any guitar players out there?

Jester · Posted: Feb 27, 2003 3:11 pm Post subject:

Brand of string isn't gonna affect your fingers as much as the setup of the guitar. In my personal experience brand names play NO part in how good a string is. I dropped $50 for a set of Dean Markley Blue Steels once & they broke in 3 weeks. Now I buy strings from a website called Musicyo for $5 a set & they last forever.

To make playing easy on your fingers you need to optimize the setup of the neck. Make sure the neck isn't bowed. If it is you need to have somebody tweak the truss rod. The nut might also be too high & require some filing down, although this is rare. You can lower the saddles the bring the strings down, but you also need to draw them forward/back to compensate for the changes in intonation. Lastly, you can have a professional check the neck angle to make sure it's set properly at the neck/body joint.

If you want playing to be easy on your fingers then lower the action as much as possible, but be aware of how much the strings are buzzing against the frets 'cuz that can screw up your tone. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

criminally_minded · Posted: Feb 27, 2003 4:14 pm Post subject:

I played drums for a few years, and i had possibly the crappiest kit ever (I used tent poles for crash stands), but now I'm learning guitar, I got a Marshall Amp and a Marshall guitar (its ok, I suppose, but nothing special), been learning for..... 4 months?

Wanna hear 'Smoke on the water' anyone? Rolling Eyes

HyPe4eVeR · Posted: Mar 16, 2003 4:27 pm Post subject:

Well, I play an acoustic guitar and I figured that there would be a lot better sound if I got lighter strings. Because when I play the E formation along the frets it vibrates more and more the higher I go up, especially on the first one. I understand that this is because I am not holding it down hard enough, but could lighter strings help?

Cruel World · Criminal Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 55 City: Waterford, MI

You can't just change the gauge of your strings without resetting up the guitar. Neck tension needs to be adjusted as well as action and itonation. Itonation has to do with calibrating the bridge of your guitar so it stays in tune at all fret positions. If you change string gauges, you should have your guitar setup by a technician at a music store, or someone that knows what they are doing.

If you are getting fret buzz, this is usually solved with the above. Generally it is a neck tension issue, causing the neck to bow. You shouldn't have to press on the strings very hard at all to get a good tone.

Hope this helps.

Jester · Posted: Mar 16, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject:

Hype, if your problem is that you're not pressing hard enuff then don't get new strings, it won't help. The fact of the matter is you just need to practice more & build up finger strength. Everybody goes through it, just stick with it & pretty soon you won't even think about it anymore.

quigglymaster · Posted: Mar 16, 2003 9:19 pm Post subject:

tru dat yo jester. i really need to build up my finger strength. i have really small hands and i'm a piano player so i press way different on the fret board. i have a harder time getting full bar chords sounding good.