***The Official Guitar Thread***
- Thread starter Nitefly
- Start date
Associate
Building one
Nice! I'm making something at the moment, a bit different from the partscaster and kits I have done so far.
Look forward to seeing yours complete.
Fox you installing that yourself? Looks like quite a bit to do - at least there's plenty of room inside =)
I've also been trying a few different plectrums recently. I had been using some chickenpicks but although I liked the feel I think they made me less precise. I've recently settled on a gravity picks razor, 1.5mm. I love this thing..
Man of Honour
It will be easy peasy in teh acoustic.
My mate is building me an exact copy of my 1978 Strat with all the same dents and bruises so that I don't destroy my original by putting a Roland GT3 Kit in it
He will then 'save' my original.
Well chaps a new path in my life has started. Finally doing something I want to do for the rest of my days rather than stuff I kind of ended up in. I'll let you know how it goes as I aim for my BMus Jazz. I was going to go for classical but I thought jazz offers me a whole lot more and the chance to maybe get a bit more innovative.
Associate
It will be easy peasy in teh acoustic.
My mate is building me an exact copy of my 1978 Strat with all the same dents and bruises so that I don't destroy my original by putting a Roland GT3 Kit in it
That's cool. I'm all for the high tech stuff but i'm not sure i'd want to interfere too much with an oldie like your strat!
Good luck to you Xordium, if I was starting out with classical or jazz to that level, it'd be jazz all the time.
Cheers. I took my grade 8 in both a few years back and wanted to start last year but the problem was they wanted piano too and I didn't have that at all in my skillset so I delayed everything a year. I am glad I did because this is for fun really so there is no rush and I want to do it right. Well I say it's for fun my wife and friends say it's a mid-life crisis - well not to my face they don't but I damn well know what they are saying behind my back.
Caporegime
Ok, guitar experts, I need help. I've dug my old Yamaha Pacifica 112 out of storage to give it a go after a few years off. I picked up some new strings and restrung it and was attempting to tune it, but it wasn't happening. After I while I noticed that the bridge was farther out from the body than I've ever seen it, so I'm thinking that over the course of time the bridge springs have given up the ghost.
So... Question... Can I fix this? Is it economical to do so? What do I need? Can I buy replacement springs? Do I need specific ones for my guitar or is it a fairly generic thing?
Your help would be greatly appreciated!
So... Question... Can I fix this? Is it economical to do so? What do I need? Can I buy replacement springs? Do I need specific ones for my guitar or is it a fairly generic thing?
Your help would be greatly appreciated!
You can just buy new springs mate, just keep an eye on how long they need to be as different manufacturers use different lengths for the rear cavities.
You can also try screwing the claw in a bit further (if not all the way into the wood). It's what I did on my 16 year old axe with Floyd. Alternatively, you can block off the tremolo with a piece of wood, but obviously you'll lose the tremolo feature and it'll basically act as a hard tail.
You can also try screwing the claw in a bit further (if not all the way into the wood). It's what I did on my 16 year old axe with Floyd. Alternatively, you can block off the tremolo with a piece of wood, but obviously you'll lose the tremolo feature and it'll basically act as a hard tail.
Man of Honour
Bugger bugger bugger
That MIDI pickup won't fit on my acoustic
I'm waiting for Roland to tell me if it's OK being out of line that much.
I always wondered my my acoustic played brilliantly and it's because the strings are closer together compared to all my electrics.
That MIDI pickup won't fit on my acoustic
I'm waiting for Roland to tell me if it's OK being out of line that much.
I always wondered my my acoustic played brilliantly and it's because the strings are closer together compared to all my electrics.
I have a feeling that is going to cause problems for you and you won't get the answer you want. Hope you do but I can't help but think that much out of alignment is going to cause problems with how things are interpreted as it won't get a discrete enough signal from each string.
Man of Honour
Apparently it's OK. Somebody on the V-Guitar Forums linked to a PDF that shows different MIDI pickups and there sizes and what they can do. As long as I've got a bit of the string overthe pole it will work and I just adjust volumes in the settings.
However I have another problem, I can't get the pickup under the strings without it touching a couple of them
I need to raise my bridge by 1mm and of course it can be done but isn't an easy job. I also have another problem, I honestly don't think I can stand for 90 minutes with a dreadnought size guitar with the extra overarm hang I will have to do, I can sitnb for hours with it on my kneee but standing up with it is a different matter. I'm going to stick with my electrics.Keep in mind that raising the bridge will make you action higher. The fact the strings don't run over the middle of the pole pieces isn't a problem, as long as they are over it.
If I were you though, I'd start looking for another solution. Maybe a pickup that fits in the sound hole?
If I were you though, I'd start looking for another solution. Maybe a pickup that fits in the sound hole?
I am sure you've tried this already but have you shortened the strap so the guitar is fitting higher up on your body. I'd love to sling it low like Page but practically for good technique I end up more like Marvin! I am guessing we are both attempting to adopt the same right arm postures yours for technical reasons and mine for technique efficiency.
You had better news than I expected on that though stick with it a bit longer you never know.
Man of Honour
It only needs go up 1mm which shouldn't make any difference down the bottom end.
I can't put the pickup by the sound hole because it has to be no more than 20mm from the bridge.
For now I'm going to stick with my electrics.
I've had some great sounds tonight at rehearsals doing stuff like Comfortably Numb, Forever Autumn and Eve Of War.
