Have You Used a ToneRite?

Cluze · Jul 23, 2021

Look, this thread has strayed a bit from the original intention. If we look back to post #1:

Ed1 said:
Other than Uncle Rod four years ago and experimentjon seven years ago, there hasn't been much talk of ToneRite. It seems to have opinions both for and "meh" on the issue, so I'm wondering if there are any new thoughts from those who have tried it. Experimentjon sold his seven years ago and said it works, especially the first use on a uke and that if you have a half dozen of all-solid good ukes it's a good idea. So, that makes me curious.

Any new thoughts in this decade on the use of ToneRite - by those who have tried it?

So the question still on the table is: for people who have actually used one, what's your opinion?

Theory and conjecture aside, is there anyone out there who tried one and *didn't* feel that it helped?

kissing · Jul 23, 2021

Bill1 said:
As I have posted before, those who want to find out for themselves about opening up in regard to their own instruments do not need a science degree or to get into a argument to pass the time. You can find out for yourself, put the instrument near a speaker turned up loud or put your WiFi speaker onto the top, leave it for a few hours and see what happens. Then you can make posts based on your experiences with real observations, which may be subjective, but they will be real.

Will your instrument "open up" if you leave it in front of the speaker or if you put your WiFi speaker on the top? You will never find out until you try it and see for yourself.

Another member has posted a personal expereince with the idea at post number 18 if you would like to see what a post about the experience looks like.

I am not being close-minded towards the premise of accumulating anecdotal accounts.
My point is that whether you have 1 anecdote or millions; it provides very limited usable information if there is no solid theory to go with the anecdotes.

I am not saying this to discredit the personal experiences of people in any way.
To illustrate the point, there are many people around the world who believe in homeopathy.
Although there are many people (hundreds of thousands? millions?) who give personal, subjective and "real" accounts of their experience with it - I find it very hard to accept this as actual evidence that homeopathy works.

Homeopathy does not have any robust scientific explanation of how it works; beyond the placebo effect.

If there was a plausible scientific explanation of how Tonerite works and many personal anecdotes backing it up, I'd have no issue here.
My issue is that currently, there is only the anecdotes, but no plausible scientific explanation behind the mechanism.

We've probably looped around this same topic many times by now. I appreciate your responses.

Arik · Jul 23, 2021

Cluze said:
Look, this thread has strayed a bit from the original intention. If we look back to post #1:

So the question still on the table is: for people who have actually used one, what's your opinion?

Theory and conjecture aside, is there anyone out there who tried one and *didn't* feel that it helped?

^^^^Thanks Cluze for bringing it back to the OP's question.

kkimura · Jul 23, 2021

I personally have never seen nor used a ToneRite and therefore have no valid opinion on it's efficacy or lack thereof. And with that said, I leave you all to your ruminations.

Mahalo and aloha

EDW · Jul 23, 2021

Ukecaster said:
I've seen this debate for years. Never tried one, so can't say myself, but know that what people "hear" is very subjective. With all the science available to us, have these Tonerites been tested in a controlled lab setting, measuring (before/after) the sound frequencies, volumes, etc? If so, I'd be interested in those results, and also followup measurements after a month of rest, to see if the instrument "went back to sleep", as some say.

I have wondered about this as well. I have not been able to find anything out there besides a lot of anecdotal evidence. I have no strong opinions one way or another.

It can be hard to sort through a lot of these beliefs as there are times a feeling or impression is asserted as fact. I have seen a lot of beliefs for all instruments where a famous teacher or player says X is the true which then gets passed along as gospel truth. In the age of the internet this can spread very quickly.

Over the years I have heard of various products or interesting beliefs. These include:

-someone in NYC who was working with well known players changing out a couple of the screws on their saxophones which was said to completely change the vibrational properties of the instrument
-Brass players who have their instruments treated using some type of cryogenic treatment to improve the tone http://www.cartercryo.com/cryogenic-instruments.html
-People who believe in storing their instrument facing magnetic north to align the molecules for better resonance.
-the idea that you should only buy an instrument from someone who was a good player with a good sound because if not, "the molecules get all @#*&% up and are out of alignment" (direct quote)
-at the same time I have also heard of techs who can profess to be able to "realign" these molecules to bring the instrument back

It can be baffling and each player can decide what is important to them.

Ultimately, there is no substitute for practice, which is probably the most important factor

Wiggy · Jul 23, 2021

Disclaimer: I had never heard of a Tonerite before this OP.

As I wrote previously, I "believe" that string tension (and weight) working to reach a balance with the structure of the instrument, both of which are changing constantly due to its environment, have the most effect on how it sounds and plays at any moment in time.

We think we control the temperature, relative humidity, direct and indirect sunlight, barometric pressure, and our moods. But we don't. They are always changing.

You may want to deploy your tinfoil hat:

Perhaps Tonerite works like an MRI where it disrupts all the molecules (specific to MRI; protons within) into an unnatural (in the case of MRI, known) state. MRI then releases them. The energy emitted as they fight their way back to stabilization is detected to create a detailed image of their density (or something like that).

Mind Games - JOHN LENNON - MIND GAMES (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ny42Mdg5qo

Tonerite could be useful for detecting glue or other joint defects and loose bracing.

ukudancer · Jul 23, 2021

EDW said:
I have wondered about this as well. I have not been able to find anything out there besides a lot of anecdotal evidence. I have no strong opinions one way or another.

It can be hard to sort through a lot of these beliefs as there are times a feeling or impression is asserted as fact. I have seen a lot of beliefs for all instruments where a famous teacher or player says X is the true which then gets passed along as gospel truth. In the age of the internet this can spread very quickly.

Over the years I have heard of various products or interesting beliefs. These include:

-someone in NYC who was working with well known players changing out a couple of the screws on their saxophones which was said to completely change the vibrational properties of the instrument
-Brass players who have their instruments treated using some type of cryogenic treatment to improve the tone http://www.cartercryo.com/cryogenic-instruments.html
-People who believe in storing their instrument facing magnetic north to align the molecules for better resonance.
-the idea that you should only buy an instrument from someone who was a good player with a good sound because if not, "the molecules get all @#*&% up and are out of alignment" (direct quote)
-at the same time I have also heard of techs who can profess to be able to "realign" these molecules to bring the instrument back

It can be baffling and each player can decide what is important to them.

Ultimately, there is no substitute for practice, which is probably the most important factor

Musicians aren't that different from superstitious athletes.

Uncle Rod Higuchi · Jul 29, 2021

hawaii 50 said:
i use it and it works for me

Works for me as well

I've even used it on polycarbonate and carbon fiber ukes. why? for me
it's all about getting individual pieces that make up the ukulele to vibrate
together. anyway, that's the concept that swayed me into getting and using one.

I'm convinced that it's worked for me. Sometimes I've left it on an instrument
for weeks or even months and I think it's made a big difference from what I
remember the instrument sounding initially. I like a mellow sound and I believe
it mellows out the ukulele.

NOTE: I said 'think' and 'believe' because I'm giving my personal impressions and
not any kind of scientific, external or even measurable outcomes. It's purely
subjective. And I find that I subjectively think and believe it does open up my ukes.

keep uke'in',

Kenn2018 · Aug 1, 2021

Perception is reality.

Have You Used a ToneRite?

Cluze

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kissing

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Arik

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Kenn2018

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