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Have you checked the frets are in properly and none are lifting?
If you have a fret loose it can get pushed down when leveling then pop up again after.
a feeler guage is handy to test by trying to slip it between the shoulder of the fret and the fretboard
What could cause the frets past the 9th to be higher than each other?
Do you mean the frets get taller as measured from the fret board or do you mean the action gets lower? If it's the former that's really odd. If it's the latter it's the angle the neck is set at and that's easily fixed with paper shims as suggested a few times over the past few pages. I don't know if this helps but I've measured the action of the fat E string on all the frets as best I can by eye with a steel ruler on a Tele with a 10-12 compound radius neck. Played normally it's fine but dig in hard and it will buzz:
.5mm
.6
.7
.8
1.0
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.9
2.0
2.1
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
I've also got a Strat which is really low at 1.7 at the 12th and only 1.8 at 21, but it isn't buzz free. Raising the saddles .5mm (which will raise .25mm at the 12th) is on my to do one day list
Edit: Having measured I realise that the Tele would benefit from tipping the neck back a tad. The next time I restring it I'll add a slip of paper so there's less difference between the 12th and 22nd. It's obviously warped slightly since I built it.
Thanks Edukator - I can't find the talk about using paper shims - where would I be shimming?
More than willing to give it a go!
In the neck pocket. When everything else is set up correctly - nut height, neck relief and action at the 12th - the action between the 12th and 21st fret will increase only marginally. If it decreases (which can cause buzzing) you need to tip the neck forward so add a 1cm wide slip of paper in the open end of the neck pocket. If it increases too much (which result in an unnecessarily high action on the last frets) add a 1cm wide slip of paper in the closed end of the pocket. I've even had to use cardboard from a Kellogs box on one guitar which was way out.
IIRC corrctly you can buy wedge shaped wooden shims from Stew Mac, I've always made do with bits of paper. Stew Mac did a vid I think I'll have a look.
Edit: I haven't watched the vid so have no idea if the guy is using them correctly but you'l get the idea:
Having never had this problem as I've been lucky with bolt on necks I had to draw it out on a bit of paper (AKA Adobe Illustrator) to get the geometry clear in my head. It made a few things I'd heard quoted recently make a lot more sense. Every day is indeed a school day.
Paper shins should indeed be your friend. It wierd how extra neck relief can make the problem worse not better as you lower the action to compensate for the extra neck curve. Ita all interconnected.
The mini Vox amp worked really well with my boost, drive and fuzz pedals. A pleasant surprise!
Excellent. That's one of the few things the THRii doesn't do well. Light overdrive is ok, anything more is just wrong.
Now then, guitarists.
I haven't weighed in on this thread before (I don't think...) as I'm sort of a lapsed guitarist, having pretty much just done the odd bit of acoustic strumming here and there for the past decade or so.
But. My mate is getting married later this year, and for his "stag do" he had me sit in on a jam session with his band. I had to rebuild my old Squire Strat, and borrow an amp and a fuzz pedal. And it was joyous! Proper grin-inducing wonderfulness...
So I'm quite keen to get set up for electric guitar again.
First order of business is an amp of some kind. I'm quite space constrained, so I like the look of the Orange Micro Dark as a headphones-based practice machine which could scale up to driving a cab for jamming volumes easily enough.
Any experiences of this amp? Or alternatives? I like the idea of having some tube-ness in there, and would like something that will play with pedals...
Ok!
I've sanded down my tusq nut so I now have about 0.4mm at the first fret, consistently. And I've adjusted the saddle so it's a low as it can go without much buzz.
It's much much better. Obviously, intonation is better at the first!
Thanks Edukator - I should have listened right at the start.
What I've noticed is that my strings incrementally go from 0.4mm to 2.25mm at the 12th then they stay pretty much at 2.25mm up to the 21st.
Is the paper shim gonna help with that? have I just got my levelling wrong? Or should I dial in more relief?
