# Tonerite: Yay or Nay?



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

It appears to make some difference? Can you hear the difference?


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

If you believe, it will be so.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I've never tried one. Maybe it makes your acoustic sound better. Can't imagine it being more fun than just playing your guitar. There are so many other gear related items I'd rather spend my money on before something like this.
So if you leave it on your guitar for 3 or 4 days, trying to get your guitar to sound better thats 3 or 4 days I could have been just enjoying how my guitar sounds now.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

There may be some value to it, but I generally play the crap out of new guitars when I get them so I don't really require artificial means. Most of my instruments hang on the walls, exposed to every vibration and sound wave that happens here (stereo, TV, lessons, recording, the rumble of trucks passing by...I mean, when I sneeze every instrument starts ringing) so though it may be more gradual an affect, if it does indeed help mature the tone, then I don't need a Tonerite. Years ago some folks would advocate setting their guitars in front of their stereo speakers for the same purpose.

We got along just fine for generations without, and all those classic guitar tones were achieved without. Not that we shouldn't experiment mind you, but my instincts tell me that aging a guitar should be like aging wine.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

It worked for me on a couple of new guitars, less so on a couple of others. I found it helped my J-45 True Vintage to "open up", giving it a warmer, more open sound, more bass and more punch. It had a similar effect on my Halcyon NL-00. In both instances, I played the guitar with new strings prior to Tonerite and then put new strings on after Tonerite. On my Yamaha LL16 ARE (now sold), it had some effect, but not as noticeable as with the previous two. For my Hummingbird, it didn't do as much, but that's a 12-year-old guitar.



guitarman2 said:


> I've never tried one. Maybe it makes your acoustic sound better. Can't imagine it being more fun than just playing your guitar. There are so many other gear related items I'd rather spend my money on before something like this.
> So if you leave it on your guitar for 3 or 4 days, trying to get your guitar to sound better thats 3 or 4 days I could have been just enjoying how my guitar sounds now.


It's not more fun than playing your guitar, but you can still play your guitar while giving it the Tonerite treatment. You take the Tonerite off, play it, then put it back on when you're done. Unless, that is, you've figured out how to play 24/7 for a week (please share your secret ). I found it helped the guitar sound better and I have several guitars I can play at any given time, so if one is getting treatment, I won't lack for something to play.



Mooh said:


> There may be some value to it, but I generally play the crap out of new guitars when I get them so I don't really require artificial means. Most of my instruments hang on the walls, exposed to every vibration and sound wave that happens here (stereo, TV, lessons, recording, the rumble of trucks passing by...I mean, when I sneeze every instrument starts ringing) so though it may be more gradual an affect, if it does indeed help mature the tone, then I don't need a Tonerite. Years ago some folks would advocate setting their guitars in front of their stereo speakers for the same purpose.
> 
> We got along just fine for generations without, and all those classic guitar tones were achieved without. Not that we shouldn't experiment mind you, but my instincts tell me that aging a guitar should be like aging wine.


Appeal to tradition is a logical fallacy. We also got along "just fine" for generations without antibiotics, cars and running water .

Sure, you can probably have the same effect playing the guitar for many hours over many weeks or months, but putting the Tonerite on it when you're not playing it for the space of a week or two does help accelerate the process, based on my experience. Whether it's worth it to do so or not is completely up to the guitar's owner. I found it to be interesting and helpful and I was highly skeptical when I first got it. I tracked down a slightly used floor model on EBay because I was skeptical enough to not want to pay full retail. I have been convinced, as has my dad. Is it necessary? No, but it works.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Register a loud NAY for me ! 
Got a look at something alike years ago...
I am now getting rid of electronics and gadgets... 
So will not add any in the "failed attemps drawer".


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Having talked with famous guitar builders ( actually several ) who have used it on some of their new builds they has stated that to them it made a difference on the guitar and understanding the logic of what it is suppose to do it makes sense that it does the wood.
So like on the other forum we see lots who agree and lots who say it is a waste of time and money which is perfectly fine for them to think whatever they want for those that believe well they may have coaxed out a sound from their instrument that takes years of playing so me I'm on board as they had nothing to gain from saying they thought it helped and for the rest well take your time and enjoy your guitars


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

Mooh said:


> I mean, when I sneeze every instrument starts ringing


What a great line. I might steal that for a love song...

"Baby when you sneeze, every instrument starts to ring..."


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

My D18 felt tight when I first got it and it seemed to get played in over maybe a year or less but it also sounded great to begin with so no big deal. I have 3 other decent dreads and everyone of them it was "that guitar sounds great I have to buy it right now" so if all of them stayed the same as when I bought them I'd be OK with that.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Mooh said: ↑
I mean, when I sneeze every instrument starts ringing



Greg Ellis said:


> What a great line. I might steal that for a love song...
> 
> "Baby when you sneeze, every instrument starts to ring..."


But it couldn't be just any old sneeze. Mooh, would have to teach you how to sneeze in tune.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Greg Ellis said:


> What a great line. I might steal that for a love song...
> 
> "Baby when you sneeze, every instrument starts to ring..."


"The sight of boogers flying makes my heart just want to sing."


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Wardo said:


> My D18 felt tight when I first got it and it seemed to get played in over maybe a year or less but it also sounded great to begin with so no big deal. I have 3 other decent dreads and everyone of them it was "that guitar sounds great I have to buy it right now" so if all of them stayed the same as when I bought them I'd be OK with that.


Thats how I feel. Loved the sound of my guitars on day 1 and would be fine with them sounding that way from now on. The sound of a guitar maturing has to do with how much its played and the wood getting older. Technologies like the Toneright and wood torrefication try to accelerate this process and there will always be those of us that do not buy in to it or don't care. I'm not motivated to buy a device to play my guitar but I'm not saying that it doesn't work. I just don't care enough to find out for my self. If I get curious enough to find out for my self one day I'll buy one.
One of my Martins has a VTS top (torrefication) and one does not. I don't really know if the torrefied top makes it sound like a prewar but I have compared it directly to real 1941 vintage D-28 (the same year my authentic is based on) and it did not sound the same. Dramatic difference. 
As much as some of these technologies give us hope for a new guitar to sound like a well played in old guitar I have a feeling nothing beats the sound of an 80 year old guitar.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2018)

There's one on kijiji for $100 if anyone's looking.
ToneRite | Guitars | City of Toronto | Kijiji


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)

To me it killed the briteness in the video. After the Tonerite it sounded dark and muddy which the freq analyzer backed up. Maybe it was an improvement in real life. On the video it sucked. I always thought old guitars sounded better but thought it was due to drier wood and crystallized pitch. Never once have I heard vibrations improve a guitar. It does seem to make an objective difference though.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

BSTheTech said:


> I always thought old guitars sounded better but thought it was *due to drier wood* and crystallized pitch.


Ha, I thought I was crazy thinking my Seagull MiniJumbo sounds better in the winter than the summer.
after 10 years I'm convinced .


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## Gary787 (Aug 27, 2011)

Guitar geeks addicted to gear will apparently buy all sorts if crap to feed the monster. Buying guitars after awhile is expensive and soul hurting so we turn our attention to trinkets and trash. Fancy expensive picks, capos, straps, buttons, tuners, all with promise of better performance. Tonerites no exception in my mind at least. Just more trash. Tones is talent. 
Having said this I am going to sort my guitar junk drawer today.


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## aC2rs (Jul 9, 2007)

BSTheTech said:


> To me it killed the briteness in the video. After the Tonerite it sounded dark and muddy which the freq analyzer backed up. Maybe it was an improvement in real life. On the video it sucked.


That was the impression I was left with after listening to the video as well. 

It also seemed to me that a greater difference in tone could be had by just changing the weight/material of the picked used.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I’m not sure a YouTube video is the best basis to judge the change in sound.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

aC2rs said:


> That was the impression I was left with after listening to the video as well.
> 
> *It also seemed to me that a greater difference in tone could be had by just changing the weight/material of the picked used.*


The pick manufacturers will love you for this post and you are right.


