Interesting article in today’s Times about the ToneRite, a device purported to improve the sound of stringed instruments. I recall people attaching vibrators to their guitars, but this looks a bit different.
There are all kinds of things out there to “break in” an instrument. Folks freeze brass instruments to cryogenically align the metal molecules.
On one hand, I am totally a believer that played-in instruments frequently, somehow sound and play better. But I never actively seek out devices to accelerate the process…just like I don’t get those hand workout gizmos you are supposed to squeeze to improve your grip…
I’ve used a ToneRite on 3 guitars - a Collings dread, a Goodall CJ, and an inexpensive classical. All showed significant improvements in tone and volume, and in particular, the change to the inexpensive classical was astonishing. It really helped open up the new and somewhat tight dread too.
I was highly skeptical at first, but the results were obvious to me. I will say that I treated each guitar quite a bit longer than they suggest, but IMO you can’t do harm to the guitar with the ToneRite device, any more than you can harm the guitar by playing it a lot.
Highly recommended.