Playing an acoustic guitar often keeps the guitar sounding resonant. Why ?

Question

If one keeps a guitar in the closet and plays it only every few months, the sound is not as warm or resonant as daily playing.

Playing often could prevent rusting of the strings. BUt i have observed the same thing with nylon-string guitars too. Perhaps its something to do with the wood ? Or maybe playing often keeps dust buildup away from where the strings contact the bridge and neck, and so help the strings vibrate more ?

Answer 1

The answer to this goes the whole way down to the molecular level and then back up to you, the player. The guitar itself, just like you or I, the keyboard I am typing with or anything is all made up of vibrating energy. The more that wood ages and is affected by the vibrations of the sound, it is being conditioned to do what it was built to do. That's one of the main reasons orchestral players favor such old instruments. Also, as far as playing often...I know that an isntruments' sound sweetens as it gets warmed up from the heat of your hands and opens the wood up a bit. Interesting stuff...

Answer 2

Dust gets into the bindings, along with dirt particles, and other things. It basically wears overtime just like anything. They dont really rust. They can i suppose but the main thing is that they corrode overtime either way.

THe reason guitar strings eventually dont sound warm, and sort of "Thunk" is because the oil particles, skin cells, moister, dust, ect. That gets in the windings of the string interrupt its vibration. Making it sort of think instead of vibrate smoothly. Basically the vibration goes through the bindings and the more coroded they get the less they vibrate.

Answer 3

If you take the guitar out and warm it (by playing it), it will open its pores and absorb moisture from your body, your breath and the air around you. In a closet, sitting cold and idle, it will not. The damper wood resonates better. That is why, if you have a GOOD guitar (like my husband's), you put a special disk with an attached wick into the sound hole, to moderate the humidity (too MUCH moisture is also bad).

Answer 4

just play it alot