HMHS 174 - 12 Short Songs About Nothing (9/18/09)

[lucas]

yer G&L is a hard tail, your SX is a floating trem bridge

Sorry, forgot about the trem.
you definitely need to get that set up.
Spring tension will have quite an impact on keeping it in tune.
if you don't need, you can 'block' it which will lock it in place so it won't move anymore (like a hardtail).
I have the classic 6 screw trem bridge on my strat.
I set the spring tension to pull it against the body since i don't really use it.
If you do this, you can only bend the trem arm one way, though.

[criddlerus]

Yeah, I don't do a lot of dive bombing. I think I will block it.

[Gu Djin]

Back to the show.

As usual, nice show. Don't know how you keep up the standards.

Lots of songs to comment on, but as I'm late, it's all been said. Except that they were all fun listening.

MPHL - the full title would have given the punchline away. And you you only had to wait a minute for it anyway. Can you imagine a song called - "Male Pattern Hair Loss" - I don't think so.

Best regards to all involved and thanks for the songs.

[Sungodv]

If you still have that book, check out page 98 to where ever it leads you.
I like a floating trem. Which is what I meant by blocking it. You block the bridge block (inside the cavity) so the back of the bridge is about 1/4" off the guitars surface with some wood. Tune to pitch and then tighten the spring claw until your wood block falls out. That's what I meant by blocking it
A floating trem will go outta tune when you break a string.
That said, I no longer have a trem guitar. I've had my eye on a Squier Strat Deluxe, but there are other things I need more than a 4th elec guitar. That and it went up $40 for no particular reason....I need a bail out!


EDIT:
I found this video that explains what I'm yakin' about fairly clearly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNNAVzS3cS4

I use (modern) clothespins taken apart instead of the picks the guy used in the vid.....they gradually get larger as they come tapered.
I bet people are getting the idea why "stars" have guitar techs......

[tonyoci]

I, completely honestly here, cannot even change the strings on my guitar

[Sungodv]

The important thing is, are you happy?


It's not that hard. But be careful, you can really scratch up a guitar if yer not watchin' what yer doin.

[tonyoci]

I've tried to do it and can kind of pull it off but it's an ugly mess when I do it and I know a guy .....

[Sungodv]

Then you may want to make sure your hands are clean when you play.
I really like Elixir strings. They're coated so they last about 3 or 4 times longer. Check 'em out.

[CharlieWardick]

Then you may want to make sure your hands are clean when you play.
I really like Elixir strings. They're coated so they last about 3 or 4 times longer. Check 'em out.

A $10 set of strings is still......

I like Elixir strings. It is all I use on electric and acoustic for many years now. Don't know why, just do. They certainly last a while and I detest string changing.

I have a new $49 guitar (couple years old now though). No upgrades. Wonder what it's worth? Sorry to have started a guitar war. For the record, the guitars I like the most are USED in the $500-1200 range. I have a bunch. Oh and I did the whole SX, Agile thing years ago those are all gone at this point.

[Sungodv]

Elixirs could be why Taylor guitars sell so well. They come stock with Elixirs and their guitars still sound great after multiple plays at the music store.
Alvarez guitars come stock with Elixirs as well.
They are also great for a Variax as it is prone to finger/string noise having a Piezo pickup system and the coating helps minimize this.
I have slowly changed over to them on most of my stringed instruments. The only exception being my Stienberger bass and Classical/Folk type nylon string guitar.

[Zoetrope]

I'm also a big fan of Elixir strings. They are the lazy guitarist's best friend.

[criddlerus]

Wow, Elixer eh? I have never thought about buying those. I assumed they were for people who buy $3000 guitars and have money to burn. I may have to try a set. I was always a Super Slinky guy.

While we are going on and on about guitars, do you guys use 9's? 10's? 11's? I generally use 9's. Sometimes I try 10's but I hurt my fingers and switch back. I always hear that all the guitar gods used 11's or something huge like that. I heard that Stevie Ray Vaughn used 13 gauge! That is insane!