I feel like I'm learning, so that's a good thing!😆
Next to no change between the 12th and 21st is normally fine. It certainly won't cause buzzing when you're playing near the nut and with the action at 2.25 should be OK all the way up. If the buzzing gets worse as you move up you could try a single thickness of A4 paper out of your printer at the open end of the neck pocket and then tighten the truss rod or lower the saddles so you get the same action at the 12th (Eddiebaby is right when he says that everything interacts)- I cut a 1cm wide strip and then use a hole punch so it locates on the screws. Careful when you tighten the screws, the originals in Squiers and Mexican Fenders aren't very good and strip easily - I systematically replace them.
When you're looking for where a string is likely to touch and buzz bear this in mind:
Any experiences of this amp? Or alternatives? I like the idea of having some tube-ness in there, and would like something that will play with pedals…
See the posts from @yourguitarhero above. That wee vox amp he has looks superb.
First order of business is an amp of some kind. I’m quite space constrained, so I like the look of the Orange Micro Dark as a headphones-based practice machine which could scale up to driving a cab for jamming volumes easily enough.
I love Orange amps and bought one of these as a backup.
I couldn't get rid of the terrible mains hum.
Even had it checked by an amp tech, no joy.
Sounded decent and properly loud, but none of my other amps have done this.
Tried it at a friend's house and the hum was just as bad.
Thanks folks...
@oldtennisshoes that does look pretty interesting too! No effects loop is a bit of a bummer, but if I could find one for 80 quid it'd be a no-brainer I think 🙂
@RustySpanner ugh that doesn't sound massively encouraging. I guess it's possibly a bad unit (such things happen I suppose) but still...
No worries.
Mine was £80.00 secondhand from my local shop.
They took it back and sent it to their tech, who couldn't replicate the problem and pronounced it perfect.
I just took a refund.
I'll try another at some point, because it was a nice piece of kit.
Neither of my other Orange amps had the same issue.
Good luck!
but if I could find one for 80 quid it’d be a no-brainer I think
It's the high gain one, but with the gain turned right down, and volume up it has a nice tone. Not fully clean, but close.
It's a simple little amp, but the controls all have an audible effect.
Gain on full is hilariously heavy 🤘
https://www.kennysmusic.co.uk/vox-mv50-high-gain-compact-guitar-head?source=googleps&gclid=Cj0KCQjwk4yGBhDQARIsACGfAetJaGClJcoPXcQovv7_wOz9u1XfsQ74980vuIOqqZK3b6TaE704jsIaAskSEALw_wcB
/blockquote>Thank you for this! I was scratting around on ebay and not getting anything under 120 quid or so.
I'd forgotten how addictive the electric guitar is. I was playing it unplugged today and trying to make 3 semitone bends with the big fat 11s on it 🙂
So, looking at the MV50 (and now being picky...) it's frustrating it doesn't have an effects loop.
Especially with the high gain version I imagine running a delay/reverb into it won't be great 😐
I wonder whether it would possible to hack one in?
This picture isn't great (I think it's a promo shot showing off the nu-tube thing) but the fact that the tube is on its own board suggests that splicing into the circuit between the preamp and power amp might be doable 🤔
Of course, whether I need another electronics project to ignore/neglect is another matter.
Of course. Someone on YT has done it already.
Rock and roll 🤟
If anyone is looking for a speaker to put into a cab I have a spare 50w 8ohm for free, collect from Manchester.
50W Alnico Gold Celestion 8ohm?
So then, loopers. What about them? I quite fancy one, maybe a band in a box sort of thing to mess about with.
They're brilliant. The basic TC Ditto does more than enough for most folk.
Loopers rock and I’d recommend one highly.
I’ve a Boss RC3, and have since bought an RC10 and a Digitech trio+ for “band in a box” type stuff.
I’ll be selling the Trio+ shortly as whilst it’s great I prefer the RC10. One isn’t necessarily “better” than the other, they’re slightly different things.
As above, plus a few loopers come with drum loops or at least a metronome which I think is worth having as a practice tool.
I’ve got an RC-3 and it’s fine but I wish the drum loops were better. There’s only a few loops and the sound quality is not perfect. But better than nothing.
