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Would it be possible for you to set up a recording rig, including distance to chair etc. (and not touch it!), record the a short solea or something, before it has been shaken, then record the same thing again afterwards, and then upload both mp3's ?
I think this is a good idea, but in reality I don’t believe it will reveal much. The process of a guitar opening up can be subtle in many ways and I have my doubts you will notice them on home recording equipment in a non-controlled environment, crunched into an MP3, played through computer speakers.
My Green has gone through some dramatic changes, but would you hear them in the above scenario? Questionable.
We have all heard MP3’s of a bunch of high end guitars and can hardly tell the difference between them.
Talked about this with a rumbero friend. Basically he said using this device would be like giving your new virgin bride a vibrator as a wedding gift on your honeymoon.
So why take to fun out of breaking in your new guitar??
Interesting thread this. I thought some headphones resting in various positions each day - playing a wide variety of melodies, would help in opening up the guitar - as long as you heard a definite increase in volume once you placed the headphone on the guitar. Headphones are of course "Transducers". One such piece of kit talks of these mysterious transducers http://www.youtube.com/user/godbyone#p/u/19/1uPZUx7ZvYo
http://prime-vibe.com/ reckon it will take 100 hours to get vintage tone. It's also half the price.
Testing though can be subjective. You have to be very rigorous in order to get true comparisons.
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Guitar is really sounding much brighter. I was hoping the stiffness / pulsation of the guitar would improve, but that hasn't really. It's still much harder to play than my GK Studio Negra (which plays like absolute butter), but it really did improve sound-wise. The trebles are much clearer now, and the basses are less muffled...
It sounds like the action is still high, can it come down? Is the saddle a bit high? Am I wrong?
Yeah, you're right. The setup is not optimal. The action is where the guitar is not like butter to play, but I have weaker hands... You have to press down more than my GK Studio Negra for example. I don't think the saddle can come down anymore. I think either the nut or the fretboard (with re-fretting) would be the way to go if the action is to come down a bit. That might make the guitar easier to play, but the guitar still feels relatively stiff in general (pulsation-wise) which I think might not change even with improving the setup. I may be wrong or spoiled because of how EASY it is to play my GK Studio Negra... The Stagg does sound better though after the ToneRite.
Maybe one day I'll get Andy to set this guitar up for me so it will play easier. Or I might just sell it. A pretty decent guitar for the price, really. And the 640 mm scale length is great for smaller hands.
I think either the nut or the fretboard (with re-fretting) would be the way to go if the action is to come down a bit. That might make the guitar easier to play, but the guitar still feels relatively stiff in general (pulsation-wise) which I think might not change even with improving the setup.
Nut action ONLY affects the FIRST FRET. If you want an easier feel you have to lower the bone....you can make higher frets or thicken up (i.e.) change the fingerboard, but it's ridiculous compared to just lower the bone saddle. If you can't go lower then the bridge can be filed down. anything thing below 6mm will start to feel weird on the right hand but the action will be easier for sure. The sound will also decrease when you lower the bridge.
I have read that you have to have a substantial change (I mean to lower the saddle a lot) in order to perceive a clear loss in volume. Al Carruth Made some experiments and wrote some things about this topic. I'm not sure to remember properly what he said, but I think he said the main factor is the change of the angle/pressure of the strings on the nut. In my experience (but I'm not a pro) the strings have less room when you pick them hard, giving the perception of more power, but the volume is more or less the same. Second aspect: I'd have no problem in lowering the saddle by shaving the wood until you are at 6 mm. I for one, find more comfortable a setting with tall frets anyway. If you would install taller frets you can easily earn 0.5 mm at the 12th fret without the need to shave any wood. The problem when you go too low at the bridge is that you ending having the holes at the bridge too high and a a consequence less pressure on the bone.
It has the exact same measurement change to lowering the saddle. 1mm equates to 0.5mm at the 12th fret. There is of course a lot less room for maneuver. Unless of course you are using a cajilla then it means nothing.
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A pretty decent guitar for the price, really. And the 640 mm scale length is great for smaller hands. 
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