***The Official Guitar Thread***

Soldato
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Sorry for your loss @SexyGreyFox

I bought the Taylor GS Mini today. It's in good condition but needs a new set of strings and a clean up. I've ordered some 13-56 for it.

When the current strings are off I'll lemon oil the fretboard and polish the body.

Does anyone know a good method for cleaning the carry case? There's a smell to it and it looks like it's had slugs crawling around it as there are slimy trails all about..
 
Soldato
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My condolences, mr sexygreyfox

I did my roughly annual string change yesterday on my classical (I know...).

I bought some super cheap strings, which are much lower tension than I'm used to.

On the plus side, it's way easier to play barres and stretchy chords. On the downside, they feel like elastic bands.
 
Man of Honour
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Thanks for the condolences, 3 pictures to see who he was -

dm1.jpg



dm2.jpg


dm3.jpg
 
Soldato
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3 pictures to see who he was
So, tell us, how come you ended up playing the guitar? :) Great pictures and memories. My Dad died at the start of last year, and even though we had very little in common (he was never a 'normal' father, whatever normal means!) losing a parent is definitely one of life's trickier milestones. It's good to have something meaningful to remember him by.

All the best for the next few emotionally complicated weeks.
 
Man of Honour
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So, tell us, how come you ended up playing the guitar?

I was born in 1958 into a house full of musicians because my Dad's bands would practice in the house (musicians included Jackie Trent and Johnny Kidd).
I showed no interest until I saw Marc Bolan at age 12 and started to mime to him with a cricket bat.
My Dad kept saying "I can show you how to play those songs" and 2 months later I was playing rhythm guitar in his band.
At 16 I had my own working bands but joined him in bands on and off until 1985.
The bottom picture is me and him busking around Clermont, Limoge & Lyon for two months in 1979.
The top picture is the famous Nightclub Jollees where we used to support a lot of 'Stars'.
 
Soldato
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I hope I don't get thread banned for this but I accidentally cut my new 4th string too short while changing them over on my Taylor GS Mini. I had to dip into my Tanglewood spares pack for the replacement string.

Oops
 
Soldato
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I hope I don't get thread banned for this but I accidentally cut my new 4th string too short while changing them over on my Taylor GS Mini. I had to dip into my Tanglewood spares pack for the replacement string.

Oops
Snip after winding! :eek:

My method is to measure 3 fingers past the tuner post, and put a right angle bend in the string.

Then insert the string, opposite angle bend on the "free" side of the tuner post so the string now has a Z-bend holding it in the post.

Then wrap one turn of string over the top of the post, pull tight and start winding. Make sure the turns wrap downwards.

Job jobbed, tune up, snip loose ends when happy :)
 
Soldato
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Snip after winding! :eek:

My method is to measure 3 fingers past the tuner post, and put a right angle bend in the string.

Then insert the string, opposite angle bend on the "free" side of the tuner post so the string now has a Z-bend holding it in the post.

Then wrap one turn of string over the top of the post, pull tight and start winding. Make sure the turns wrap downwards.

Job jobbed, tune up, snip loose ends when happy :)

Oh man, I followed this tutorial - https://youtu.be/JeDBU_LjHCY

Another question - is it normal for the pins/pegs to look a bit chewed out? My Tanglewood was bought brand new so the pins looked perfect and they clicked in and took effort to take out. The GS Mini, however, has pins that slide out real easy. I put only slightly more effort in than just asking them to slide out themselves. They're also a bit gouged out and deformed down the length.

Seems a bit odd.
 
Soldato
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Yep plastic bridge pins do tend to end up a bit scraggy after a while. The tip to pre-bend the ball end at 3:00 is good, it helps avoid the string binding in the hole. The ideal geometry is that the string can move freely, and the bridge pin isn't a tight fit. It shouldn't wedge in by itself really - more that the string tension makes the pin refuse to move. Don't stress so long as they're not pinging out :)
 
Man of Honour
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I saw slayer on the reign in pain tour and they definitely didn't:

Absolute shocker, went to pick 5x guitars up from my Dad's house and came across this abortion.
He's been playing since 1956 so should have known better.
The other guitars are perfect so I wonder what he had got against this one?


squirestrings.jpg
 
Soldato
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Absolute shocker, went to pick 5x guitars up from my Dad's house and came across this abortion.
He's been playing since 1956 so should have known better.
The other guitars are perfect so I wonder what he had got against this one?


squirestrings.jpg

Hahaha, maybe he lent it to Kerry King?

My restring is working out OK. My elastic band classical strings are much easier on the left hand. I can even play the opening chord of Cavatina without swearing, which is nice.
 
Man of Honour
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@SexyGreyFox sorry for your loss (apologies, late to the party re the sad news)

Thanks, funeral this Thursday and hopefully a few old musicians will turn up.
I've been left a load of gear because his wife doesn't want it and included is this awesome guitar.
I already have two of these in a Les Paul shape but this is obviously the Strat shape.

It is a James Tyler JTV69 made in conjunction with Line 6.
On the main controls there is a knob where you can choose from every famous guitar sound such 5x Telecasters, 5x Strats, 5x Les Pauls, 5x SGs and so on. Further round there are 5x acoustics including Matin's & Gibsons plus Banjo, Reso, Sitar etc.
The other controller you can see (if you zoom it's on Standard) is different tunings so I can be in Standard, drop D, Eb, D, Open A, Open G, DADGAD or any I want to make up myself like not needing a capo.
I'll be using it this weekend and if successful I might use it all the time.

jamestylervariaxjvt69.jpg
 
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