I’ve got an RC-3 and it’s fine but I wish the drum loops were better.
Thats why I bought an RC-10. Basically it’s a good quality, flexible drum machine and a looper that happen to like be in the same box and can be used independently, but can also be linked & synced.
The drums can also be output via a different jack to the loop so you can have nice clear drums not affected by the guitar amp - either to Hifi speakers or the amps Aux In to bypass the pre amp and effects etc.
@edukator er no, it's a Black Star own brand one, like a vintage30, 12in unused as it came with an HT5R, I think someone bought it to make an extension cab and never wired it up
Loopers are a good idea, I would recommend a secondhand ditto as there are loads about, it will teach you how to make a loop by hitting start and stop right on the first beat of the bar, once you have that down you can figure out what to get next as they can get complex
If anyone is looking for a speaker to put into a cab I have a spare 50w 8ohm for free, collect from Manchester.
@edhornby I'm sure I could give it a loving home if it's still available? I'm up in Ramsbottom so probably not a million miles away.
Cool, thanks all for the replies 😎
I’ll be selling the Trio+ shortly
Hmm... interesting... want to PM me some details?
In other news, has anyone tried using a bigger speaker with a smaller output amp? I've got a 90s Peavey Bandit 112 that's got knackered pots and wondered if I could stick my Vox VT20X amp through the 12" speaker.
Yes you're more than welcome Tom - I'm in Whitefield so not far at all, will message you later about logistics 🙂
Why does age make any difference?
my fingers are wearing out - thats an age thing as I understand it
Using bigger speakers is fine, Kayla, as long as the impedence of the new speaker is the same or higher than the old one. I've used a 4x12 with amps that came with a single speaker and they sound better for it.
My fingers are better at 60 than 50, Plumber, I had my carpal tunnel sydrome fixed in my left hand and I'm more sensible about abusing my hands climbing and with DIY.
Smashing, thanks for that Edukator.
On a similar note, I tried out the Vox MV50 through my 2x12 cab (2 x 8ohm speakers in parallel, so 4ohms) and it sounded great...bloody loud too!
I'm amazed how well such a tiny amp drives a couple of 12" speakers.
When I saw the thread on Ned Deliverence I picked up the guitar to play the classic tune which the Toy Dolls used to do in concert. It's pretty scrappy and only half remembered but I struggled through it with maxo concentration:
Yes you’re more than welcome Tom – I’m in Whitefield so not far at all, will message you later about logistics 🙂
Thanks Ed 🙂 much appreciated. You can also contact me on "my user name" at gmail dot com if PMs are not playing ball.
On a similar note, I tried out the Vox MV50 through my 2×12 cab (2 x 8ohm speakers in parallel, so 4ohms) and it sounded great…bloody loud too!
Mine is arriving tomorrow, allegedly.
Very excited 🙂
Finally scratched that j-shaped itch: MIJ Traditional Jazzmaster (in Olympic White) arrived this afternoon. And it’s nice!
I was thinking it bit of a one trick pony until I remembered the lead/rhythm switch... 🤦♂️
Mine is arriving tomorrow, allegedly
I like my high gain one so much that I was thinking of buying the AC version for cleaner sounds.
No one's got it as cheap as the Kenny's guitar £79 offer, but I found this deal on dv247...£150 for the amp + a 25w 8" vox speaker cab (the cab is £70 on its own)
Might buy it for quieter home practice.
On loopers...
I got a Boss RC-10r for Christmas and it's a hoot. It's pretty much a looper and decent drum machine stuck together, but can set so they're synced. I can spend hours building up layers in songs or just mucking about, pretending to be Mogwai. Would recommend.
“Using bigger speakers is fine, Kayla, as long as the impedence of the new speaker is the same or higher than the old one.”
Actually that’s only true for solidstate power amps - with valve amps (v common on guitar) the impedance needs to be within a 2:1 ratio, so an 8 ohm output will work fine with any speakers from 4 to 16 ohms.
More/bigger speakers usually equals more loudness for a given amount of power into them.
