effect will simply vary by guitar, due to the nature of the wood, and how the construction techniques may have impeded the guitar's ultimate potential.

 

I hope the TR works great for you, Davd.

 

Red 333

[dhanners623]

I was thinking of doing some before-and-after videos, but the camera I use to record my videos (like the ones I've got on YouTube) ain't the greatest in terms of sound recording. Still, I suppose it is better than nothing and might give the listener some idea of the difference. I could always record a new verison of "Dallas After Midnight" for comparison purposes.

 

I gave some thought to getting three or four guitar buddies to go in on the deal and therefore reduce the cost (at least to me) but went ahead and did it on my own.

 

I'm wondering what impact, if any, the ToneRite "alteration" might have on the plugged-in sound of the guitar.

[Zork]

My brother has one and we did a before and after in his studio which is pretty well equipped and we used our ears. I could tell after we ran it for three days. There was a difference. Louder and a larger soundstage. You could hear it on the recordings too.

 

If you don't believe it, that's fine.

[abbeyroadman]

Hi dhanners23 -

 

Looking forward to hearing about your thoughts. Zork - did you run it, 24 hours per day for 3 days? Has anyone tried a ToneRite application on a Casino?

 

Regards,

[Red 333]

Hi dhanners23 -

 

Looking forward to hearing about your thoughts. Zork - did you run it' date=' 24 hours per day for 3 days? Has anyone tried a ToneRite application on a Casino?

 

Regards,

[/quote']

 

I've read about people using the ToneRite on guitars with laminated top construction, and the results are about what you'd expect on guitars that are built that way: negligeable. The whole point of that kind of top is to resist vibration, so feedback is prevented. That's why those tops are made the way they are, with plys of wood glued together. Building the top's thickness with plys of wood adds strength. They alternate the grain orientation of each ply to provide additional dampening: each flexes in a different direction, so they counteract one another. It adds up to a top that is somewhat flexible, but not like the drum-like flexibilty required by a purely acoustic instrument, like a flat top. That's a good thing in this case, because we can play real loud!

 

This is probably why you don't hear people talk about how much better their electric guitar sounds with age, as often as acoustic players do. Acoustic players often report dramatic changes in the sound of their instruments over time. Electrics are purposely built more heavily, and have much more mass, so the impact of the wood's changing internal structure is likely less noticible. And remember, on an electric guitar, the body influences the pick ups, which makes the sound. On an acoustic, the body makes the sound.

 

You need strings to make the body vibrate, of course (and the body's vibration further effects the strings' vibration, and so forth, but you know what I mean.

 

Red 333

[Zork]

We ran the ToneRite round the clock for 3 days. Bro had another guitar he ran for 3 days, then for another 3 days later on. These were both pretty high end solid wood acoustics.

 

I think on the Texan it will work pretty well as it has a nice sitka top on it.

 

Even on plywood it may do a little to loosen joints, seams and braces.

[abbeyroadman]

Thanks Red and Zork -

 

Noted about the Casino's composition of plywood, lamination and pick-ups; I was curious because of the true hollow-body construction. Look forward to hearing back from dhanners.

 

Regards,

[dhanners623]

The UPS guy came this afternoon and dropped off the ToneRite, so here are some unexciting "in action" photos of the thing:

 

 

The instructions recommend an initial treatment of 72 to 144 hours. I'm going to try the 72 hours, or actually a bit longer. The 72 hours would be up Sunday evening, and I work a late shift Sunday so I'll just try the thing out Monday morning and hopefully have a report by then. It'll give me time to get re-acquainted with my other guitars. Or get re-acquainted with my other hobby, cardmodeling:

 

 

As advertised, the device is virtually noiseless. I can hear a very slight hum, but if I didn't know what it was, I wouldn't notice it. Fit right on the guitar, and you can feel the guitar vibrating.

 

The device is controlled by the "power/harmonic controller" switch. The instruction booklet says you can set the ToneRite "to any level you are comfortable with." Not quite sure what that means....

 

It does say that the dial controls "both the intensity of the vibrations and the amount of harmonics created by the ToneRite. We have found that lower intensity and higher harmonics (the lower settings) create a sweeter tone while higher intensity with tighter frequencies (the higher settings) gives more projection and volume."

 

So I figured for the first go-round I'd set the thing pretty much in the middle.

 

The ToneRite folks seem nice enough. In fact, on the back of the booklet, it says, "For information, help, or just someone to talk to," and then lists ToneRite's address, phone number and e-mail address.

 

Where were these guys when I was going through my divorce? I could've used someone to talk to then....

[Red 333]

I can't believe the detail on that model! How big is it?

 

Nice looking guitar, by the way.

 

Red 333

[dhanners623]

The model is 1/96th scale, so it is is a little under 24 inches tall. Made entirely out of paper. Lost count of how many different types of card and paper I used. Atlantis is a heavily modified "kit" that I downloaded online, while the External Tank and Reusable Solid Rocket Motors were scratchbuilt.

 

If only I had the material to build my own ToneRite....

[Red 333]

The model is 1/96th scale' date=' so it is is a little under 24 inches tall. Made entirely out of paper. Lost count of how many different types of card and paper I used. [i']Atlantis[/i] is a heavily modified "kit" that I downloaded online, while the External Tank and Reusable Solid Rocket Motors were scratchbuilt.

 

If only I had the material to build my own ToneRite....

 

Is that what card modelling means--building out of paper?

 

Red 333

[dhanners623]

Is that what card modelling means--building out of paper?

