- Oct 20, 2013
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While some USMB posters may be knowledgabe about music and musical instruments, this thread is strictly for those who actually PLAY an instrument, and have owned and played a particular stringed instrument for 5 years or more.
This would include the guitar, violin, mandolin, viola, mandola, cello, upright string bass, banjo. I'm especially inrested in those instruments that are made out of wood, and use that as their sounding board.
The question is >> Do you think that your instrument has improved in tonal quality over the time you have been playing it ? And if so, how much has it improves. And if this is th ecase, how much do you think its $ value has increased ?
My experience is that ove rthe 5 years that I have had my instruments (violin, mandolin, guitar), they have improved immensely. They ar more responsive, have deeper more powerful bass notes, and the middle and higher pitch notes are richer. They also seem much easier to play, and no longer have the stiffness they had when they were new.
Just for kicks, I picked up a mandolin, in a music store that was priced at $579 (close to the $600 mine is rated at). It was incediby stiff, and reminded me of a brand new pair of shoes.
Reading up on this a while back, I recall the author said that wooden musical instruments increase in tone immensely (and therefore value too), over their first 5 years, if they're played a lot. During the 2nd 5 years, they also increase (tone and value), almost as much. After that they continue to increase in tone just slightly, each year(with consistent playing).
As a result, after centuries, the instrument would have spectacular tone and value. It is notable that the greatest increases occur in te first 5 years, possibly 2-3 times as much as when new, contrary to common belief that only very old instruments get better after their long, aging process.
People who think instrumens decrease in value after the first few years, are usually those havent actually played those instruments, to see, feel, and hear the difference, for themselves. They are outsiders.
What has been YOUR experience with your instrument(s) ?
This would include the guitar, violin, mandolin, viola, mandola, cello, upright string bass, banjo. I'm especially inrested in those instruments that are made out of wood, and use that as their sounding board.
The question is >> Do you think that your instrument has improved in tonal quality over the time you have been playing it ? And if so, how much has it improves. And if this is th ecase, how much do you think its $ value has increased ?
My experience is that ove rthe 5 years that I have had my instruments (violin, mandolin, guitar), they have improved immensely. They ar more responsive, have deeper more powerful bass notes, and the middle and higher pitch notes are richer. They also seem much easier to play, and no longer have the stiffness they had when they were new.
Just for kicks, I picked up a mandolin, in a music store that was priced at $579 (close to the $600 mine is rated at). It was incediby stiff, and reminded me of a brand new pair of shoes.
Reading up on this a while back, I recall the author said that wooden musical instruments increase in tone immensely (and therefore value too), over their first 5 years, if they're played a lot. During the 2nd 5 years, they also increase (tone and value), almost as much. After that they continue to increase in tone just slightly, each year(with consistent playing).
As a result, after centuries, the instrument would have spectacular tone and value. It is notable that the greatest increases occur in te first 5 years, possibly 2-3 times as much as when new, contrary to common belief that only very old instruments get better after their long, aging process.
People who think instrumens decrease in value after the first few years, are usually those havent actually played those instruments, to see, feel, and hear the difference, for themselves. They are outsiders.
What has been YOUR experience with your instrument(s) ?
