Breaking in a guitar..how long?

[Stow]

Got my R9 in Feb and its finally broken in after

99 days of playing since It arrived
27 Band Practices
3 Gigs
2 Set ups

How long do any of you guys take to break in your guitars?

 

[bluesjuke]

Guess I am slow to break in two of mine- an R8 & a '59 Historic 335. Don't use them as every day guitars because even though I know they are meant to be played I have others & plan to keep these the rest of my life. On average though probably about 4-9 months. The more you have the longer it takes.

 

[C-4]

Depending on several things, my guitars take about a month to break in to where they play comfortably.
First, how well were the frets leveled and polished? The worse the fret levelling is, the longer it can take, for me anyway.
Next, every guitar I have owned has needed minor neck tweaking over the course of about six months. I keep torquing my neck tighter every week just a tad until it finally sets in place where I like it to be without moving.
Some are better then others, but I keep a close eye on the guitar the first week, and then start tweaking it slowly as needed. I've had my most recent guitar, a CR8 for about 6 weeeks now. I practice at least one hour per day and play 6 sets per night, 3 nights per week. The guitar is finally starting to feel right.

 

[crankin]

I'm a rank amateur. What differences do you notice once your guitar is broken in? Thanks

 

[DonP]

I'm a rank amateur. What differences do you notice once your guitar is broken in? Thanks

I'm not but I'd still like to know too?

FWIW, I think 40 years is a good break in period.

 

[Stow]

I'm a rank amateur. What differences do you notice once your guitar is broken in? Thanks

Well for me, it just played better!? Play everday for as long as you can..I had a go this morning before work and as soon as I'm home I'll get back on it until its time to sleep!

my guitar just feels right now..frets, action, tone its all starting to come together!

 

[sliding-tom]

I have noticed on at least two Gibsons I bought brandnew that the tone still improved after 2 - 3 years and these were axes that were played a lot! So keep listening even long after it's been broken in.
I'm breakin' in my LP Special DC faded right now, it doesn't fit like a glove yet.

 

[Stow]

FWIW, I think 40 years is a good break in period.

40yrs on the same guitar Don P?

 

[Todd Louis]

Well I use mine on a rotating system and play 3 to 6 hours a day every day. But with 17 of them like Bluesjunke said it can take a wile. But with constant monitoring of the neck and all. I don't know 3 or 4 mouths till they are good and settled in then from there on better and better.

 

[C-4]

How I notice that my guitars are broken in is that first, they play smooth up and down the fretboard without resistance while bending strings. Secondly, I can feel the guitar loosen up vibration-wise where it starts to sound less "stiff" while playing it. (kind of like how shoes feel when they get comfortable after wearing them for awhile)
Third, the neck doesn't keep moving, due to torquing down the truss rod constantly as the neck begins to think it's no longer a tree.
Fourth, the guitar sounds consistantly the same day in and day out after making the final pickup adjustments, etc. and playing it for awhile in a live situation.
If I'm gigging out with the guitar, I can usually get these results within one month as I am constantly on it.

When I had many guitars, I used to play the newest one until I got the next new one. Since I got them about every six months to a year, the guitars were always broken in before I got another one. Once they are broken in, if I let them go without playing them for over one month, it usually takes that guitar about 2-3 days of constant playing to feel as it did when I put it away for the first time. I can hear the guitar getting loosened up again as it begins to re-awaken and vibrate as it did when it was being used constantly.

 

[DonP]

40yrs on the same guitar Don P?

A monogamous relationship LOL! OK, maybe 40 years is a little excessive.

How long did it take (for example) a 1959 Burst to break in?

 

[Brownsound]

Wow, I guess I never considered a break in period necessary for a properly setup guitar. There is a time period to get familiar with the instrument but I don t think I ever had to break one in. They play well or not and Im sure the sound doesnt get any better like with an accoustic.

 

[C-4]

The difference between an acoustic and a solid body is that the solid body guitar has no box-like sound chamber. Other then that, even solid body guitars, when played a lot do get more vibrant with tone as the body does in fact resonate. While it may not be as noticable to some people as others, a well-played guitar of any kind will get more resonant with use.

This has been the case with me anyway.

 

[bryvincent]

i put mine in front of the speaker. it breaks-in the guitar even without playing it everytime i use my stereo system. i can feel the neck vibrating while listening. anyone do this too?

 

[Gitfiddler]

It always takes me much longer to get broken in with a new guitar rather than the other way around! :wha

 

[sinner]

How I notice that my guitars are broken in is that first, they play smooth up and down the fretboard without resistance while bending strings. Secondly, I can feel the guitar loosen up vibration-wise where it starts to sound less "stiff" while playing it. (kind of like how shoes feel when they get comfortable after wearing them for awhile)
Third, the neck doesn't keep moving, due to torquing down the truss rod constantly as the neck begins to think it's no longer a tree.
Fourth, the guitar sounds consistantly the same day in and day out after making the final pickup adjustments, etc. and playing it for awhile in a live situation.
If I'm gigging out with the guitar, I can usually get these results within one month as I am constantly on it.

When I had many guitars, I used to play the newest one until I got the next new one. Since I got them about every six months to a year, the guitars were always broken in before I got another one. Once they are broken in, if I let them go without playing them for over one month, it usually takes that guitar about 2-3 days of constant playing to feel as it did when I put it away for the first time. I can hear the guitar getting loosened up again as it begins to re-awaken and vibrate as it did when it was being used constantly.

I like your description, C-4, that's how it felt to me--but my stock reply to this question has been:

Guitars break you in--not the other way around.

It's like you learn how it wants to be played, your fingers learn and make adjustments to that particular guitar. There's a little brain inside each finger, once it knows its business, just let it go...

But, it does appear to be just like you said, C-4, the guitar smooths out, bends become easier--I just don't know if it's me or it that becomes broken in!

 

[82 Silverburst]

What the hell are you guys talking about!?

My new R7 sounds great NOW!
Will it continue to get better? Yes
Did I get used to it? Yes

Way too much thought involved in this thread, PLAY THE GAWDDAMN THING!!! PLEASE.

 

[led zep fan]

After all the tweaking, adjusting and modding, it took about 8 months to get my R8 where I wanted it.

 

[Tuco]

:hmm

 

[DaveTV]

This sounds like the Mojo and Vibe stuff I keep hearing about.

I ain't buyin it. :nono