Re: science behind a mandolin "opening up"
Leaving much-vexed "ageing" question aside for the moment, there is no doubt whatever that hygroscopic organic materials respond in various (and profound) ways to changes in temperature and humidity. Keratin is one example we are all familiar with, wood is another. They change shape.. they change in weight... other things such as their Young's Modulus (aka modulus of elasticity) also change. It would be incomprehensible if these things did not affect the sound of an instrument.
As for age-related effects, again, I suspect that oxidisation of resins in the wood, and in the finish, must have some impact. Quantifying it is far from easy, however.
Fine mandolins, guitars and fiddles are very, very sensitive things (I deliberately exclude banjos here ) so even small effects are likely to have some audible impact. Actually, even banjos, especially those with the old 'hide' heads respond to quite small changes in temperature and humidity. Modern plastic heads are far more stable.
Gibson F5 'Harvey' Fern, Gibson F5 'Derrington' Fern
Distressed Silverangel F 'Esmerelda' aka 'Maxx'
Northfield Big Mon #127
Ellis F5 Special #288
'39 & '45 D-18's, 1950 D-28.
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