Fighting strings

[Stringking]

Has anyone noticed how a combination of guitar and amp can make you fight strings harder than another combination would.I try to setup my rig in a way that i can play easy,make me forget about placing my fingers,and just play.I'm lucky to have a preamp where you can adjust the incomming signal from the pickups,so you can"unstick" the strings,generally lowering the input signal,just enough not to make you lose sound.I refer to volumeknob on the guitar on full.The bottom line is that those little things(picks do too i.m.o)have a sort of feedback on how i play physical,mental,or stimmulate me to play at all(i'm a lazy b. that needs all kinds of stimmuli to get somethin done)You guys know what i'm talkin about?

[alanfc]

hi King-

I can't totally identify with the "sticking" aspect but I know my new guitar has such a thin profile neck that its easy and a pleasure to play.

[Tedster]

I think I know what you're saying...how certain tone combinations can seem like you're not getting the sustain you need to play like you're used to. Some setups almost "play themselves" while some do indeed make you have to work harder.

[Big Red 67]

Everybdoy missed the obvious question. Why is the string king fighting strings? hehehe

[Werewolf by Night]

I know EXACTLY what you mean! At least, I think I do...

 

I've plugged a guitar into an amp and suddenly had it feel as though I had more tension on the strings, and as if the strings were biting into my fingers more, like the scale-length was longer and the strings were thinner, due to the dynamic response and tone of the amp being plasticy and one-dimensional. $uck$, don't it!

 

It made it sound like I was playing through damp cardboard and plastic, and out of tune, no matter how I fine-tuned the guitar (and all available controls). It was on an impromptu gig of sorts, and I was p!$$3d!

 

The amp I usually used at the time was a channel-switching Fender Twin; the amp that bit so bad was a solid-state 1x12 Peavey Bandit or something equally $h!tty by Peavey... I also had a similar experience with a Yamaha solid state amp back then.

[Stringking]

Apart from the fact that ss amps can sound bad,the feel of the strings might have changed if you lowered the input,when i plug in my mic input of my soundcard,or the desk i have the same effect like on a tube amp,i have to match the input sensetivity,or fight.Like you got the pickups too close to the strings,is another way i'd like to discribe that feeling,though it may not be the same.I ve done hours of tweekin,adjusting pickups and amp to get that sweetspot,where you get that feel and hearing its "tuned",like the"lag" is gone.I'm trying to discribe this thing i cant name,hope it comes across.

[Billster]

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I believe the sensation you describe has less to do with the equipment, and more to do with your mindset.

 

Sometimes, you plug in and just fly. Other times, no matter what you do, you can't find the sound you hear in your head (your "mind's ear" as I call it), and everything is a struggle.

 

Basically, what Tedster said.

[Vin-erator]

Originally posted by billster:

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I believe the sensation you describe has less to do with the equipment, and more to do with your mindset.

 

Sometimes, you plug in and just fly. Other times, no matter what you do, you can't find the sound you hear in your head (your "mind's ear" as I call it), and everything is a struggle.

 

Basically, what Tedster said.

Yeah, Bill, I agree with you to an extent. However, I really think that what comes out of the amp can effect significantly your mindset. I guess that is consonant with your theory.

[g.]

Fight a set of .050-.110 roundwounds all night through a 200-watt bass combo, playing fast-moving music, trying to keep up with a couple of always-distorted half-stacks. Then maybe you'll go back to yer Super Slinkies and quitcher whining ; }

[Billster]

Originally posted by Vinny C:

Originally posted by billster:

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I believe the sensation you describe has less to do with the equipment, and more to do with your mindset.

 

Sometimes, you plug in and just fly. Other times, no matter what you do, you can't find the sound you hear in your head (your "mind's ear" as I call it), and everything is a struggle.

 

Basically, what Tedster said.

Yeah, Bill, I agree with you to an extent. However, I really think that what comes out of the amp can effect significantly your mindset. I guess that is consonant with your theory.

What comes out of the amp does affect your mindset. However, you need to be aware of that fact and overcome it. Its mental gymnastics, not technical expertise at that point.

[Stringking]

[Stringking]

sry somethin went wrong:"

Fight a set of .050-.110 roundwounds all night through a 200-watt bass combo, playing fast-moving music, trying to keep up with a couple of always-distorted half-stacks. Then maybe you'll go back to yer Super Slinkies and quitcher whining ; }"i'd love to sit back and see you doin that workin act

[g.]

I know you're trying to say something there ; }

 

...Clarity of thought and purpose really counts for a lot when wishing to channel the spirit in music, and needing to overcome various obstacles self-made and otherwise.

 

It also, admittedly, helps to get a bigger amp sometimes ; }

[Stringking]

this effect can be reproduced so its real,and sure there is an interaction between what your hearing and how you gonna play,i tend to make more mistakes because of this mismatch,thats why i brought it up,but some guys rather fight their ax and thats ok as long as the result is there.

[Billster]

Yeah, a lot of guys like to say they want to "fight" the instrument a little, but I think they mean physically - with larger strings and higher fretboard action, not psychosomatic things like amp settings. Nobody wants to fight through a crappy amp.