[Sungodv]

11's on Acoustic. 10's on Electric. I prefer a wound G, but the Variax is setup for a (what is now traditional) non-wound and thus has the volume down on that Piezo. As I transition to Elixirs, I'm having to go un-wound on the G.
Wound G's just sound better to me....they are a little quieter than their non-wound brothers.
My Epiphone Dot (335 style) needs a bit heavier strings so I use D'Addario EXL110+. Just slightly heavier than the EXL110 or EXL110W (wound G).
95's on my long and short scale 4 string basses except for the Stienberger. It gets the now defunct Piano string (no winding on the core at bridge insert) Power Sound from RotoSound. I think I only have 3 or 4 fresh sets left. They are 105's or something. When they are gone, they are gone fer good. They just keep getting boiled until they won't boil anymore.
The current ones are about 13 years old.
I'm still trying to find "my set" for the nylon stringer. I've tried 1 out of the 3 wound G sets that are available. I have some GHS Vanguard classics that are similar to the Thomastik-Infield set with a wound G and they are going on today probably. Both are higher tension and the guitar sounds better with med to low tension to my ears. The nylon G usually sounds pretty crappy to me.
Yeah, the bigger the string, the bolder the sound. They have a higher tension so they do take some toughening of the fingers to get used to. I find the 11's for acoustic are a nice in between gauge.

[Gu Djin]

String Gauges? Well a nightmare of a subject for all the various opinions I'm sure.

There are only a few must to bear in mind.

1. (Particularly on acoustics) the string gauge will affect the tone to a lesser or greater degree.

2. Try several gauges 'til you find a set your comfortable with.

3 If you change string sizes you may increase rattles if your Guitar has been set up for fat strings and you go down to skinnies.

4. If you bend your strings a lot use thin gauge, but be aware if you're are heavy handed it is easy to pull them out of intonation. More so if you have jumbo frets.

5. Many professionals have their own opinions. Jim Campilongo uses 9's, because he says he can get the sound he wants without risking wrist injuries, tendonitis etc. SRV used heavy strings, but the guitars were always tuned down at least one step.

6. Some guitars won't tune properly if you use strings too far away from what they were designed for. My Starfire likes 12's and rattles with 11's and the third string has to be wound or it will not intone properly, plus too light a string makes the Bigsby difficult to set up.

Anymore. No I think that will do for now.

[famouspatrick]

Listening to the show a week late; short comments for short songs.

Highway Signs – Frank Canonica: Antelope Freeway 1/64th mile

Muse: Never heard of 'em

Big Poo – Grandma Melonhead: Creative shit

Way Way Down – Frank Canonica: Textured vox

Dave's enjoyable movement: Thanks for sharing

Zoetrope minute: Controlled substances

Loops are boring: Alter loops

I Searched The Basement – Snubby: I searched for a comment

Accident The Aftermath – Leigh Wright: How are you feeling? Oops!

Good drum sound: Drums are difficult

My Friend The Alien – Frank Canonica: Comfortably numby

My Cubicle – Chris Carson: Heavens to Dilbert!

Get energy into songs: Practice, practice, practice, then play from the heart.

Run Spot Run – Ron West: Brassy & sassy

MPHL – Leigh Wright: Huh?

Dave's malaise: Welcome to Old Fartville

This is my place – Leigh Wright: Weirdly fun

The Tale of John Fitzgerald – Frank Canonica: The perfect length for a polka.

Guitar update: Got to learn to DIY

Stop and Start – Snubby: Punkishly warped

Good show.

[lucas]

Criddle
I use fender 250L (9's) on my strat & tele.
I was using D'Addario 10's until I noticed ho much I preferred the strings on the strats & teles I was playing at the stores.

If you move to a different gauge you need to re-setup the guitar for that gauge, especially if you move to larger gauge.
The string won't fit the nut properly, the larger strings alter the string height, etc.
You can try throwing a set of strings on and seeing if you like the way they feel (play) better before doing a whole full setup for them.
if you really bang your strings, a heavier gauge will probably suit you and stay in tune longer.
SRV really abused the strings, so 13's were a must for him.