Actually that’s only true for solidstate power amps – with valve amps (v common on guitar) the impedance needs to be within a 2:1 ratio, so an 8 ohm output will work fine with any speakers from 4 to 16 ohms.
Experience says this may work in some cases, but not others. Similarly, it seems safer running into a higher than anticipated impedance (though it will lead to early overdrive). I'd also suggest that older amps tend to be a bit more robust all round, they generally didn't skimp on the output transformers. Newer amps where every corner is cut to get it down to a price - well, good luck...
All that said... I ran a 70's Fender Twin Reverb with a pair of 16 ohm Celestion G12H's in it for several years - it came to me like that, so goodness knows how long those speakers had been fitted. 8ohm effective load vs the 4ohm the amp was expecting. Sounded ace, but it wasn't a typical silverface Twin noise...
Yup, always set your (valve) amp to 8 ohms when using someone/venue/jamroom's cab - you can never be sure what's in there. Though I used to keep a multimeter in my gigbag...
Mine is arriving tomorrow, allegedly
And arrive it did!
I'm well impressed with it, although I've only really tried it out through headphones so far.
For me, the gain range is only just usable 🙂 -- with gain at about 8'o'clock and volume at 12 I can get nice "clean" sounds by backing the guitar volume off. It is tending to expose how crackly my guitar's volume knob has become though! The next project may be new electronics for it since the current lot are 20 years old now and were not especially flashy in the first place I imagine.
I wish it had a bit of reverb, although I can see why it doesn't. At some point I probably will hack in an effects loop so I can add a reverb pedal.
The journey back into electric (and/or addiction) has begun!
I find that these high gain MV50s don't work that well with rolling the volume knob back. Even with a treble bleed capacitor across the volume pot on the P90 in my Les Paul I wasn't getting good results. That works well on almost all other amps I try.
Spotted the TC Electronic version of the eBow on sale at Gear4Music for £30: https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/TC-Electronic-AEON-Infinite-Guitar-Sustainer/2G6K
Used to use eBows a lot and can see their use in the upcoming music I'm working on. However the price of eBows (especially used) has gone through the roof!
Can't really lose with this TC one as they are selling for £45 second hand all day long on eBay.
Don’t get it the Aeon. I had one and it was pants compared with the Heet eBow. You will regret it.
I took the plunge and ordered a Digitech Trio Plus and it should be arriving today- noodles ahoy! 🤘
Well, it's ordered - if it's rubbish I can punt it and probably make a tenner!
Just arrived 65 amps Tupelo combo
Pretty awesome and rounds out my collection of Lil Elvis and Ventura
I wonder if you can help me. I have just started learning the guitar and have an Eastman acoustic guitar which I bought following recommendations and happy with it. Its coming up to a significant birthday and my parents are wanting to buy me something so I was thinking of getting an electric guitar and amp. Problem is I am very naive in electric guitars and what to buy. I would ideally wait a year or so and then buy an electric when I know but my parents are wanting to buy it now, so I am wanting some help. Not sure going into a shop and trying a lot will really help to be honest and the embarrassment of not being able to play anything but a few open chords. Musically I like playing anything, from the Beatles, oasis, the killers to pop songs etc. Having looked on youtube, potentially a telecaster seems a good option in terms of simplicity and versatile for a wide range of tones. Or would a strat or les paul be better. Any thoughts and recommendations would be very much appreciated. I would probably try and keep learning on the acoustic and the electric may sit there not being used for a few more months. Thanks for any help, I appreciate I am in a fortunate position.
When my son was learning I bought him a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster as his first electric guitar for the reasons you state. There's a good music shop locally, they tolerated him and his band mates trying just about everything in the shop. You don't sound keen on doing that but guitars are tactile things and trying means you'll buy one that feels and sounds right to you.
Coming from an acoustic a Telecaster or Strat is an easy transition but there are still choices to be made - maple or rosewood neck, which neck shape, single coil or humbucker pickups. Some things just feel instantly right and others don't. Les Pauls are really popular so there must be something to like about them but I don't. I don't like the neck shape, I don't like the way they hang and the weight, I don't like the domed body - you might love all those things.
