Review: ToneRite Play-In Device for Acoustic Guitars

Guitar World ^ | 02/01/2013 | Billy Voight

[nikos1121]

I think there are definitely two schools, the D-18 and the J-45, and I'm told a subset where the guitar is built in Montana. :-)

[Scoutmaster]

Gibson bought the old Flatiron Mandolin factory in Bozeman at the end of 1987, with the intent of taking over Flatiron's mandolins as its own. At the time, Flatiron was building superior instruments to Gibson's. Flatiron's owner (whose name escapes me for the moment) became the shop head for all Boseman production.

For a while, Gibson built acoustic guitars in both Nashville and Bozeman, and savvy buyers held out for Bozeman-built models. The quality of Gibson's flat top acoustic guitars soared when production was moved to Bozeman.

Arch-tops are made in Memphis, or that used to be the case. Custom shop flat tops are also made in Memphis.

The vintage J-45s and Southern Jumbos were made Kalamazoo. When Norlin owned Gibson, it moved production from Kalamazoo to Nashville over the period of 1974 to 1984.

[Scoutmaster]

Wait. Now I understand. I think there are three schools of J-45 owners instead of two. Kalamazoo (vintage up to sometime between 1974 and 1984), Nashville (hit and miss quality, up until sometime after 1987, and Bozeman.

I've never found a Nashville Gibson flat top that I was interested in owning. Give me Kalamazoo or Bozeman.

[kjam22]

I have a number of guitars.... including a D-41. I can mic that guitar and record it twice using the same mic both times and make it sound completely different by just mic placement. Just by moving a couple of inches closer to the mic or further away. That doesn't even count twisting the recorder knobs.

Watching a before and after video and listening for the difference the "device" makes is a crazy pastime.

[cuban leaf]

This is cool! I’m with you on the stereo. But I’m all over the vintage stuff. Spell that, “the stuff I used to sell for Jafco in the mid-70’s.

I still use the turntable I bought when I worked there. A Kenwood KD500 with an ADC carbon tonearm.

But I’m hijacking the thread.

[dasboot]

Quite right!

[dasboot]

ARe you a guitar player? If so, did you look at the demos and read the reviews? If not, then why would you say such a hateful thing?

Lol

Illustration:

I have three identical high-end acoustics made within several years of each other. One sounds pretty good. One is a dull bird. One is extraordinarily bright and beautiful. The device will not make the dullard sound good....or the best sound better...to any degree that would be meaningful. Spend more for a better guitar instead of whackjob widgets....and play before you buy....run the racks. Get the one that smothers you in kisses, like a happy, healthy puppy.

[Fresh Wind]

But I’m hijacking the thread.

Not really, because the same belief system that leads to mpingo wood disks and cryogenically treated CDs and $21000 pieces of wire can also exist in the instrument world. Once you see it in one area carried to a ridiculous degree, as it is in the audiophile community, you are more apt to recognize it when it springs up elsewhere.

[cuban leaf]

Once you see it in one area carried to a ridiculous degree, as it is in the audiophile community, you are more apt to recognize it when it springs up elsewhere.

---

Yeah, but I’m trying to be nice. :-D

[HandyDandy]

Jeff Beck once said that it is all in the strings. The strings.

[nikos1121]

I have a D-41 also, so I have an instant understanding about you. It's an early 1990s I found on eBay a few years ago. Some pawn shop in Ohio had it listed. I was very reluctant to buy because the photos showed what appeared to be extensive damage to the top varnish. Virtually NO ONE bid on the guitar as a result, (you can be too honest to the point of misleading the bidder). I held my breath thinking I've got someone else’s headache. When it arrived, the only damage was at the top where the player's arm pit was. Obviously it was an instrument played regularly. I thought this must have been one desperate dude to give up a guitar like this. I love it. There's virtually no difference between the D-41 the D-42 or D-45 except cosmetic. The guitar tunes itself and stays tuned. Which brings up a question that I'll ask on a separate post. So, in short, don't you love your guitar? I've got Martin SPs Light Guage on it at present.

[nikos1121]

I sold my old Denon turntable. YOu can’t find anything new to beat those older ones. YOur high end amplifiers from the past are still great today. The Pre-amps are better because they have more input and outputs. Speakers today are better for the money, but the bottom line is, you can have a total stereo system today for a tenth of the price of what they were selling 30 years ago for like $50,000 that is far an away better than the big screen tv you’ve got it hooked up too. Maybe next year I’ll get the big screen to go with it.

