Yes, I read the article, and here is something useful:
There are a lot of rumors going around, a lot of theories about guitar tops, their vibratings and aging and all that.
George Gruhn wrote an article on this subject, and even though I cannot quote him word for word, here is the content of what he said.
The tone of a solid wood acoustic guitar does not “come and go”, and have to be played constantly in order to “open-up” to its fullness. Nor does it get better and better as the years go by.
What happens is the resins in the wood of a new guitar are stiff, and yes, it does take some vibrations to get those molecules rattled. This is done by playing the guitar vigorously, or by putting it in front of a guitar amp, and playing it loud (the electric) so the top vibrates, or in front of your stereo cabinets, etc. All these things will excite the top, make it vibrate, shake up those resins, and the guitar opens up. And sounds better.
This process takes place in the first few years of the guitar’s life, and then . . . it stops.
Yes, contrary to popular opinion, the guitar doesn’t go anywhere past that point. The resins settle in, and remain so for the life of the instrument. No matter how much you bang away at it!
(Old Martins sound good not because they keep getting better as the years go by; they were just made with better wood, better processes, finishes, etc.)
Now, if that guitar gets put away in a closet for a long time, say, several years, the “aging” process reverses itself, and the guitar goes back into its original state.
(Hoo, Boy; I betcha didn't know that!)
Then, the guitar has to be played, the top vibrated; either by outside sources (IE: the stereo, or the guitar cabinet, etc.) or by normal playing, just to “wake it up" again.
But it doesn’t need to be a daily thing.
Hope this clears up any misunderstandings.
