The 'DUH' Question Thread

rugerpc

rugerpc

A♥ hoards guitars ♥A Soldier 25, DFZ
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I have a Demotivator poster :

cluelessnessdemotivator.jpg


But I'm not going to let that stop me, and neither should you.

Do you have a question that you have often wondered about and felt that you might get frowned upon just for asking? Well, this is the thread.

By posting in this thread, you agree not to belittle or denigrate a fellow member or their dumb question. It's ok to kid - but serious answers are actually wanted at some point.

I'll start:

I'm new to guitar. I can make it squeak out a few consecutive notes and even sometimes tease out a recognizable melody. My question is this: Do you really need 24 frets instead of 22 - how often are you right up there in the 24-sphere on any string but the high E?
 
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In a word... No.

Plenty of great guitarists got by with 21 fret Strats and Tele's and 22 fret Gibsons. It's rare that you really, really need those two extra frets. A good example would be when Gilmour used a custom guitar on the third section of the solo from Money. He had a sound in his head and didn't want to compromise so he used a 24 fretter. Same with Gary Moore on The Prophet. Only time it's an issue is if you want to do a bend on the 23rd or 24th fret. Otherwise, if you wan to play that really high e note you can bend to it. Useful to have one but it's not essential.

Even on a 21 fretter there are certain areas that see very little action such as on the low E past, say, the 15th. There are exceptions.
 
I rarely use the extra notes, but I like the sense of symmetry 24 frets gives my mind when I'm looking at the fretboard. When I was starting out I looked at the fretboard a LOT, and something about being able to see the two octaves of frets helped me memorize scales and modes. Now my preference for 24 freters comes down to comfort, and where the bridge and neck are in relation to my playing posture.
 
Mike and Serg - You are both Princes! Thanks for thoughtful answers!

OK - someone else's turn. Ask your 'Duh' question...
 
I'm never afraid to go forward with a "D'uh" question...you guys have already formed your opinions about me :D , so here goes....

I recently read a long review of a new, hi-end acoustic guitar that the reviewer was very positive about. However, towards the conclusion of the review he went on and on and on about how (and I paraphrase) "although the guitar sounds great now, he won't be alive to hear it really open up in about 75 years".

I thought that that comment undermined all the other stuff he spouted.

So...have you people really experienced a vintage guitar "opening up"? Hey...I'm not talking about Stradivari, or even pre-war Martins....unless you heard them new, you can't tell the difference now. But in any event....how much does a guitar "open up" over time...and how much will tone improve....a lot? a little? Makes no difference at all??? :dontknow:

Your thoughts and experiences appreciated. Not looking to dispel truth...always looking to dispel myths.
 
The problem with his statement is that... Well, it's nonesense!

Lets say he did live to a grand old age, he wouldn't be able to (reliably) tell the difference. If he kept the guitar the changes would be so slow he'd adapt to them thus never really perceiving a difference. If he got hold of the guitar many years laster he wouldn't be able to accurately recall the sound he first heard.

I'm not convinced that a guitar will necessarily sound better just because it's older. Different? Quite possibly. But better? Highly subjective.

The term 'open up' is such a loose one... Can it be guaranteed. It's almost like it's a given. It will open up and it will sound better. Not sure I buy that.
 
Mikegarveyblues said:
The problem with his statement is that... Well, it's nonesense!

Lets say he did live to a grand old age, he wouldn't be able to (reliably) tell the difference. If he kept the guitar the changes would be so slow he'd adapt to them thus never really perceiving a difference. If he got hold of the guitar many years laster he wouldn't be able to accurately recall the sound he first heard.

I'm not convinced that a guitar will necessarily sound better just because it's older. Different? Quite possibly. But better? Highly subjective.

The term 'open up' is such a loose one... Can it be guaranteed. It's almost like it's a given. It will open up and it will sound better. Not sure I buy that.
Click to expand...

You get old - start having hearing issues - sound of the guitar magically improves ;)
 
How much do covers really affect the tone of pickups? I have my own opinions but I would like to hear from you guys.
 
docbennett said:
So...have you people really experienced a vintage guitar "opening up"? Hey...I'm not talking about Stradivari, or even pre-war Martins....unless you heard them new, you can't tell the difference now. But in any event....how much does a guitar "open up" over time...and how much will tone improve....a lot? a little? Makes no difference at all??? :dontknow:

Your thoughts and experiences appreciated. Not looking to dispel truth...always looking to dispel myths.
Click to expand...

I've experienced new acoustic guitars sounding noticeably different after a period of use. Whether it's the finish, the glues and other solvents and adhesives curing more, or the top vibrating and loosening a tiny amount the way a speaker does, I can't say. It's also undoubtedly true that the more one plays a guitar, the more attuned to its nuances the player is, so that has to be a factor (i.e., the player adjusts to the instrument). But I do find that these factors combine and the guitar sounds a little less "tight" after a while.

I've also played vintage instruments that surely must have gotten worse over time. A few years ago, a friend handed me a very costly vintage D'Aquisto he was very excited about. I thought it sounded pretty bad. I've also played vintage Martins and Gibsons that went "thud" instead of rang out. And I've played new guitars out of the box that sounded great.

So it's gotta depend on the individual instrument. With solid body guitars, it's harder to tell; I've played vintage ones that sounded spectacular, and some that were meh.

For an education on this stuff, visit Gruhn in Nashville, and play some of their vintage instruments. There's such a variation in how similar ones age that I don't think it's easy to generalize. Some get better, some go sour.

There was a program with James Taylor a while ago where he took the interviewer into his guitar storage room, where he keeps all of his old, famous guitars. He said that he prefers to retire the older ones after a while because he believes that they lose something that the new ones have. So there's an opposite point of view!

During the program, he opened a case and took out the "Sweet Baby James" guitar, and played a few bars, and to me, it sounded just like the record. Really good. Magic, in fact. But he's the one playing it. So who knows?
 
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I have a stupid question: What exactly is wrong with 24 frets? There were many discussions here, whether 22 or 24... is there a real reason to prefer 22 (like sound or better intonation or something)? I mean... the more the better, right? Like with the strings, right? ;)
 
Albrecht Smuten said:
I have a stupid question: What exactly is wrong with 24 frets? There were many discussions here, whether 22 or 24... is there a real reason to prefer 22 (like sound or better intonation or something)? I mean... the more the better, right? Like with the strings, right? ;)
Click to expand...
Of course more is better! That's why you want your amp to go to 11. It's "one" louder. :biggrin:
Being vertically challenged, i thought the 24 would be less comfortable to me than the 22, but it's not. I just seem to like where my hands tend to fall on the 24. Can't really figure out why. :dontknow:
 
JustRob said:
Of course more is better! That's why you want your amp to go to 11. It's "one" louder. :biggrin:
Being vertically challenged, i thought the 24 would be less comfortable to me than the 22, but it's not. I just seem to like where my hands tend to fall on the 24. Can't really figure out why. :dontknow:
Click to expand...

Thanks, btw you've just invented a killer trick to amp marketing - make a special volume knob and claim "The only amp in the world that goes up to 11" :)
I'll sell it to Paul and we'll share the revenue, ok? :D
 
Check out This Is Spinal Tap when you've got some time.


Great movie.
 
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