[nikos1121]

I agree. Guitars are like kids. As I mentioned, I eagerly awaiting the delivery of a Martin D-18 1937 Authentic. It’s only a couple years old, and has very little playing time on it. I’m sure out of the gate it’s going to sound decent, but probably not a whole lot different that the High End Mahogany guitars Martin makes like the D-18 Golden Era. The tonerite is only around $130 less than 4% of the cost of the guitar. I’m going to try it for 30 days and see how it sounds.

[nikos1121]

BTW, what guitar of yours do you like the most and why?

[nikos1121]

Have a question for the group here.

What’s been your experience with having a perfectly tuned guitar with the strings open, then putting a capo on the guitar, then finding that you have to retune, not much, but clearly some of the strings are off?

I’ve had people tell me that your guitar should be in tune with a capo if it was in tune without it. I disagree. All my guitars require a little tweeking after putting a capo on.

I’ve noticed it’s a little more with the Keyzer than the screw down types, and frequently it’s only one or two strings off.

I’m sure there a little intonation issues with all guitars, but who wants someone messing with the bridge to correct this when you can easily correct it by frequently retuning.

(BTW saw some device that has the tuner on top of the capo! Now you’ve got this huge device on your fret board while you’re playing.)

[kjam22]

Yes.... its an incredible instrument. I bought it new in 2000. I have a 92 Les Paul, an 83 american strat, a 2010 american strat delux, an ibanez hollow body, a taylor acoustic, yamaha bass, a banjo and mandolin (I can rip on the mandolin). Pearl drums and a ton of recording equipment.... And, in the vintage part of the room... I have a 1965 Fender Band Master amp that I've owned since 75.

Fun times...!

[nikos1121]

I bought the Fender Deluxe a couple years, and really haven’t learned to play it with the Bassman amp that I bought with it. Got a close deal on both so I bought them. I’m still foremost a flat picker, but I need to just take action. Have used Aria Mando, that I’m fixin to learn.

Have an HD28 1934 Martin Reissue thru Mandolin Bros that I bought in 1979 that was a POS from day one. It was first one they made. I could NEVER get it in tune. Flat. No sound to it. Dead. Then top cracked and the bridge raised and the middle seam split.

After sending it to Martin 3 times, who refused to replace the top, I said screw it and put it in it’s case. 4 years ago I took it out and starting playing guitar again. Using a Snark I could get it relatively close in tune and I amplified it to make up for the lack of sound.

I read an article about Martin tops cracking due to the gluing of the pickguard. I sent it to a Martin guy to look at. He writes back that the guitar had been altered with a new bridge and bridge holes and therefore the warranty was void.

I told him only Martin worked on it. He called me a liar, but agreed to send the guitar to Martin.

Then it dawned on me, that maybe the guitar had intonation problems during the original assembly. I called Stanley Jay at Mandolin Bros. who said that since it was the first, kinda of prototype it made sense that they altered the guitar. Martin made crappy guitars in the late 60s and 70s to 80 IMHO.

He called Marting for me. Turns out they agreed that guitar was altered at Martin at some point AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TOP FREE OR CREDIT ME $1000 TO UPGRADE TO AN ADI TOP WITH FORWARD BRACINGS AND ANYTHING ELSE AT COST.

I DID JUST THAT AND IT’S A GORGEOUS GUITAR WHICH I’LL POST HERE LATER TODAY IF I CAN. SINCE IT 35 YEARS OLD IT’S GOT SOME AGE, BUT THE ADI TOP ADDS A REAL PUNCH. I PUT A TORCH TOP ON IT, SO C.F. MARTIN IS ONLY SEEN IN THE SOUND HOLE.

[nikos1121]

[kjam22]

Interesting. When I got my martin... I bought it on line from a music store out of state. They had it shipped directly from the Martin factory to my home. So I got it "un-opened". Loved it from the very first moment and I was gigging with it.

Here's a little video... You can see the Taylor, Martin, Fender deluxe among other "stuff".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7gNI9bWO3s

[nikos1121]

Can’t wait to see this when I get home. INteresting how we get so excited about out guitars. Did you notice that your guitar was fully tuned when you got it from Martin as opposed many times when you buy a guitar on eBay they want you to loosen the strings.

I got my D-18 Authentic 1937 today. Gorgeous!