Can a guitar just die?

[Radardog]

What I mean is can the tone of a guitar just disappear after many years of playing ?

Jk

[Orbis_Mortis]

Pickups can lose magnetism. Wood can dry out. Structure changes from temperature changes??? :dunno

[UncleLarry]

After many years of guitar playing...we kinda go deaf.

[NewarkWilder]

frets can certainly get worn out too, so yeah there are certain things that need upkeep.

[TwoTubMan]

Clapton's Blackie can no longer really be called a musical instrument. He basically played the neck to death.

[stratpaulguy86]

Rumor is that EJ sold his beloved '54 Strat "Virginia" because it took a fall of some sort and apparently never sounded the same. Also, he recovered his long lost black '58 Stratocaster "Faye" and sold that one shortly thereafter because it didn't sound the same as he remembered. So yeah, I guess it's possible???

:dunno

[Stratobuc]

What I mean is can the tone of a guitar just disappear after many years of playing ?

Jk


What kind of guitar are we talking about?


Normally - its just the opposite of the question you ask.

[zachman]

What I mean is can the tone of a guitar just disappear after many years of playing ?

Jk

Yes: But sometimes it just has it coming...

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/images/equipment/guitar/cnurse/19731105_newcastle_smash.jpg

[gmann]

Pickups can lose magnetism. Wood can dry out. Structure changes from temperature changes??? :dunno

I agree about the pickups, I've heard it happen.

[?&!]

Yep. It happened to my beloved '72 LPC Black Beauty, nicknamed "The Mayor" (because it ruled Portland with an iron fist). It was an incredible instrument. It sang like no other guitar I've ever played, and I loved it with all my heart.

I plugged it in at rehearsal one night, and it sounded like dogsh!t. All my bandmates made a stinky face as soon as I hit a chord. It sounded amazing as usual the night before. At first I thought I had a tube problem in my amp, but I plugged in my backup guitar ('72 goldtop Deluxe), and it sounded great. Nothing had changed with my amp, and no one had been in the practice space, but something had stolen that guitar's mojo.

I at first thought the magnet in the pickup might have died, so I bought a brand new Fralin for the bridge position. Still awful. I then replaced all the pots, caps, and wiring. Still awful. Full checkups by 2 different respected luthiers. Nothing wrong with it structurally, and they both agreed there was no logical explanation for why it sounded so bad. I sold it to a buddy really cheap, because I couldn't stand to have it around as a shell of it's former self.

I've been with my wife for 21 years, and she's the one for me. If she were to die, I would bang other chicks, but none of them would ever have my heart. I feel the same way about the Mayor. I will never have an emotional connection with an instrument ever again. All these other guitars I have are just random chicks. God, this was depressing to write. :-(

[KBN]

A friend of mine has a guitar that "died". Turns out the fretboard had dehydrated enough and wasn't holding the frets firmly enough even after attempts at rehydrating. The frets weren't technically loose so it was a bit of mystery for a while, but a luthier finally suggested gluing the frets and the guitar came back to life.

[Radardog]

What kind of guitar are we talking about?


Normally - its just the opposite of the question you ask.

A 1993 Tom Anderson Classic - HSS
Plays great but the sound is just dull

Jim K

[GibsonLives]

A bit of-topic, but I notice all the big artists, as well as those with particularly beloved instruments who may not be famous, tend to name their axes. Hmmmmm...now I've got something to think about for my Plus and my newly-acquired '81 Strat.
Steve

[LavaMan]

No....but they can spontaneously combust:

http://filmfanatic.org/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/mp-jimi-hendrix.png

[jboyjams]

frets can certainly get worn out too, so yeah there are certain things that need upkeep.
True.

I never thought I could wear one out - buy my Les Paul Standard from 1990 is showing some serious fret ware. I bought it new and it's still an excellent guitar. I am surprised that despite some obvious indentations and wear on the frets (21 years of weekend gigs), that it stiill plays fine and I'm not losing any notes anywhere. I heard a fret job will cost $250 - $300 and I'll do that if the playability ever becomes affected.

[hades_1123]

Yep. It happened to my beloved '72 LPC Black Beauty, nicknamed "The Mayor" (because it ruled Portland with an iron fist). It was an incredible instrument. It sang like no other guitar I've ever played, and I loved it with all my heart.

I plugged it in at rehearsal one night, and it sounded like dogsh!t. All my bandmates made a stinky face as soon as I hit a chord. It sounded amazing as usual the night before. At first I thought I had a tube problem in my amp, but I plugged in my backup guitar ('72 goldtop Deluxe), and it sounded great. Nothing had changed with my amp, and no one had been in the practice space, but something had stolen that guitar's mojo.

I at first thought the magnet in the pickup might have died, so I bought a brand new Fralin for the bridge position. Still awful. I then replaced all the pots, caps, and wiring. Still awful. Full checkups by 2 different respected luthiers. Nothing wrong with it structurally, and they both agreed there was no logical explanation for why it sounded so bad. I sold it to a buddy really cheap, because I couldn't stand to have it around as a shell of it's former self.

I've been with my wife for 21 years, and she's the one for me. If she were to die, I would bang other chicks, but none of them would ever have my heart. I feel the same way about the Mayor. I will never have an emotional connection with an instrument ever again. All these other guitars I have are just random chicks. God, this was depressing to write. :-(

Wow. Really interesting. I'm so sorry about your guitar. I feel the same about mine. But you need to find another favorite guitar dude! There's a lot of beatiful guitars in this world. You can find another, can be better than that goldtop. :dunno Just don't give up :bonk

[drbob1]

Before I gave up on it, I'd consider sending it to one of the real geniuses in guitar repair, who that'd be would depend on what kind of guitar it is. The problem sounds mechanical, like there's something lose that's absorbing sustain: fretboard, frets, truss rod, joint between the neck and body, bridge, tuners... In fact, if you want to guarantee to solve the problem, disassemble the guitar and rebuild it with new parts (including removing the fingerboard and the neck from the body, checking the truss rod while the FB is off). I guarantee it's fixable, wood doesn't die!