 

Red 333

 

Yep' date=' paper. Started with styrene when I was a kid (oddly enough, my very first kit was a 1/48th-scale "Texan" -- the military trainer -- from Aurora, back in 1960) and did that for years, but about eight or nine years ago I switched to card. For one thing, plastic kits struck me as getting way too expensive, which is understandable since styrene is a petrochemical product. The other thing was that the stuff I was most interested in modeling -- contemporary space launch vehicles -- just wasn't well-represented in the plastic modeling world. But there was a growing cadre of very talented designers across the globe who were designing very detailed models of the rockets I was interested in and offering them (usually for free) for download on the Internet.

 

The quality of the models varied, but some of them were very good, and they've just gotten better. And I scratchbuilt some. And since there are multitudes of papers, including metallic ones, I found I could model a decent rocket.

 

Since we're waiting for the ToneRite to work and have nothing else to do, here are a few photos:

 

[img']http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc91/dhanners/Epi1.jpg[/img]

[frenchie1281734003]

Very nice models dhanners, I have done the odd bit of card modelling and scratch building myself, I made the boys a Doctor Who "TARDIS" each (U.K. Sci-Fi show) recently, and now they want a big DALEK each! I use plastic card myself. How you come up with compound curves in cardboard & paper, I`ll never know, and what do you do for Decals?

 

Anyway very interested in what results you get with the Tone-Rite.

[dhanners623]

Thanks for the kind words, Frenchie. Speaking of our European cousins, here's something for them, my scratchbuilt 1/96th-scale model of the Ariane 5:

 

 

 

 

Don't know why I didn't take a picture of the rocket's upper stage and payload shroud. I'll have to get around to doing that. I have a little time. The Texan's still buzzing....

[The_Buffalo]

 

...If only I had the material to build my own ToneRite....

 

I've heard of people putting their guitars on a stand in front of their stereo speakers to speed up the break-in process. Cheaper than a Tonerite, even if you have to buy a guitar stand.

[peeper]

I've heard of people putting their guitars on a stand in front of their stereo speakers to speed up the break-in process. Cheaper than a Tonerite' date=' even if you have to buy a guitar stand.[/quote']

It would accomplish the same thing.

[dhanners623]

It would accomplish the same thing.

 

Your opinion of the ToneRite (I say "opinion" because I'm assuming you've never used one) is well-known, as is your ridicule of those who buy it. So I'm supposing this thread really isn't for you. It's more for people who are inquisitive and have an open mind about things claimed to improve the sound of their guitars; we'll see what impact the device has.

 

I once stuck a new Bourgeois in front of some stereo speakers for a few days; the effects were negligible, if any. It certainly didn't vibrate like the Texan with the ToneRite on it now.

 

And I'll spend my hard-earned union paycheck any way I want.

 

Although I'm a day away from taking off the device, for the hell of it, I plucked the strings this morning to see what it sounded like. There is definitely a resonance that wasn't there when I put the thing on Thursday night. Plucking the muted strings created that air-moving sound/feel you get from a good, old cello.

[Dagwood]

Dave,

Did you by chance record your guitar before using this? I'd be very interested to see(read)/hear the results...:)

 

I hope it does good for you.

[The_Buffalo]

 

...And I'll spend my hard-earned union paycheck any way I want...

 

I wouldn't have it any other way.

[dhanners623]

Dave' date='

Did you by chance record your guitar before using this? I'd be very interested to see(read)/hear the results...:)

 

I hope it does good for you.[/quote']

 

Thanks. We'll see how it works.

 

I did a video for YouTube and while the camera's mic is pretty unsophisticated, you can get an idea of the guitar's sound. I did a cover of Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Dallas After Midnight" and you can check it out here:

 

Maybe I'll post something after the "treatment."

[dhanners623]

OK, here's the big "reveal"....

 

Took the ToneRite off this morning and played the Texan. The actual 96-hour period (which they recommend for the initial treatment) actually ended last night, but I worked the late shift yesterday so I figured I'd just try it this morning. So the actual initial treatment was 107 hours. Thank goodness I had other guitars to play during that time....

 

The short verdict: It worked. It worked really well.

 

The guitar is, in the words of my wife who heard me playing this morning, "richer and fuller." She's not a player, but before, she could hear (and noted) the difference between the Texan and my J-45. And this morning, she commented on the sound right away.

 

Without a doubt, there is more definition in the notes, more volume and a bit more bottom end. The latter two were not a huge concern of mine because it had a good bottom and was plenty loud. But the definition and articulation of notes was something I felt could definitely be improved. The ToneRite worked some sort of magic.

 

Although I write for a living, I've always had trouble trying to describe a guitar's sound. I know some guys who can go on and on, giving flowery descriptions of a guitar's tone as if they're some sort of wine critic sampling the latest vintage. To me, a guitar's sound generally falls into one of two categories: Sounds I Like, and Sounds I Don't Like. I liked the Texan beforehand, but now I like it a lot more. But as I keep searching for some way to describe it, I keep coming back to my wife's simple and straightforward observation: "It sounds richer and fuller."

 

I'm happy with the results. The effect was certainly a lot more than what you'd get by plopping the guitar in front of a stereo speaker, as some have suggested. The guitar has opened up quite a bit. There's more "oomph" to the notes, more resonance. And while I would not describe its pre-ToneRite sound as muddy -- there was some definition in the notes -- now there is a lot more definition.

 

So color me "sold." I may put the device on longer (the instructions recommend a couple of initial 96-hour treatments) but I'm going to stop typing and go play the guitar.