Arghhhh! Saturday chores nearly done, just starting to oil a set of teak chairs and I knock a bag of shopping over, hear a hissing sound and pick up a ruptured tinny. Sadly by the jagged torn edge. Goodbye to any guitar playing later...
It was Tesco ginger beer for the full rock'n'roll lifestyle details.
Oh, and what I was going to be playing along to was going to be some of the tracks from this guy on ouTube.
A reasonable range of styles on there so you don't getbored/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqAZJmEC2-C9roOB4vgzROA
I DON'T need one of these, right?
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/epiphone-jared-james-nichols-gold-glory-les-paul-custom
Keep seeing them, and the gold one loses the silly 'Blues Power' plaque of the black one. Never had a gold guitar either 🙂
MInd you, for the cash, you can get a secondhand USA Gibson 'CM' - which is a single humbucker jobber...
Anyway, that was today's distraction for me. Back to work!
Well if you like a P90 in a well-made Les Paul you DO NEED it. That Epi and their all solid wood J45 are the two most appealing guitars to come out this year IMO.
How are the bassists getting on?
Things I've learned over the past couple of weeks:
1. I much prefer my MIM jazz bass to my s****y US P Bass - it may be getting sold.
2. An Aguilar AG500 amp head driven through a TC Electronics 4 x 10 cab makes a glorious sound, but is too ridiculously loud even for me.
3. The Trinity Rock & College (Grade 3) version of Come Together is almost nailed including the alternating staccato and legato notes and the funky slides.
4. I need another Yamaha bass in my life - possibly a TRBX 604.
5. There's a new edition of Anderton's All about the bass 🙂
Anyone go any opinions about the HX Stomp? I've been offered a mint S/H example with the latest software for under £300. I liked the Helix I tried a couple of years back and this has all the same modules/blocks available even if it is only 8 at a time...
Would be great into the Mac.
I've been using HX stomp and Helix floor since they came out - for what they are with the latest software (software is free of course) pretty incredible
I've used the stomp as the only pedal into a FRFR speaker for gigging - on synths and now part of my pedalboard
All around useful, sometimes wish I has 2
as for 8 effects at one time - thats a maximum - there are some new effects that you can only fit one before maxing out the DSP
Good to know. I am only planning to use it in the house into the Mac at the moment. But I do have a Flashback 2 and a Hall of Fame 2 to take a bit of stress of the Stomp processing via the loop.
1. I much prefer my MIM jazz bass to my s****y US P Bass – it may be getting sold.
I love my Mexican Vintera J bass but I don't have much to compare it to.
What's wrong with the US model compared to the MIM?
I would like a P bass to play with but it'll probably be a Squier 70's style.
embarrassment of not being able to play anything but a few open chords
Doesn't matter, everybody starts at the beginning and when I bought my first guitar in 1990-something from Sound Control in Newcastle (90s Korean Squier Strat, sold and now regretted, obvs) I could barely fret a chord (some might argue that's still the case 🤣 ) and was as nervous as hell going in on my own to buy it!
For what it's worth I don't think I'd have stuck with the guitar if I'd learned on an acoustic so good skills and humongous admiration for sticking with it 😎
edit - whatever you end up getting it's worth having it set up by someone who knows vaguely what they're doing cos it makes a world of difference to how much you'll enjoy playing it. Also a decent (doesn't have to be massively loud or monumentally expensive) amp helps loads with motivation to play more.
What’s wrong with the US model compared to the MIM?
Nothing really wrong with it. The fretboard on the Jazz is rounder, the neck is more tapered, typical of a Jazz compared to the chunkier P, and the Jazz has more tone options due to the 2 pickups.
The P also seems to be more sensitive to changes in atmospheric conditions, going in and out of tune and having to tweak the saddle heights to avoid fret buzz as the temp goes up and down. It is a lovely thing though.
Just bought another Yamaha (TRBX604) to satisfy my active pickup itch, without having to go down the Stingray route 😱
oldtennisshoes
How are the bassists getting on?
