maybe a new Guitar?

Team Transylvania · Post by **Team Transylvania** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Yeah, i guess it prob needs to be set up. Ill have to call Scott sometime.

brokenstrings · Post by **brokenstrings** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

I would recomend that you wrap the string around the post about 2 times. If you wrap the strings excessive times this will leave the string longer making it more likely to streach and lose tension.

Try using a heavier guage string or a lighter pick.

Many people don't have very good right hand technique and plow into the strings like there is no tomorrow. They invented electric guitars and amplifiers so you wouldnt have to beat the hell out of it to get higher volumes. Play a little lighter.

Team Transylvania · Post by **Team Transylvania** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

I dont play hard. I know how to play a guitar, thanks anyway dude.
The strings arent wrapped excessively. I think a few things need to change. Maybe heavier gauge strings, locking tuners and it needs to be setup. As far as picks, im not changing mine.

I have great right hand technique. Atleast my dick thinks so.

We play different styles. What works for you may not work for me. With Non metal cover tunes, you dont need to play harder. That i know. If you were to switch to metal, youd have to play a little harder. I guarantee that. I dont beat my guitar, but i play it.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Many people don't have very good right hand technique and plow into the strings like there is no tomorrow. They invented electric guitars and amplifiers so you wouldnt have to beat the hell out of it to get higher volumes. Play a little lighter

explain that to Zakk Wylde

onegunguitar · Post by **onegunguitar** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Team Transylvania wrote:Yeah, i guess it prob needs to be set up. Ill have to call Scott sometime.

I can help ya out if ya want,no problem. Here's a site on intonation,it's pretty easy to do on a fixed bridge,Floyds are done the same it just takes longer because when you change the tension on one string you have to retune the rest of them(on a floating system) and recheck,adjust etc.... I think it's absolutely important to understand how to do your own guitar set ups,repair,adjustments whatever. If you go to a gig and the neck has changed because of the weather,(esp. in the winter,it drys out the wood and can create all kinds of problems),what are ya gonna do? Simple,learn to do these adjustments yourself.

http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/intonation.htm

onegunguitar · Post by **onegunguitar** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

brokenstrings wrote:I would recomend that you wrap the string around the post about 2 times. If you wrap the strings excessive times this will leave the string longer making it more likely to streach and lose tension.

Try using a heavier guage string or a lighter pick.

Many people don't have very good right hand technique and plow into the strings like there is no tomorrow. They invented electric guitars and amplifiers so you wouldnt have to beat the hell out of it to get higher volumes. Play a little lighter.

I agree with you on some of this,right hand picking is def. important,but I pound my guitar strings to hell and back when I play live,esp. the rhythm part of it all,(leads are a whole different ball game),my guitars usually don't go out of tune too awful much,maybe a little fine tuning every few songs but I don't mind clicking on the tuner and checkin' them between every couple of tunes. It all starts with a good setup and proper maintenance,if you neglect it,it'll bite ya in the ass at some point.

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Even if you put locking tuners on it, it may not help, because when you bend your strings it slips at the nut anyway.
If the nut and saddles aren't completely smooth, it will bind and catch, therefore not returning to pitch.

Keeping it clean and taking care of it goes a long way. I know it gets cold as hell on your porch and it only takes the slightest temperature change to affect the neck. Your guitar is constantly trying to stabilize itself.

You'll notice your action getting higher when it's humid out, and when the weather changes you'll need to adj. the neck again.

It could be a # of different things. Let me know if you want me to operate, I'll only charge you $13.50 an hour since you're a friend.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

I wonder if hes not playing some chords a little higher on the neck and hearing the subtleties of not being properly intonated, having some slip problems, and adjusting in between tunes and just havin too many minor probs. Sounds like something easily fixed. And it will make him want to play even more that he prob does now.

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

I was out there the other night during their practice, and it would go out in the middle of the song.
It was very cold on his porch like I said.

I noticed that the saddles were a little corroded, so that may be it?
'D g c f a d' tuning may not be super low, but the lower you tune a guitar, the more susceptible it is to going out of tune.
I've even seen some guitars that no matter what you did to it, it wouldn't hold tune for shit.

That reminded me of something. I wonder if the neck is warped or twisted?
You always lean it against stuff, and the weather combined with that is a recipe for a new Jackson.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

'D g c f a d' tuning may not be super low, but the lower you tune a guitar, the more susceptible it is to going out of tune

thats only true if u dont adjust with a heavier guage string on a fixed bridge

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Higher tension strings go a long way in helping to keep an instrument in tune. Plus, they increase sustain and the notes speak with more authority. If those strings are not the same exact brand and gauge that were on the guitar when you bought it, I can almost gaurantee that it's out of intonation. Before you intonate your guitar, buy a new set of strings, stretch them out for an hour or so, then set the intonation.

I agree with Bushy that it's very important to understand how to tweak your instrument, especially in PA, where we have four seasons. I've had to do adjustments on my basses the day of a gig because the temperature shot up 30 degrees over five days. With that said, I do not recommend doing any major truss rod adjustments unless you know what you're doing. You can seriously damage an instrument beyond repair if you mess up the truss rod or neck.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Truss rods aren't the rocket science some people make them out to be. Unless you have no idea what you are doing, or have a really finnicky instrument, you probably won't do any damage if you adjust the truss rod in small incriments, like a quarter turn at a time. Ideally if you are trying to dial in a perfect setup, you would do this over a couple days, giving the neck time to adjust between truss rod tweaks.

Of course, most of my experience is with fenders, the most indestructable instruments ever made. I havn't gotten the balls to adjust my rickenbacker's truss rods (there's 2) yet. Luckily I havn't need to. In fact, I havn't so much as turned the tuning keys as much as a quarter turn in the whole time I've owned it. The damn thing is rock solid.

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

How old are the strings on the guitar? I've had bass strings so old that they sound out of tune, even when they are in tune. They get these really weird warbly overtones.

Also brand new strings are hard to get to stay in tune.

Team Transylvania · Post by **Team Transylvania** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like i have some work to do. Ive alywas admitted that i dont know how to preperly setup and maintain a guitar. maybe i should watch someone do that.

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Sunday Nov 25, 2007

Yeah, Keith I wouldn't steer you wrong man. I'll look at it and see if I can do anything to help. That old horse has been ridden hard and put away wet.

I'm gonna say what you need is a new bridge, cause I noticed last time I worked on it, that it had a little bit of corrosion. I cleaned it up the best i could.
A new one should be around $20

I'll try to get her all fixed up for you,then you and Team Tranny will be Stormin' those Castles with your steeds.

And if not, then refer to the original title of this thread, and Storm them with style.