Older instruments sound better, ate this true and why

[danilo ninkovic]

Hello everyone

Several times I heard that musical instrument sound better if they are older and it is mainly the reason they are expensive.I would like to know why and whether it applies to the electric basses.
Some say, they sound better if played often

I think for electric basses it's a total package, for instance fender early pre c s 60's jazz basses are way more sought after than 70's mainly because of the quality & the electronics. W/ double basses & tone woods "Open up" & developed over time. But there are alot of 200 year old double basses that aren't worth more than $4000 just because they aren't very great basses the are just old. Usually older double basses are worth money just the same way because they are old & there sound has developed the maker is probably dead & gone and not producing instruments anymore.

[Scott Pope]

The conventional wisdom for all acoustic instruments is that as the wood vibrates it loses its "tightness" and resonates better, and that as the sap dries out further over time this also contributes to the resonance improving. I've not had the pleasure of owning a double bass long enough for this to happen, but it definitely has occurred on my two acoustic guitars I've owned for years, one fairly inexpensive, and one fairly expensive, the common denominator being that both have good quartersawn spruce tops to begin with.

As far as solid body instruments, hindsight is everything. I'm sure there are some good basses out there which, again, due to the wood continuing to cure over time, sound better as they age. But -- I'm not so sure about the electronics. Parts corrode, coil wire insulation can break down, the dielectric of capacitors can break down, and magnets (rarely) can lose their gauss. It's my opinion that when it comes to solid body electric basses, that the old good ones are good because they were good to begin with, with well seasoned wood and good quality electronics properly executed into an instrument at the beginning, not through the aging process.

[Ken Smith]

This is the Smith Bass forum. For electric basses all threads should be about Smith basses, not general brands or instruments. For that, you have other Forums out there. If you have a specific question about Smith basses and/or its woods, ask me. If you are on some kind of fishing expedition, swim down stream a bit!

[Bin Hire]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This is the Smith Bass forum. For electric basses all threads should be about Smith basses, not general brands or instruments. For that, you have other Forums out there. If you have a specific question about Smith basses and/or its woods, ask me. If you are on some kind of fishing expedition, swim down stream a bit!

A thousand apologies for suggesting this, but I think they were just talking about wood and how parts of an instrument age. It is an interesting question with electric basses because of their youth (60 years or so), and the fact that they contain electrical components. If one wonders whether electric basses improve with age, I suppose one must examine the older makes. We are all bass enthusiasts here who seek only knowledge of our loved instruments.
Back home we have a saying,
"When the well is full we can all drink, even if the sand makes the water taste different to some."
Again apologies if my remarks are out of line.

[Terry McDougal]

Bin you make a good point.
The history of any instrument goes beyond the comercial thing. I think the other posters were only trying to see the historic perspective.
Hey but I'm not a great fan of sand in my coffee, or my water. Just joking there, no cultural insensitivity intended.

[danilo ninkovic]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This is the Smith Bass forum. For electric basses all threads should be about Smith basses, not general brands or instruments. For that, you have other Forums out there. If you have a specific question about Smith basses and/or its woods, ask me. If you are on some kind of fishing expedition, swim down stream a bit!

Hello Mr.Smith
I asked this question just out of curiosity because I thought that Smith bass have many experienced bass players. I know that Smith is not made of bass wood that is not old enough to work like other producers
Sorry for my english

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by danilo ninkovic

Hello Mr.Smith
I asked this question just out of curiosity because I thought that Smith bass have many experienced bass players. I know that Smith is not made of bass wood that is not old enough to work like other producers
Sorry for my english

Sorry, I don't understand that comment.

Bass wood as in wood for making basses or Bass wood, a kind of wood called basswood, a soft hardwood used in civil construction?