Tone Change Day-to-day?

[NYC]

I've been looking for an excuse like this for a while now. Can the tone and response of a guitar change day-to-day because of humity level, temperature, how 'bout phases of the moon, what-ever? I'm gonna take a chance here and say I think something changes, cause somedays there's a flatness that wasn't there before. Not all the time, but some days it's full, and somedays it's not.

If I can stick my neck out farther, the day after the Dampit gets it's charge there is a difference.

Just to make this more scientific, I generally make sure all the dead bugs are out of my ears and drain the beer from said orifice back into the bottle before I do my tests.

My bad excuses need some facts badly!

[Youndy]

Yes, I've noticed the same thing but never mentioned it cause I thought it was only in my head. The difference between "good" days and flat days can be dramatic. Usually, on days when it's flat, I put the guitar away until the next day. Surprisingly, the next day almost always is an improvement! Haven't correlated this to any humidity changes though. Glad to hear it's not just me!

[Jack]

I have also noticed that phenomenon with my HD-28S (sorry!). I'm thinking that it might be related to humidity, because it does seem to have less zing if the Dampit has been in it for a couple of days. It could also be related to room temperature, age and wear of the strings, or other factors. However, it could just be that my ears work better some days than others. I dunno, what do others think about this?

[PF]

Sometimes it's the humdity.
Sometimes it's your fingertips (soft or hard - wet or dry).
Sometimes it's your mood.
Sometimes it's your placement in the room.
Sometimes it's all (or a combination) of the above.

[gmccall]

Hiya NYC,

Boy, PF hit the mark there!

All are true. The longer you have played, the more you notice this and eventually you just sort of accept it as a general issue that is simply a part of your "wooden" instrument. The same thing happens with other instruments that are prone to be affect by environment.

The environment is the most important part of watching out for your instrument. If do not watch that, you can ruin your guitar.

I keep my practice room between 45% and 55% humidity, and 68 to 72 degrees temp. by means of room appliances. I've seen the effects of neglegence on very expensive guitars, and it's quite sad.

But finally, one other rather subjective, but real issue I have noticed that really affects the way one's guitar can sound . . . is the OTHER GUITARS you just happen to be playing among at the time (he! he! he!).

[Arno Ehlscheid]

I think, apart from reasons already mentioned, main it is everyones personal constitution and mood, which vary from day to day. It is a very subjective thing. Also to me sometimes it happens, thinking man, that sounds all like crap and then, next day without changing anything ( same room ,instrument and equipment ) I´m in "sound heaven".

Arno

[NYC]

Youndy and Jack, it ruins my day just thinking about it!

Yea PF, I was kind of expecting that. Makes my excuse package larger though. Thanks.

Best one you mentioned is the condition of my fingers. That seems to be one of the biggest changes I can really hear and do something about. Temperature, humidity, callous config, who-washed-the-dishes-last, acts of god, you name it, those are differences I can cope with. Warm ups usually make it work no matter what, for me, for the most part.

Humidity is a big factor for the wood though I think, wish I had the room for gmccall's "room." That might kick it out my excuse category. I do take care though to see that the humity levels in the case work. Know the drill all too well.

My mood, well, that's really not a factor, I guess, maybe, whatever, oh Baby!? I am very stable, never had a mood change, promise. Course if another guitar is in the room, one that I can get my hands on, I might back off that statement.

Thanks for your comments.

[RL]

I find Jack's comment really interesting. I thought it was my imagination but I seemed to experience the same thing. My Taylor's would not have quite the 'zing' I was used to right after the dampit application.

Just out of curiosity, I took one of the Taylors out of it's case and put it on a stand for a couple of days. The rel humidity around here in the winter is 31%.

After a couple of days the 'zing' would come back...???

I dunno...my imagination?



[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jack:
[B]I have also noticed that phenomenon with my HD-28S (sorry!). I'm thinking that it might be related to humidity, because it does seem to have less zing if the Dampit has been in it for a couple of days.

------------------
RL

[gmccall]

Top 'o the morning.

Yep. You are all correct about relative humidity. That's why I have a "need" to control it at home. The way I think of it is:

The dryer my guitars -- the more zing they have...until they snap apart.

The wetter, -- the more mellow...until they pull apart.

Happy holidays all.

PS 1. Wish I could spell.

2. Perhaps of interest is the following on this subject. My classical guitar also has a very light coat of the luthier's special finish on the INSIDE of the Jacaranda back and sides, and the bracing.

The luthier said he did this to "help" control some of the lesser effects of mild humidity variations on this type of rare hardwood.

My classical is now 23 years old and it's tone actually seem to be rather stable for the most part. But I still watch it like a hawk. -gm

[This message has been edited by gmccall (edited 12-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by gmccall (edited 12-19-2000).]

Hi gmccall. Do you know what of jacaranda it is? Jacaranda is a word that is loosely used for everything from trees in the genera Dalbergia (the roewoods) to Machaerium (woods like pao ferro) to the actual genus called Jacaranda. I've never heard of a guitar being made from one of species in the actual Jacaranda genus before.

[gmccall]

Hi Jim,

Yes, Jacaranda is a "BIG" word.

Years ago, in the classical circles I used to move in, it was used by luthiers to denote their highest grade of either African or Brazilian rosewood tonewoods, classified in the family of the Leguminosae. Dalbergia Nigra or Brazilian Rosewood is MOST commonly known as Jacaranda in guitar tonewood common speak. Other common names for Jarcaranda are Palissandre du Bresil (French), Jacaranda de Brasil (Spanish), Cabiuna, Caviuna, and just plain dat-burned Jacaranda (Brazil).

Back in the time from which I am speaking (is this still my time, too?) the name Jacaranda was never used to denote Pao Ferro, a "straight-grained" Leguminosae wood usually associated with the western portions of South America -- Jacaranda then being associated with very, very beautifully figured rosewoods. The traditional, very high, top quality, tight-grained soundboard wood and back and side tonewoods were more plentiful back in the 60's and 70's than today.

It is amazing to see some of the older, "inexpensive" guitars from that time made with wood a luthier would just love to have today. If one has some knowledge of tonewoods, to see some these older, inexpensive guitars makes you want to rework some of them just for the wood.

Jacaranda is primarily most closely associated now-a-days with the charactoristic of being a rare and expensive guitar tonewood for the back and sides -- as opposed to Indian, or East Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia also of the family Leguminosae) which is still somewhat commonly attainable.

Most luthiers today have a very difficult time obtaining that quality Jacaranda about which I am speaking, but the larger ones still have a cache of it stored, and use it only in their finest instruments. You will definitely pay for it!

But, guitar makers today are on the ball and we have some good, new and exciting tonewoods in use today.

Taylor is doing a great job using them.

Well, Jim, that's it for me on Jacaranda.
Have a great day.
-gm