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2018)

I don't think that guy is a good enough guitar player to strum the exact same way after 1 week. I was very disappointed to see the before graph line yellow on a yellow background, while the after was high contrast blue on yellow. I think the entire test was bad, and the device probably just breaks in the strings.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I read lots of speculation about what Tonerite might or might not do from people who haven’t tried it.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

jdto said:


> I read lots of speculation about what Tonerite might or might not do from people who haven’t tried it.


Those would be the "experts"?


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

laristotle said:


> There's one on kijiji for $100 if anyone's looking.
> ToneRite | Guitars | City of Toronto | Kijiji


I bought it.  Without a shred of doubt I believe that my guitars (especially acoustics) sound better after a few years of regular use. I'm hoping this device performs as it is advertised.

I'll use it on my guitars over the next couple of months and then pass it on to be used by someone else.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

fogdart said:


> I bought it.  Without a shred of doubt I believe that my guitars (especially acoustics) sound better after a few years of regular use. I'm hoping this device performs as it is advertised.
> 
> I'll use it on my guitars over the next couple of months and then pass it on to be used by someone else.


Let us know how it works out.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

guitarman2 said:


> Let us know how it works out.


At this point I'm not optimistic. I've just set it up on my 2016 R8, and it's just vibrating. I figured that the whole guitar would be ringing like it does when I set it infront of a speaker playing loud music. I bet that I'd be better off just sitting it infront of my living room stereo for a month. BUT, I'm not giving up hope yet.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

fogdart said:


> At this point I'm not optimistic. I've just set it up on my 2016 R8, and it's just vibrating. I figured that the whole guitar would be ringing like it does when I set it infront of a speaker playing loud music. I bet that I'd be better off just sitting it infront of my living room stereo for a month. BUT, I'm not giving up hope yet.


An R8? You mean a Les Paul? I thought these tonerights were for acoustics? A top on an electric doesn't move like an acoustic top.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I hadn’t thought to try it on my electrics. Maybe the hollow and semi-hollows would see some benefit, although they are both made from laminate, not solid. On a solid-body, I suppose the same principles would apply, but by the time you get the signal to the amp, the subtle difference might be harder to detect than with an acoustic.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I can't see it working on a solid body electric. That's not what it is designed for. As for a hollow or semi hollow electric, there are so many other variables to an electric guitar that any differences would be negligible.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

guitarman2 said:


> An R8? You mean a Les Paul? I thought these tonerights were for acoustics? A top on an electric doesn't move like an acoustic top.


You're absolutely right about the top not moving like an acoustic. But my electrics still ring and vibrate from sympathetic vibrations, and they also tend to get better with age. ToneRite addressed this somewhere online, if I stumble across it I'll post it up.



Steadfastly said:


> I can't see it working on a solid body electric. That's not what it is designed for. As for a hollow or semi hollow electric, there are so many other variables to an electric guitar that any differences would be negligible.


Oh but it is designed for both electrics and acoustics. Check out the ToneRite website and Instagram. I'm not as optimistic that it'll work (see my previous post), but ToneRite does suggest that it will.

...it'll be going on my Gibson CS J45 Custom next. That guitar already has thousands of hours on it, so I figured I'd start on my newest guitar (which is the R8).


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

fogdart said:


> You're absolutely right about the top not moving like an acoustic. But my electrics still ring and vibrate from sympathetic vibrations, and they also tend to get better with age. ToneRite addressed this somewhere online, if I stumble across it I'll post it up.


