Breaking-in of Acoustic Guitar

[evanger]

What do you mean by breaking-in a guitar, more specially to a Acoustic Guitar (actually its an acoustic-electric i'm talking about, but I assume its the same because the main body is made out of wood, only the preamp makes it 'electric')

What characteristic do we look out for before we decide that a guitar has been break-in or not? ie what is the difference between a guitar that has break-in and has not. How do we define this term?

Will a guitar break-in without doing anything to it?
Does playing it more often helps it break-in faster?
Does storing it in a 45%-50% humidity maintain its condition?
Does different wood break-in at different speed?
Is there such thing as 'over-break-in'?
Does the break-in affect how the PA system process its sound?

Thank You!

 

[ashes307]

I think that " breaking in" of you acoustic refers to how well you adapt to the guitar. How well you adjust to the high action of it and how well you control the strain of your fingers. Anyways if that's not the case and you literally mean breaking in the guitar, signs can be observed through the fretboard generally. You'll be able to notice a the wearing of the fretboard ovr time of it's usage, it takes very damn long. years of playing so i wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Godspeed64]

'Break in' does NOT refers to how well you adapt to the guitar.

'Break in' refers to guitar's wood aging over time, basically the natural tone of the guitar changes over time.

http://www.bgwguitars.com/data/acctonerite.htm
Something like this accelerates the breaking in process. Different wood takes a different time though.

 

[ashes307]

Yeah, kinda got that now.

 

[Mio+Azunyan Fanboy]

I think that " breaking in" of you acoustic refers to how well you adapt to the guitar. How well you adjust to the high action of it and how well you control the strain of your fingers. Anyways if that's not the case and you literally mean breaking in the guitar, signs can be observed through the fretboard generally. You'll be able to notice a the wearing of the fretboard ovr time of it's usage, it takes very damn long. years of playing so i wouldn't hold my breath.

Wow this is interesting... A few questions to ask bout this
1) Does only certain types of wood able to break in? Like can both solid and laminated wood break in? Or only certain types of solid wood? Or both solid and laminated are able to break in?
2) Does 2 guitars which are the exact same model and are made of the same materials sound the same after "breaking in" if they are played in 2 completely different styles?
3) is breaking in always a good thing or can it cause the guitar to sound worse?

Srry for asking so many questions! Thx in advance!

 

[Godspeed64]

Don't need to bother about something like this. It would happen naturally, the only way you can actually NOTICE it is if you time travel 10years from now and compare it side-by-side.

 

[ashes307]

Wow this is interesting... A few questions to ask bout this
1) Does only certain types of wood able to break in? Like can both solid and laminated wood break in? Or only certain types of solid wood? Or both solid and laminated are able to break in?
2) Does 2 guitars which are the exact same model and are made of the same materials sound the same after "breaking in" if they are played in 2 completely different styles?
3) is breaking in always a good thing or can it cause the guitar to sound worse?

Srry for asking so many questions! Thx in advance!

The guitar is not like a fine wine, it will not sound better in 10 yrs, but it will age according to how well it is kept.

 

[Mio+Azunyan Fanboy]

Ok thx everyone for the info

 

[relinquish69]

I've heard many old Yamaha acoustic guitars with laminate tops that sound fantastic. They could have sounded the same 10 years ago but I wouldn't know for sure. What I do know is that for an acoustic guitar with a laminate top, it sounds way beyond anyone's expectation. I guess that to me defines "breaking in".