How to Make an Aging Device For Your Guitar?
When Do You Need an Aging Device for Your Guitar?
The aging device might be handy if the sound of your acoustic friend doesn’t satisfy you.
Here’s it why.
It is a well-known fact that with time the acoustic guitar sounds better and better if treated well.
There are 3 conditions for that:
- It’s an instrument of good quality. In other words, it has to be a wood instrument and not a cheap laminate one.
- The guitar has to be well-treated and preserved.
- You have to play it a lot.
Then, the wood becomes more and more responsive to the string vibrations with the time being.
Another consideration is about “opening the sound” of a brand-new instrument.
Which is actually a short-range aspect of the same aging process.
There is some period between getting the new guitar and the moment when its sound starts to “shine”.
But I don’t want to go deep into the theory of the subject. It’s quite obvious.
The Acoustic Guitar Aging Device
Well.
And what if you don’t have enough time to play your beloved guitar to make it sound like a vintage 50-year-old instrument?
There are some special acoustic guitar aging devices which simulate the string vibrations which they apply to the guitar body for a long period (the more the better).
DIY Aging Device Made By Myself
I decided to do it “my way”. Mmm, OK kind of redneck way. 🙂
First of all, why do I need it?
I have a very nice ALL-WOOD Norman ST40 Semi-Acoustic guitar.
It’s a nicely done and proudly Canadian instrument. But the sound feels to be a bit dull.
I have put the Phosphor-Bronze Elixir on it and it sounds much better now. But still, there is not enough volume in the tone.
The work is done in 3 steps.
So here’s what I did:
- Round metal tea can from David’s Tea. I’ve cut it from both sides so the neck’s lower end goes through. This way the neck anchors the device and prevents it from slipping off. And of course, I have secured all edges with the black mounting tape.
- Motor from the old Christmas outdoors deer. You all should know those things with waving heads. It’s the round white thing on the top of the tea can in the image at the top. And its moving stick goes right through the middle of the can.
- Piece of plastic from the garbage can. It plays the role of the pick which hits strings. It can be any flexible plastic stripe attached to the motor stick with some bolts.
That’s all.
Here is how it looks inside:
The blue plastic stripe is the “pick” replacement which hits the strings.
WARNING! THIS IS A 110 V ELECTRIC DEVICE. YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS TO AVOID THE ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD. AND DON’T LEAVE THE FUNCTIONING DEVICE UNATTENDED.
Personally, I would never leave my house with this thing working.
And the last tip: If you have a big guitar case or just a box, put the instrumental device in it. And if you have a basement then put that box there. Becaue you might go mad after listening to the same sound pattern for a long time.
Did it make any difference?
Didn’t have enough time to try it. It should take week or two in a row to be able to talk about the results.
And I just tried it for 2 days only then I left for a trip. And I couldn’t leave it unattended.
I’ll let you cnow a bit later.
Yes! Now I can tell it works. I wouldn’t say it’s a tremendous difference. But there’s the feeling of fresh full sound when I just get the guitar from the case.
Before I’ve applied the device the sound “right from the case” was a bit dull. And by the way I’m experimenting on my made in canada Norman ST40 semi-acoustic
I’m trying an old aquarium air pump that vibrates just like the cheaper alternative to the tone traveler I saw in a video demonstration which uses the same type of mechanics and It saves me the hundred fifty 😂
Cool. Creativity is the king!