You'll see many players, myself included applaud the resonance and vibrations of an electric. But experts such as Ron Kirn and other experts in the field says it makes no difference how the electric rings acoustically. those subtleties get lost in the amp and electronics when plugged in and make no measurable difference. I've had electrics where the body just seems to resonate endlessly that were great sounding guitars and then some that didn't seem to move at all that sounded great as well. 
I've heard some experts say that an electric that doesn't move or vibrate loses less energy and will sustain better, etc. I really don't know how true that is but I guess an experienced guitar builder would know better than me. Of course that wouldn't explain how resonating versus non-resonating guitars can sound equally as good. 
As far as the tonerite I've never heard of it being used on an electric. Of course most of the times the subject pops up is on acoustic forums. Tonerite might be advertising it as working on electrics just to sell more. But then I imagine if they were lying about that then the whole thing would most likely be a scam. I like to test things like this out so maybe one day I'll pick one up and give it a whirl on both my electrics and acoustics.


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## BSTheTech (Sep 30, 2015)




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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

BSTheTech said:


> View attachment 189617


is this directed towards the thread in general or a specific post?


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> You'll see many players, myself included applaud the resonance and vibrations of an electric.* But experts such as Ron Kirn and other experts in the field says it makes no difference how the electric rings acoustically. those subtleties get lost in the amp and electronics when plugged in and make no measurable difference.* I've had electrics where the body just seems to resonate endlessly that were great sounding guitars and then some that didn't seem to move at all that sounded great as well.
> I've heard some experts say that an electric that doesn't move or vibrate loses less energy and will sustain better, etc. I really don't know how true that is but I guess an experienced guitar builder would know better than me. Of course that wouldn't explain how resonating versus non-resonating guitars can sound equally as good.
> As far as the tonerite I've never heard of it being used on an electric. Of course most of the times the subject pops up is on acoustic forums. *Tonerite might be advertising it as working on electrics just to sell more.* But then I imagine if they were lying about that then the whole thing would most likely be a scam. I like to test things like this out so maybe one day I'll pick one up and give it a whirl on both my electrics and acoustics.


Right. There are too many variables in electric guitars as you say and any minute changes would simply be too subtle to notice but how many times have we seen people swear that tonewood along makes a huge difference in electric guitars when the tests show exactly the opposite. 

Tonerite's advertising has been toned down a lot from when it first came on the market.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Steadfastly said:


> Right. There are too many variables in electric guitars as you say and any minute changes would simply be too subtle to notice *but how many times have we seen people swear that tonewood along makes a huge difference in electric guitars when the tests show exactly the opposite. *
> 
> Tonerite's advertising has been toned down a lot from when it first came on the market.


I've read the testimonials but I try to never argue them. I used to play only guitars with rosewood fingerboards. I switched to maple about 15 years ago. You know why? Cause I liked the look of a maple fingerboard better. I like 50's style Telecasters better than 60's style cause to me they have more bite and snap. But I don't really believe its because of a maple neck\fingerboard and an ash body. Its the whole guitar and all of its parts that make up the tone. And even then I've played some 60's style Tele's with rosewood fingerboard and alder bodies that had as much snap as the 50's style. 
I think its more productive to just like what you have rather than argue about what makes it sound the way it does. I'm not above experimenting with the little things that may or may not make a subtle difference such as cables, tubes, strings and even a tonerite.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> I've read the testimonials but I try to never argue them. I used to play only guitars with rosewood fingerboards. I switched to maple about 15 years ago. You know why? Cause I liked the look of a maple fingerboard better. I like 50's style Telecasters better than 60's style cause to me they have more bite and snap. But I don't really believe its because of a maple neck\fingerboard and an ash body. Its the whole guitar and all of its parts that make up the tone. And even then I've played some 60's style Tele's with rosewood fingerboard and alder bodies that had as much snap as the 50's style.
> I think its more productive to just like what you have rather than argue about what makes it sound the way it does. I'm not above experimenting with the little things that may or may not make a subtle difference such as cables, tubes, strings and even a tonerite.


If you keep posting reasonable comments like this, we will have to cancel your membership. This is a guitar forum after all!


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I'm surprised there aren't any dildo jokes in this thread yet


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

bolero said:


> I'm surprised there aren't any dildo jokes in this thread yet


just some actual dildos


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

bolero said:


> I'm surprised there aren't any dildo jokes in this thread yet


Yeah, never hold a candle if you don’t know where it’s been.
Same probably true for the noble Tonerite machine.


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