Well, a week gone saturday we had our first gig in eighteen months, on the specially built for covid outdoor stage at Tan Hill. It was good to get out playing again at last. We haden't even practised in all that time apart from the week before the gig where we went through the sets once and it all seemed to fall together nicely. A few bumb notes on the night from me, especially at the start of the second set after it had got dark and a spot light was shining straight in my eyes. I'm not talented enough to change position up the neck without being able to see where I'm going. After the second or third song I had to take a bit of time to get the light shifted before carrying on.
Generally good fun but a strange one with covid restrictions. We generaly have a fairly boisterous crowd and a few of our regulars came up on a bus and managed to make them selves unpopular with the staff for trying to dance/jump around. Made worse the next day by the venue complaining on social media that their staff had been abused by some of our crowd and apeared to be blaming us for bringing them. From what I could see, most of the abuse seemed to be coming from the staff.
How are the bassists getting on?
Late and slightly out of tune?
[img] 
[/img]
Late and slightly out of tune?
Always 🤣
Late and slightly out of tune?
Baa-tish dum?
Spotlight? Just wait until the guy on the lighting desk decides to play with his strobe. Completely disorientating. Went for a 7th fret Bminor and missed by a semitone....sounded lovely...
Just bought another Yamaha (TRBX604) to satisfy my active pickup itch, without having to go down the Stingray route 😱
Yamaha make some great basses. I recently picked up a used BB735, my first 5 string and it sounds and plays better than my US Pbass. Not sure about the 5 string thing, so thinking of getting the BB734 too. They do both active and passive and the tone is a bit meatier than the TRBX series from the clips I heard on YouTube.
PlaN change. I'm getting a fill blown helix. I needed a few bits to go with the Stomp and wanted a Variax in so it just made sense to go down that route.
Now I've changed the saddles on all my acoustics to steel G-string compatible I'm experimenting with different string gauges. I use 14 or 15 on my electrics but that doesn't work when strumming hard enough to make volume. 16 is nearly there and 17 the heaviest I can still bend three frets. Now I'm wondering why acoustics normally have wound G-strings that are really hard to bend and go out of tune or snap if you succeed.
Had a play with the TC Aeon eBow.
I quite like it. The field isn't as strong as the eBow's so it takes a little more time to get the string vibrating at the right amplitude, but it's quite controllable when you've got it.
Though I think I just need to update my technique a little and get right in there with it!
Been working on my mini-rig:
It's almost everything I need, and is easy to carry. Band practice on Monday evening so will see how it handles it.
I normally use a TC Nova system for all the modulation/delay FX loop style effects.
However, have got a £17 Behringer analogue delay pedal getting delivered today which I'll put on the board. Turns out delay is pretty much the only time based/modulation effect I use a lot.
I’m getting a fill blown helix.
Thats a smart decision
My mid year "summer" resolution this year is to spend more time playing, and doing justice to my Taylor 400 series:
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4048fgXEAYktg2?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4048f1WYAoI3OZ?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4048fzXEAwh4wI?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4048fnWEAAR7fz?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
I've owned it, nearly 4 years now (i think) and it's got even better sounding than when it was new, with a slightly fuller note, and i still absolutely love the quality of the laquer on it. Compared to the mexican Taylors, which are great guitars, the workmanship and build quality of this US model is really noticably better, particularly the laquer and fret board
Without a doubt, i am, by far, the weakest link, lol......
That Taylor is beautiful!
I've been having Saturday evening lessons with Angela Petrilli on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo4y0xwkXDL2ZgZbGoIHG0g ). I think they're great and I feel that I'm learning lots.
This evening's lesson was Thank You, Led Zep. This is my attempt straight after the lesson, just need lots of practice now 🙂
I will not click the Youtube. I will not click the Youtube. I will not click the Youtube. I will not click the Youtube... . I already play two Zep songs I can't sing, if I click your Youtube it risks becoming three, Simon. 😉
I bet you're trying to learn it now 🙂
Had a play with the TC Aeon eBow.
I quite like it.
Glad you like it. I found the string skipping and the volume swells less usable than the eBow, but I was probably too used to that.