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Wise words indeed! Thanks Zurf.

Wow!! I had no idea that strings were such a science. When I bought this guitar new, it actually had ordinary steel strings like an electric which made it play really easy but the sound was very thin. When I had it set up properly, it came back with bronze strings which sounded much better.
I think I will go and see the Luthier at the weekend and take some professional advice. I don't want to damage something by experimenting.
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I knew I could rely on you.

Woah! I make it a point not to touch anything with the word 'Truss' in the title! That way lies madness methinks.
I think the neck is okay, if I press down hard enough there is no problem at all. I'm just a bit perturbed that I even have to think about it when I am not playing any different to how I normally would. I am thinking that it must be the strings because I got them from a different shop and I don't think that I have had this make before. Having had a root through my guitar stuff I have bags with Jim Dunlop and DAddario and the like but no Martin. I take my guitar to a Luthier every year for a set up and he generally just hands me the same strings he put on. I don't have to look. Lazy I suppose.
Think I will take Amy's advice and have a peruse of this forum, see if I can learn something. Although last time a young lady told me to excercise my right arm It didn't go well!!

Be nice to have a job that involved playing guitar wouldnt it?!!

I use a tuner which tells me the octave so I should be okay there I think. There isn't a huge difference but it is noticeable, to me at least. When I played before I am sure I didn't have to press so hard. Perhaps I need more breakfast cereal!

Hi Tommydone. Just got to watch your video. Well done man, from the heart.

Whether we understand or not doesn't matter. That's a lovely poem, thanks for letting us read it. Do you put your poems to music?

Thanks Amy it's nice to be here! It has it's good points being tall but big fingers can be a pain on the guitar sometimes. B7 for example comes out as FFRUPP as my fingers damp all the strings next door to the ones I'm supposed to be fretting!! Also you bang your head a lot. It is handy for basketball though!
Back on topic, a really nice example of a slash chord is on the first two chords in Handbags and Gladrags by Stereophonics. Its the same chord but the second time through starts with a different bass note. I have seen quite a few people play a different note altogether for that second chord because they don't realise it's only the bass note changing.

I find you can pretty much ignore the slash bass note when you're strumming but it makes a heck of a lot of difference when you're finger picking. The alternate bass note often gives the song a kind of running bass line while the actual chord doesn't change. It can be really effective.

Thanks Guitarpix, I see exactly what you mean. I've had a go and you're right about the easier changes. Only trouble now is I have to re-engage my brain to play it!! I've practised that long with the conventional chords, my hands want to take over even though they keep doing it wrong. I love playing the guitar but it can sure be frustrating!!

Thanks Zurf. What is a B chord amnesty? Or is that a can of worms I don't want to look into!!