Just got a pic from Feline

[MDV]

I've tried it somewhat; breaking guitars in, that is, being impatient and wanting my new legra to be all it can be.

First, figuring that its best to set up vibrational modes that are

A: Notes and there overtones
B: between the nut and bridge, rather than randomly pumped into the guitar (as the location of the vibration matters to how anything oscilates; wheres nodal and antinodal)

I used a drill with a bit of carboard to hit the strings, not as hard as I normally do, for a few hours. It opened out in the lows and mids. Then I realised I didnt know if it was the strings or the guitar that was changing, so I switched to pink noise, high pass @ 100Hz low @2k, about 2cm from the rim of a B&W DM602 (so, it can move air, but its nothing major) and ~100db at that distance, aimed at the back of the guitar hanging by its neck. More or less the same effect from that as the drill, but it took over 20 hours.

Dont know how much play time its equivelent to, but I'm a believer in the principle (even if I only have anecdotal evidence to offer).

[Oli]

I've tried it somewhat; breaking guitars in, that is, being impatient and wanting my new legra to be all it can be.

First, figuring that its best to set up vibrational modes that are

A: Notes and there overtones
B: between the nut and bridge, rather than randomly pumped into the guitar (as the location of the vibration matters to how anything oscilates; wheres nodal and antinodal)

I used a drill with a bit of carboard to hit the strings, not as hard as I normally do, for a few hours. It opened out in the lows and mids. Then I realised I didnt know if it was the strings or the guitar that was changing, so I switched to pink noise, high pass @ 100Hz low @2k, about 2cm from the rim of a B&W DM602 (so, it can move air, but its nothing major) and ~100db at that distance, aimed at the back of the guitar hanging by its neck. More or less the same effect from that as the drill, but it took over 20 hours.

Dont know how much play time its equivelent to, but I'm a believer in the principle (even if I only have anecdotal evidence to offer).

I'm guessing that with the drill +cardboard... the equivalent playing time would have been more beneficial; a few hours of lightly hitting the strings could have been better spent actually playing the instrument I would say. With the speaker setup, it seems a little more sensible, apart from the high pass at 100... Are fundamental frequencies not needed with the guitar? The same volume lower frequency would have had more vibrational effect than that of a higher frequency. The low pass I can understand, but the sub-100Hz range i'd think would be critical to get the wood vibrating.

Does it show that i'm slightly skeptical about this kind of treatment for electric guitars? :)

[MDV]

:lol: And rightly so. I have no real evidence to support it.

The drill was not hitting the strings lightly, just not as hard as if I'd been doing it. Normal playing, for me at least, is not as all-out all the time (unless you play nothing but 6 string chords hitting the strings pretty hard for hours at a time).

The low end cut - I play in drop A#, which is ~116Hz. Thats the lowest fundamental the guitars going to have. Whats the point resonating the wood lower than that if that is the lowest frequency its to respond to? Besides the shelves were in part to get the main band louder without it bugging me in my sleep or the sub 100s bugging the neighbours. The guitar was vibrating to the touch pretty much everywhere for >20 hours and so were the strings. Not as strongly as with the drill, or me battering chords out, but it was nontheless.

[MDV]

Oh, and changes were referenced against other guitars, and the differences between them, because I dont trust A/Bs with subtle differences with such long gaps in between. There is no doubt whatsoever to my ears that it had an effect (both methods), since it did things like go from having less low end and low mids than one guitar to more, be quite similar to another guitar in maginitude of lows and mids to decidedly more and bigger sounding. High end was pretty much unaffected (which makes sense; high frequencies and their vibrations in the wood carry much less energy with much less wide oscilations) but the low end and mids started to breathe and open out.

[Zaned]

I remember reading that there was one company that offered this kind of service. They had a special machine for it, I don't know if that company still exists..I've forgotten the name.

I think MDV is right; the biggest change happens in the mids and perhaps lows. An older guitar can appear warmer (some say darker); according to luthiers, this is not because there are LESS highs, it's just that the midrange rings more freely.

-Zaned

[Philly Q]

i think i prefer Jon's method of "injecting" hard rock into it though! :)

I wonder if I should take requests like a radio DJ :D

Yeah, you could tailor it to the individual customer!  :)

[MDV]

I remember reading that there was one company that offered this kind of service. They had a special machine for it, I don't know if that company still exists..I've forgotten the name.

I think MDV is right; the biggest change happens in the mids and perhaps lows. An older guitar can appear warmer (some say darker); according to luthiers, this is not because there are LESS highs, it's just that the midrange rings more freely.

-Zaned

This is consistent with my experience, yes.

Edit - the guys that do this with acoustics describe greater sensitivity (sometimes) and a livelier sound. I didnt see those change.

[Will]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agkvuadf_vk
:D

[FernandoDuarte]

Looks great! Will that stick keeps with the finish? :P

[FELINEGUITARS]

Looks great! Will that stick keeps with the finish? :P

I will remove the making tape sticker before it goes to paint
The switches are easy once you know how

[FernandoDuarte]

Looks great! Will that stick keeps with the finish? :P

I will remove the making tape sticker before it goes to paint
The switches are easy once you know how

:) Was just making stupid jokes, my prefered hobby

[FELINEGUITARS]

Looks great! Will that stick keeps with the finish? :P

I will remove the making tape sticker before it goes to paint
The switches are easy once you know how

:) Was just making stupid jokes, my prefered hobby

Ah - but the guitar may not sound as good without the sticker!

[Will]

I really want to play about with the mixes of the SD rings. Maybe bridge in parallel, with neck split, (choice of coils too) would give an interesting clean.

[FernandoDuarte]

I really want to play about with the mixes of the SD rings. Maybe bridge in parallel, with neck split, (choice of coils too) would give an interesting clean.

Sounds really cool, is it hard to wire?

[FELINEGUITARS]

I really want to play about with the mixes of the SD rings. Maybe bridge in parallel, with neck split, (choice of coils too) would give an interesting clean.

Sounds really cool, is it hard to wire?

No that is the coolest thing
It is dead simple to wire in
The only thing you have to do is translate the Duncan Colour scheme to the BKP one
Solder the BKP wires to the tag on the mounting ring and take the additional wire out to the control cavity and solder in as normal - dead simple.