Topic: Questions... Just a few!

Hi There!

I have been playing (well trying since Christmas) and I am not progressing very much. My guitar apparantly I am told has a high action(whatever that means)  and I find it really hard to get a decent sound.

How can I lower the action? Is this guitar and I doomed?! Actually it is not a guitar I would have chosen. It was a pressie.

I have very small hands, the one thing my guitar has going for it is that the neck is slim! Thinking about it I don't really like it much. Maybe I should part exchange it!? What do you wise, in the know people think?

Thankyou

Tine
-x-

Re: Questions... Just a few!

hi Tine and welcome to chordie,

What a bizzare post lol but funny.

Only answer is if you want to learn keep at it if not then whats the point?

As for your action ( the distance ( height) between the stings and frets) best to try this yourself. But there is a  rod inside the nech that can be adjusted with an allan key.

I have seen an 8 year old boy play a full size guitar so if your hands are bigger than an 8 year olds then your hands cannot be too small to play.

Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Hey Tine,

The action is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. The higher it is the harder you have to press to fret a note, the opposite with a lower action. A high action has a louder sound the opposite with lower.

Don't try adjusting your guitar if you don't know what you're doing, you could do it permanent damage!

Get someone to adjust it for you or try to exchange it for something you like playing.

Silver lining: If you do play a guitar with a high action and get good, everything else is easy!!!

Good luck and keep going!

<-----<< On an even field, only talent prevails! >>----->
   Gans Gwarak da yn dorn yu lel, gwyr lowen an golon!
        >>-----> [color=#FF0000]Rudhes[/color] hag [color=yellow]Owres[/color], Kajima <-----<<

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Thankyou for that!

I think the main problem for me and my guitar is that my ex gave it to me and now I don't like him very much and my feelings have reflected on my poor guitar! I think I'm going to give it a new image... So that it feels like it is mine! Or I could draw a face on it like in that film where Tom Hanks  was lost on that Island... That way I have someone to shout at when I feel angry and then on payday I will treat myself to a new one!

Seriously I will consider what ou have said.

Do you think it pays to get proper lessons? Even if I could only afford once a fortnight?

Tine
-x-

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Wow.  First off, your guitar is not your ex.  With a little gentle treatment, your guitar will make you happy and sing like a bird.  We men are not quite so simple as that. 

Second, action can be adjusted.  If you really don't like the guitar, it may not be worth trying.  Trade it on something you'll play.  Guitar playing is far too much fun to let residual ook from an ex get in the way. 

Third, I love the concept of a face on a guitar.  Make it a happy face, though.  Wilson.  Funny.

Fourth, I really shouldn't go to four because three is just such a natural number for bits of things to say.

Fifth, One lesson per fortnight is not too few.  Weekly is probably too often, but it does help guitar instructors to pay the bills, which is not an easy thing for a guitar instructor to do otherwise. 

Sixth, Six?  I surely can't that many things to say.  Let me think.  Oh yes!  Christmas was just a few months ago.  You shouldn't be good yet.  If you were, you'd make us all jealous and angry and stuff.  Instead, we're all sympathetic and want to be helpful.  A friend of mine who teaches guitar said this about progression of most students.  After a year, you'll be getting the hang of it.  People might not run when you pull out your guitar.  After two years, you'll feel pretty good and you'll sound pretty good.  By the time you're solidly into your third year, folks will ask if you brought your guitar with you.  Four months?  Piffel.  You're doing great.  Keep up the good work. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Questions... Just a few!

If you don't love picking it up and it doesn't give you pleasure....maybe it's not for you. Life's too short to waste time. Playing for me has never been a chore and the pleasure has always outweighed the frustration and pain. Most folks here are the same way. thinking back to when I first started, the progress you make in the first year is VERY satisfying. You will not progress this quickly as time goes on. believe it or not this is the best, most fun time in your guitar playing journey.

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Thankyou for that... I will try to stick with this guitar at least until I get a bit better. I hear what you folks are saying.

I used to have a simple nylon strung guitar as a teenager and although I only knew  a few basic chords I loved picking it up.

Before I started playing this time around I was vocalist of a band but we split up cos of the breakup with my ex who was drummer. We might get going again once he has gotten out of here. Who knows.

But I now like the idea of accompanying myself... The band was heavily influenced by the guitarist.... The folk and country music I wanted to sing ended up heavy and well... more like metal. I have nothing against this to listen to but I just want to chill for a bit!

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Zurf wrote:

Sixth, Six?  I surely can't that many things to say.  Let me think.  Oh yes!  Christmas was just a few months ago.  You shouldn't be good yet.  If you were, you'd make us all jealous and angry and stuff.  Instead, we're all sympathetic and want to be helpful.  A friend of mine who teaches guitar said this about progression of most students.  After a year, you'll be getting the hang of it.  People might not run when you pull out your guitar.  After two years, you'll feel pretty good and you'll sound pretty good.  By the time you're solidly into your third year, folks will ask if you brought your guitar with you.  Four months?  Piffel.  You're doing great.  Keep up the good work. 
- Zurf

Interesting post, 1 year to acceptable standard, 2 to pretty good and 3 years to in demand! I don't know if 'Er In Doors will wait that long, no problem, at least I'll have my guitar for company if she leaves ;?)

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Im not speaking as an expert like the other guys but i have lowered the action on my guitar. You need to take off the strings and the little white plastic thing in the saddle. Put it bottom down on a piece of fine sandpaper and give it a rub, just be sur to do it with the sandpaper flat on a table and in even strokes. Be sure not to take to much as you will then get frett buzz on the higher frets. Its acctually even easier then i just made it sounds. If i can do it anyone can.

