DISTORT6
NJ Devil
I’m a “Set-it-and-forget-it” kinda guy. Tweak when needed.
Holy grail setup?
- Thread starter 11top
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SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
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- 4,513
I'm a constant tweaker. Its a habit I'm trying to rein in. I've almost got most if it undet control. One I cant break is pickup height. Its odd one day its perfect and the next I'm adjusting the height.
Great example I have some tomahawks. Happy as can be for months then I was playing a DW CE last weekend and they had more crunch than mine. Of course the next day I'm messing and messing with my height trying to get the tone right only to realize like an idiot the volume was turned back some. Rinse n repeat to get it back to where it was. Turn the volume and I'm happy again! Duh duh derr
Great example I have some tomahawks. Happy as can be for months then I was playing a DW CE last weekend and they had more crunch than mine. Of course the next day I'm messing and messing with my height trying to get the tone right only to realize like an idiot the volume was turned back some. Rinse n repeat to get it back to where it was. Turn the volume and I'm happy again! Duh duh derr
Serious Poo
Shoegazing Member
I set up guitars when I get them then generally don't touch them again until I need to.
Recently though, I've been changing the intonation on all of my guitars to be slightly flat on the G and D strings. I'm finding that it helps open string chords to stay more in tune, especially on lower parts of the next (i.e. frets 3-7) yet doesn't impact how they sound on higher frets in any material way.
Recently though, I've been changing the intonation on all of my guitars to be slightly flat on the G and D strings. I'm finding that it helps open string chords to stay more in tune, especially on lower parts of the next (i.e. frets 3-7) yet doesn't impact how they sound on higher frets in any material way.
Aahzz
Bluebeard Member
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- Nov 12, 2012
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and can drop to Drop D on the fly with no hassle.I can deal with a decked trem without obsessing
This is probably pretty weird: I have three guitars with trems, yet I almost never use the trem! I like the way they sound (the springs or trem itself must have something to do with that, along with the cutout for it in the guitar body), and I like the feel when I do bends.
But the times when I have the whammy bar in the trem are few and far between.
I'm pretty sure that's because I learned to play on stop tail guitars. I see players who are great using their trems, and I'm totally jealous of their skill with it. I didn't ever learn to do that correctly!!!
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
CandidPicker
Tone Matters. Use It Well.
For decades I used to own trem guitars, but seldom used a trem bar. Maybe I'm jaded, but my previous trem guitars wouldn't stay in tune long enough to be feasible gigging instruments. It was horrific trying to tune after a solo (or during) when switching back to rhythm guitarist. Have most always been a fixed or adjustable saddle bridge guy since the mid-80s...
Am sure PRS has dozen their homework and engineered a decent trem, but my better sense tells me don't mess with what works correctly unless you want something to go wrong. I rest my case.
Am sure PRS has dozen their homework and engineered a decent trem, but my better sense tells me don't mess with what works correctly unless you want something to go wrong. I rest my case.
11top
Cousin Eddie's cousin
For decades I used to own trem guitars, but seldom used a trem bar. Maybe I'm jaded, but my previous trem guitars wouldn't stay in tune long enough to be feasible gigging instruments. It was horrific trying to tune after a solo (or during) when switching back to rhythm guitarist. Have most always been a fixed or adjustable saddle bridge guy since the mid-80s...
Am sure PRS has dozen their homework and engineered a decent trem, but my better sense tells me don't mess with what works correctly unless you want something to go wrong. I rest my case.
Funny, but I used to want only tremolos, and without one could be a deal breaker. But when I realized how seldom I used one, I started buying stop tails, which is about all I buy now. Tuning stability and sustain just make more sense with a stop tail. I also play Les Pauls quite a bit, and a Bigsby just never seemed right on one.
CandidPicker
Tone Matters. Use It Well.
That was my rationale as well. The stop tails held their tune better, and didn't require as many intonations between string changes. Trems are useful in their own right, but if I can avoid needing to cope with extra busy work, stop tails are my pref.
Maxime Bousquet
--broken but under repair--
i must be the lucky guy but i rarely have to tune my guitar! however I am very careful about the temperature and humidity of my room! i always adjust my guitars with low action bordering on buzzing but anyway i like it small, tall, slim and round! sorry I deviated from the subject
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
I don’t have a holy grail setup, but I tune every time I pick up a guitar - I’m pretty fussy about that. I blame David Grissom and his talk about tuning during an amp demo he did at Experience. He essentially said he made his living playing and being in tune was a part of the package he had control of.i must be the lucky guy but i rarely have to tune my guitar! however I am very careful about the temperature and humidity of my room! i always adjust my guitars with low action bordering on buzzing but anyway i like it small, tall, slim and round! sorry I deviated from the subject
Most of the time I really just nudge the tune on one string, but I feel like it’s a good way to start.
Going Modal
I should be practicing right now.
I'm totally in the same boat with Les on this. Don't use it much--only sparingly really, and only very softly when I do. Bravo to those who can use it more effectively, though.
I will say, though, that my Strat has the typical tremolo bridge (that I also don't use much) but I wouldn't want a Strat any other way. IMO, it's part of the feel & sound of the guitar that makes it what it is.
Maxime Bousquet
--broken but under repair--
I tune my guitar every time yes of course! lol my english is not as good as my french .... I totally agree with you, I just wanted to say that if it is in a respectable range, its going to suit me without problem! I don't want to fall into a quest for perfection all the time, a guitar is alive and well! but always well tune!
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
Hot diggity, Steve! I’ll get to buy your trem guitars some day! I only have one solid body without a trem. The PRS trems are magnificent when set up properly, and I probably ride that more then I should. I grew up on archtops, and love the pitch control of a trem.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Sybo
Jim
I swear THIS winter I cannot seem to get the humidifier to keep up with 40%. It’s drier than a popcorn fart here in Nashville. I actually had to tweak my actions a small bit because they were buzzy. I am a self diagnosed tweaker. (Sometimes I think guitar necks are alive)
)
Depends. Most of my guitars used to be strung with 11s exclusively, but now I have several in 10s and maybe one in 9s, and that changes response and playability. Once it’s where I like it, it generally stays for a really long time. Now, my son brought over his SE245 and I nearly threw up in my mouth when I tried to play it. Its action was SO f’ed up I had to start from scratch. No idea what he did but I applaud his adventurous spirit (you don’t know what you like until you find something you don’t). When he got it back, he texted, “WOW! This is so amazing!”. Granted, I dropped 2 really expensive pickups in it too (it was his Xmas present), so that helped, but it plays so effortlessly now. Once you get a particular PRS guitar in the zone, it stays there unless someone futzes with it.
One other nice thing about a floating trem is that it seems to have a little more 'give' when bending strings. I had some nerve damage on my fretting hand that left two fingers numb, so they can use all the help they can get!
