According to the internet, breaking in a guitar is a real phenomenon. By all means, ask your own favourite online sources about the same things. Here was my exchange with Grok in November 2025…
Me: Some people talk about how a guitar changes between it being new and it having been played a lot. What is this called, when a guitar changes after being played?
Grok: It’s called “break-in” or “playing in” a guitar.
When a new acoustic guitar is played extensively – especially in the first 50-200 hours – the wood vibrates, the top (soundboard) loosens slightly, and the overall tone opens up. The sound becomes:
- Warmer
- Louder
- More resonant
- Less “tight” or “boxy”
This is most noticeable in solid-wood guitars (especially spruce or cedar tops). The effect is real and widely documented by luthiers, players, and even in blind tests (e.g., studies by the Guild of American Luthiers).
Why it happens:
- Microscopic wood changes – Vibrations help relieve internal stresses in the wood and finish.
- Top flexing – The soundboard becomes more responsive over time.
- String energy transfer – A played-in guitar transmits vibration more efficiently.
Note: This is not the same as “aging” (like a 50-year-old vintage guitar). Break-in is the initial transformation in the first months/years of regular play.
Some players speed it up with devices like the [brand name], which vibrates the guitar mechanically, but most say nothing beats real playing.
There are two options for breaking in a guitar: playing it for 50-200+ hours, or using Guitar Vibrator to speed up the process. Or, I suppose, doing both.
To use Guitar Vibrator, here are the steps: