What is the lifespan of a hardwood acoustic guitar?

[chazmo]

Don't know if this is true, but I have heard it said that leaving a neck without tension for a long time risks a permanent and incurable back bow.

Back to the OP, I guess we just don't know how long our guitars will last. My oldest guitar is a mid-forties Gibson Banner Headstock J-45. In its seventh decade it still performs beautifully, and as has been pointed out, many forum members have older instruments. I'm confident that all of my guitars will outlast me...

' Strang

I've heard that too, 'Strang.

I made a comment about the guitar neck earlier in this thread that seemed to spark much of this conversation (sorry I've been offline for a few days)... I think the only thing I have to add is that I have seen some guitars that have needed resets because of neck geometry changes over time (whether due to neck block shifting or neck bowing). I've seen others that haven't (in 30+ years) and are as correct as they were built.

I don't know if it's a guarantee that all necks will need adjustment over time. Perhaps not, although I suspect in 300 years there will be no guitars from the 20th century that are still playable without having undergone extensive repair (as already discussed in this thread). I guess my only point was that, with respect to guitar longevity, the neck is a factor, even in the short-term, that shouldn't be overlooked. To me, it seems the neck is one of the "weak points" in this regard, as is (probably) the soundboard. And, no, I'm not actually citing any published material; I'm just stating my observation.

 

[Russell Letson]

Hang out with any repairman who works on acoustics (as I have done for about 30 years) and you will see exactly which parts of the system respond to trauma, mechanical stress, and temperature and humidity changes (and bad design and cheap construction). Neck geometry/high action is one of the big problem areas, and one common procedure I've observed is straightening of a bowed neck--there's even a heated press made for just this purpose. Bridges pull up and need to be steamed off and reglued. And if everything else fails, there's the dreaded neck reset. These, along with fret-leveling, refrets, and crack cleating/filling, are the bread and butter of an acoustic repairman, and the neck/bridge subsystem jobs all result from the way string tension acts on glue joints and the elasticity of wood.

 

[Tony Burns]

They have pulled furniture out of the pyraminds a few thousand years old - still useable .I believe theirs also a few musical instruments of diiferent types as well found . and i own a few violins from the late 1700's - and a guitar from around 1855 -so Im guessing if you take care of something and its not abused - at least a few hundred years -- The main problems Im concerned with might be some are not worthy or repair or neck resets and would be discarded because the cost is more than the instruments worth -pretty much almost anything can be fixed ( But ive burned a few flea market finds )

 

[5thumbs]

You know, I think we have stumbled into Quantum Theory!

Substitute “an unplayed guitar” for “Schrödinger's Cat” and the mind boggles! The guitar in the case is both better and worse than the one you play every day.

Combine this with the Wrong Note Theory, Dinosaur Extinction and the Mayan Calendar and we may be touching on something with far-reaching implications.

I’m not quite sure what though; I would need a martini or two to figure that out. :?

 

[adorshki]

I think it all depends on if Pete Townshend gets his hands on it.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hi Jazzdog, I note this is your 2nd post.. WELCOME!

 

[adorshki]

You know, I think we have stumbled into Quantum Theory!

Substitute “an unplayed guitar” for “Schrödinger's Cat” and the mind boggles! The guitar in the case is both better and worse than the one you play every day.

Combine this with the Wrong Note Theory, Dinosaur Extinction and the Mayan Calendar and we may be touching on something with far-reaching implications.

I’m not quite sure what though; I would need a martini or two to figure that out. :?

"If Pete Townshend never gets hold of your guitar, will it last forever?" :mrgreen:

 

[Bikerdoc]

I've found that if the coals are hot enough and the wood burner fairly airtight, a good piece of hardwood will give me a fine 4-6 hours worth of heat. :roll:

Peace

 

[adorshki]

I've found that if the coals are hot enough and the wood burner fairly airtight, a good piece of hardwood will give me a fine 4-6 hours worth of heat. :roll:

Peace

So.....I see that Hummingbird's still in your sig? :roll: :lol:

 

[Bikerdoc]

I've found that if the coals are hot enough and the wood burner fairly airtight, a good piece of hardwood will give me a fine 4-6 hours worth of heat. :roll:

Peace

So.....I see that Hummingbird's still in your sig? :roll: :lol:

I said, "a GOOD piece of hardwood".

Peace

 

[adorshki]

I've found that if the coals are hot enough and the wood burner fairly airtight, a good piece of hardwood will give me a fine 4-6 hours worth of heat. :roll:

Peace

So.....I see that Hummingbird's still in your sig? :roll: :lol:

I said, "a GOOD piece of hardwood".

Peace

What a comeback! :lol:

 

[adorshki]

Posting a link to another thread 'cause it's got a lot of relevance to things we discussed in this one. I know a lot of us have seen it, it's for the benefit of newbies and others who might not have:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15842