Caporegime
Cheers. New springs for £4 have done the job. All sorted now.
Caporegime
Another question...
I've picked up a second hand electro-acoustic (nothing fancy - Tanglewood Evolution, £120 on ebay!) and I'd like to fix something on it. For whatever reason the previous owner has moved the strap knob from the heel of the guitar to a bit further round the side of the guitar. They've not really done a good job of it, they've just driven the screw through the side of the guitar, they've not even put a block behind it, so you can see the business end of the screw if you look in the soundhole. I'd rather move it back to where it belongs, as I'm not convinced that's a great spot for it, and the strap knob rattles on the screw as it's not all the way in. So I think I'll remove it and put it back on the heel. The question is what to do with the hole in the body. Is there an easy way of filling it? Will wood filler do the job? I'm inclined to just put a spot of filler in there and then touch it up with the closest matching nail varnish I can find. Is this a terrible idea for any reason?
I've picked up a second hand electro-acoustic (nothing fancy - Tanglewood Evolution, £120 on ebay!) and I'd like to fix something on it. For whatever reason the previous owner has moved the strap knob from the heel of the guitar to a bit further round the side of the guitar. They've not really done a good job of it, they've just driven the screw through the side of the guitar, they've not even put a block behind it, so you can see the business end of the screw if you look in the soundhole. I'd rather move it back to where it belongs, as I'm not convinced that's a great spot for it, and the strap knob rattles on the screw as it's not all the way in. So I think I'll remove it and put it back on the heel. The question is what to do with the hole in the body. Is there an easy way of filling it? Will wood filler do the job? I'm inclined to just put a spot of filler in there and then touch it up with the closest matching nail varnish I can find. Is this a terrible idea for any reason?
Soldato
I've a question for those of you that play in a band or at least jam with friends. How do you learn to keep time? I know it might sound like a really fundamental question but a few friends and I have got a practise room and we are finding it hard to keep time together.
Currently there are three of us, a drummer and two guitarists. We aren't interested in gigging just yet so we don't have a singer or bassist but that might be part of the very problem. We all have played are respective instruments for about 10-15 years but no of us have really played with anyone else so it is all new to us. We decided to start with The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy and Welcome To the Jungle by Guns 'N Roses but we are having problems, particularly with BABT. We are finding that because the two guitarists are playing different rhythms in the verses and even partial chords we get a bit "lost". Is it because we haven't got a singer, singing the words we get lost?
Are there any tips/suggestions that those of you who have more experience can give? Have the songs we've choose simply too complex for us given we've not played together before? Are there any song suggestions?
Currently there are three of us, a drummer and two guitarists. We aren't interested in gigging just yet so we don't have a singer or bassist but that might be part of the very problem. We all have played are respective instruments for about 10-15 years but no of us have really played with anyone else so it is all new to us. We decided to start with The Boys Are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy and Welcome To the Jungle by Guns 'N Roses but we are having problems, particularly with BABT. We are finding that because the two guitarists are playing different rhythms in the verses and even partial chords we get a bit "lost". Is it because we haven't got a singer, singing the words we get lost?
Are there any tips/suggestions that those of you who have more experience can give? Have the songs we've choose simply too complex for us given we've not played together before? Are there any song suggestions?
The key thing for me to have is a competent drummer, who knows the song, knows where he is in the song and can keep time reasonably well. I find it very difficult to play in a band if the drummer is totally lost and is trying to follow the vocalist or guitarist. It really should be the other way round. Give the guy a fighting chance and make sure he can hear what you're playing. When you're sat behind a kit and everybody's amps are facing away from you it's quite difficult to keep track of what they're playing. If he has a monitor make sure he's got a good mix, if not then position your bodies so you can see each other and amps so you can hear one another.
As you've already touched on, a half decent bass player can make a massive difference. He is the glue between you guitarists and the drummer. He should be able to carry the song and be a reference for you to keep track of it.
I don't think the songs you've mentioned are too complex really. Just make sure you all know your own parts, but also get a rough idea of everyone else's. When your playing the song, listen to what everyone else is playing. Don't be afraid to let the others know if they've gone off track. And of course, practice (at home on your own and with the band) makes perfect.
If you get fed up with learning songs, then just jam some chord progressions for a while. And have fun!
Man of Honour
Basically what Big Danny says -
1) Crap drummer crap band
2) If the bass player doesn't turn up for rehearsal, me or the other guitarist play bass depending on who has the main guitar part in the song. We never rehearse without a bass playing along with the drums. Funnily enough you can still get very tight with just the guitars and bass playing.
3) Stand in a circle while rehearsing so you can all see each other and give cues. Funnily enough with my latest band, we had got well over 150 years playing experience between us so we set up like a band, a week later we started facing each other.
4) A singer helps but shouldn't be important.
5) Tap your feet.
6) Film yourself because it really is one of the best ways to hear what you're doing wrong.
1) Crap drummer crap band
2) If the bass player doesn't turn up for rehearsal, me or the other guitarist play bass depending on who has the main guitar part in the song. We never rehearse without a bass playing along with the drums. Funnily enough you can still get very tight with just the guitars and bass playing.
3) Stand in a circle while rehearsing so you can all see each other and give cues. Funnily enough with my latest band, we had got well over 150 years playing experience between us so we set up like a band, a week later we started facing each other.
4) A singer helps but shouldn't be important.
5) Tap your feet.
6) Film yourself because it really is one of the best ways to hear what you're doing wrong.