A guy on the unofficial martin forum posted that he got an email notifying him of a sale this week at toneRite:
"For this week only, we are offering 40% off and FREE shipping within the USA.
Please enter Coupon Code “VASTR40” to receive your exclusive discount through our website."
His post was 2 days ago, so I am guessing the sale is through the end of this week.
For what it’s worth, I have and use one and they do seem to make a difference. Here is their site:
tonerite.com/
Since this thread generated so much interest last time they had a sale, I felt obligated to post it again. I think the offer is good for this week (see coupon code below):
Free T-shirt and Free shipping in the USA when ordering online through our website!
ToneRite, Inc.
Customer Support (530) 385.TONE
Receive 40% Off List Price when placing new orders online through our website!
Coupon Code: “NAMM”
It’s an interesting product, but it’s a little pricey to try not knowing exactly what the result would be. Guess I’ll just keep on being a human ToneRite machine.
It comes out to about $120 after the discount. I think it’s worth it, but it’s not for everyone. It seems to have more effect on some guitars than others.
It simply vibrates the strings and yes it may do it at certain freqs but for my taste I will allow the Martin to age normally . I find it to pricey even at the sale price but if it does something you want then it is worth it to you . I have had it about 7 months and have noticed some subtle changes in tone and volume just letting time pass , it is for sure louder than when I first started playing . I think I will invest in a good set up and go from there, it is pretty good right now but I know it can be made better by a good guitar repairman. I did replace the pins with brass but did not like the tonal change. I played it between string changes and went back to the tusq or what ever it is they use. I can say it made a difference and for the better , bone may even be better I may try that down the road . I have also listened to back to back sound bites before and after tone rite and I could tell a slight difference but not enough to write home about. I figure it ages the wood to quickly and may take a few years off the instruments life . My brother in law had a device that made it have reverb with out an amp, I liked that very much and may get one of those . To bad Clay is gone now we played together a lot . I miss playing guitars he had a beat that no other I have every played with, one of a kind he could make any one sound great.
— Begin quote from "ldpayton"
It’s an interesting product, but it’s a little pricey to try not knowing exactly what the result would be. Guess I’ll just keep on being a human ToneRite machine.
— End quote
Thats what I will do also and let old man time deal with it . I am not saying anything bad about the device, but it may take a more discerning ear than mine to tell the change.
Hey welder, brass bridge pins on a Martin? What were you thinking! 
Just kidding. I have swapped out tusq pins for bone on most of the Martins I’ve owned and while there is a difference it’s usually minor. But it was enough of a difference that I could hear it and thus justify the money spent for them. Not sure if your Martin has a bone saddle or not but if it doesn’t that would make a lot more difference in tone than bridge pins.
I am thinking that way and the reason I tried the brass pins is I had them on hand but the originals are back on now and I know now that brass pins do nothing but maybe make it a little less loud and effects the tone in a negative way .
Interesting article on a test done for a tonerite type device (they don’t call it by name).
savartjournal.org/index.php/ … le/view/22
If you want the one sentence version: they couldn’t measure any discernible difference due to the use of tonerite. Interestingly, there have been studies that show a difference, but I think they were sponsored by the manufacturer.
Yeah Mike I’ve been keeping up with the threads about it on the UMGF too. Seems as though there are believers, non believers and skeptics. I guess I’d put myself in the skeptic group. I’d never say it wouldn’t work without trying it first myself but I haven’t been persuaded enough to buy one and try it out. I’ve got the perfect candidate for one in a new Guild D50BS with a tight Adi top I bought a few weeks ago. If I catch them on sale I may just pull the trigger.
I can’t fault the methods used in the study. It was well thought out and sounds well executed. I do wish they would have used something like what you have (new adi). My 0000 was the only new adi guitar I have ever bought and it was the one that led me to believe the tonerite was a great benefit. All other guitars of mine were already well played before seeing the tonerite. Another nice contrast would be to have a “C” instrument for each pair that was played a goofy amount of time each day.
So a tonerite may be snake oil, but it’s snake oil that seemed to work for me. In the end, if all it did was make me think my guitar sounded better… well, if I enjoyed it more as a result, then I guess the science behind it is almost secondary.
It almost reminds me of the double blind study they did with old Stradavarius and new (well made) instruments. The “expert” players couldn’t tell the difference (in fact preferred the new ones). In the end, I bet they still prefer to play the old strads. What do these studies really tell us? I think it tells us that tone and how we players perceive it is not pure science.
BTW Bulldog, you aren’t too far from me. Do you come down towards the DFW area much?
— Begin quote from "mreisz"
What do these studies really tell us? I think it tells us that tone and how we players perceive it is not pure science.
— End quote
Yep I think you nailed it right there Mike. BTW, the last time I was over your way was several years ago when I spent a couple of days fishing at Lake Fork then headed to TMS for a NASCAR race. That was a great trip. Never get over that way anymore, but if I ever did I’d give you a shout!