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Over the coming months, as you practice and get yourself nice and chilled out, take a special trip every now and then to have a browse through some shiny new guitars. Have a fiddle around with them in whatever shop you find yourself. You'll find one you love and can afford. Tell the staff you want it set up properly, with a nice low action for ease of playing. Once you have a guitar you cannot wait to get your hands on you'll see a great improvement in your playing.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Please do not take sandpaper or any other abrasive/cutting tool to your guitar. It's easy to take off but impossible to put back.

Adjustment of a guitar is not only personal but involves more than simply sanding nuts and saddles. If you wreck your guitar and can afford another go for it - most of us can't and appreciate that those who do know more about the interplay of different types of wood and metal and their job in the complex machine that is a stringed instrument.

KEEP PLAYING, YOU WILL GET BETTER!!!

<-----<< On an even field, only talent prevails! >>----->
   Gans Gwarak da yn dorn yu lel, gwyr lowen an golon!
        >>-----> [color=#FF0000]Rudhes[/color] hag [color=yellow]Owres[/color], Kajima <-----<<

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Hi Tine     
  Before you make any adjustments you first need to check the neck relief. On the 6th string      "big E" press down between the first fret and the nut, with finger or a capo. with another finger press down between 12th and 13th fret.  Check the gap at 5th or 6th fret. A 0.5mm pick should slide thru while a 0.75mm pick should hang up.  A 1.0mm should be very snug. If the 1.0mm pick slides thru you will need to losen your string tension, about 3 full turns on each tuner just to be safe. Then tighten your truss rod adjuster, only tighten 1/4 turn and re-tune your guitar and check neck relief again.
  If your neck relief is good, and your action is still high you need to carefully lay a straight edge on your fret board that will reach from the 12th fret to the saddle. Slide the straight edge out over the sound hole to the bridge keeping the edge on the frets. The straight edge should lay on the bridge next to the saddle. If the straight edge goes below the top of the bridge a little bit, its possible to lower the saddle"the plastic or bone thingy"  by filing off the bottom of the saddle...HOWEVER...rather than filing on the original, you can buy a plastic one for a couple bucks and file that one down some, keeping the original for later,at the original size. Because if you need to lower the saddle to have low string action and if the straight edge is below the top of the bridge. Then you will need a neck reset in the not to distant future.  If you completely understand what I'm saying --- give it a try-- if not--take it to a reputable lutheir in your area

Ron

Re: Questions... Just a few!

KajiMa wrote:

Please do not take sandpaper or any other abrasive/cutting tool to your guitar. It's easy to take off but impossible to put back.

Adjustment of a guitar is not only personal but involves more than simply sanding nuts and saddles. If you wreck your guitar and can afford another go for it - most of us can't and appreciate that those who do know more about the interplay of different types of wood and metal and their job in the complex machine that is a stringed instrument.

KEEP PLAYING, YOU WILL GET BETTER!!!

I dont mean to the guitar it self just to the plastic inlay in the saddle. if you do mess it up my local music shop sells them for 2euro. I found this tip in a guitar magazine a few months ago helped me out a lot. when you think you have it done you just use a tuner then to tune the strings and when they are all in tune check it against the 12 fret harmonic and it should be in tune to be 100% perfect, if not perfect it will be good enough as Gibson guitars are the only guitar where this is individually done to each guitar, by hand, before it leaves the factory. Trust me you wont do any damage to your guitar because its just the white pieceof plastic you will be sanding. the guitar could be in a different room.

Re: Questions... Just a few!

What Paulbrady is typing about is a very common fix for the nut and saddle on guitars. But, I do agree that this work is best left to the experts. If I were going to do this to my guitar I would replace the nut, saddle and bridge pins with bone, ivory (if you can legally get some) or some other similar material. After this is done, replace all strings and have a complete "set-up" done. I just priced this at our local shop and the cost is about $60.00 plus the cost of the new strings. Having this work done will make a decent guitar sound WAAAAAAAY better.

Nela

Re: Questions... Just a few!

hi tine,

can i just say that you can take the guitar to your local music shop and ask there if they have a guitar doctor or a contact number for one. it may cost a bit, so sort that out first.

if you dont get on with your guitar, try a few out in the shop, they may give you part ex for yours but play it for a good while, dont just listen to the sales person, who is most likely an accomplished player and would make any box sound good.

also, the action would raise if the strings were tuned wrongly,[if they were too tight?]
maybe the strings are too heavy for the guitar, for acoustic i would recommend a 10 or 11 guage set, not too light not too heavy.

i've given you a couple of options, try one or more....but please dont give up

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: Questions... Just a few!

I agree more with the last person with Action advise, maybe your neck does need adjusting, its worth it to have it checked, my own suggestion is to try lighter strings first though. I play Martin lights, and they are about perfect for me, I have a weak first finger and light strings are just easier to press down. It is important to play for at least a half hour everyday, more if you have the time, it will strengthen your fingers, help you to relax and know your chords and get you some good calluses on your finger tips, this will help with the ease of holding a chord, all these will help you with getting the hang of it, practice, practice, practice my friend..............Keep On.........justasinger54

Re: Questions... Just a few!

Hi I am to a newbie to guitar  I also started chirstmas  22nd  and loving every min and hour  lol  I have placed a  vid  on youtube  link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQNb-J5W … re=related    Tell me please what you think  at the moment  working on streets of london  how siggi does it   so far I   have the pick pattern  but  getiing buzz   on some strings  giving me a right head ache  but I wont and will not give up.. 

Rgds Barrie