Your next guitar revisited

[Bombadil]

Call the shop tomorrow? Or your bank?

[Bombadil]

This is the One that I've ended up with: A Martin D-16GT. All solid wood, with the exception of the fretboard and bridge (Richlite). It took exactly one strum of an open G major to know my hunt was over. I would've preferred a 000 or OM size, but the tone is just too good. Slightly louder than my D-28, great dynamics, great guitar once I get past the psychological hurdle of the composite fretboard.

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[cptgone]

Or your bank?

That was just a waste of time and money, last time round. I contacted Muziker.

[vurt]

Whatever, can you play? I can't..........I bought anyways, GAS is king.

Just to clarify, I'm not a bad guitarist, but the basics don't seem so "basic" to me anymore.

My newest guitar is fantastic. I could not have asked for anything more but I'm struggling these days with basic technique. Make me want to play less which is exactly what I DON'T need

you just need to revisit the basics more often as exercises. if you ignore them for the more fun rocking out, soloing whatever, they are going to fade.
do one day a week as finger exercises and boring scale runs and such.
you'll get it back

[Bombadil]

Through all my guitar hunting, I've gotten up to speed regarding where I've let my playing lapse. I noticed that I took for granted that I could just pick up a guitar and play what my brain told my hands to do. It was a lot easier to do that when I was in my 20s, but now? I notice how long it takes for me to feel 'warmed up.' At least ½ hour, these days. I can't break into Hendrix or Page now with any proficiency, without being completely warmed up.
I have decided, after many years of noodling around, to re-commit myself to growing and learning again. This year, my goal is to become proficient at Travis Picking, which will exponentially open up my capabilities.

[Forgotten]

I think I’ve just slowed down my playing in general as I’ve got older, and don’t feel the need to shred at speed anymore. I’ve been much more interested in improving my ability to play in open D, learn some more slide licks, and fill in some gaps like get my finger tremolo on the top E to be as good as it is on the other strings.

[Bombadil]

For me, it's not about shredding at speed. Travis Picking will enable me to play things that I've always wanted to play, but never could figure out correctly. I had a bit of a breakthrough with Dear Prudence, so now I am hopeful. The applications of having an independent thumb range from some classical to Robby Krieger to Mark Knopfler and spaces in between. I've got great guitars. Time to feel I'm worthy of them.

[reggie1979]

How long you been playing, Reggie?

About 25 years off and on. I also play bass and that I do with more ease. I was doing pretty good about 5 years ago but all the pain has really cut down my playing. I really like it though despite my limitations.

[tapper mike]

Here's a thing. Whether you choose to shred or not comfort matters. The more comfortable you are with the neck the easier playing becomes. Style is linked to your personality. Neck profile is linked to your hand/fingers.

I'm playing the fattest neck I can with 12's The action from the nut is a little high but I don't want to open the string slots for fear of rattle. It's a workout with slow songs that require a lot of natural sustain in the chords. I'm not liking it even though I like the tone. I plug my way through for about a half hour then Switch guitars sacrificing tone for ease. When I do it throws the baby out with the bathwater especially with my fingerpicking technique. It's killing me waiting to buy another guitar right now. I want a 17 inch full hollowbody with a floating pickup. D'angelico to be precise as they are known for thinner necks.


Re picking techniques. I use them all (somewhat) There are huge differences between Merle Travis. Travis style picking and Chet Atkins Travis style picking. There also vast differences in hybrid (flatpick and fingers) and classical and flamenco There is no great equalizer. You pretty much have to pick a camp and stay there for a long time before you gain any proficiency which means putting other styles or songs aside until you get foundations down.
I came about it the long / lazy way which took me a long time before I could adapt to other methods.

I followed Joe Pass's way (with out knowing) Sit in front of a tv and put your fingers where they feel comfortable and play anything you can emulate that you are watching/listening. Just getting your hand and your fingers to 1. Sit at a place that works. 2 find them back where you need them after an excursion. Lack of nails works against me but I follow that path still. Even though I have an assortment of fingerpicks like alaska pik And a fred kelly thumbpick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilFfuLcII0w

[reggie1979]

Good stuff, thanks!

[Hermetech Mastering]

I've spent the last 18 months with Mark Hanson's Travis Picking book and am nearly finished with it now, it's been a fabulous ride.

[tapper mike]

I applaud your dedication.

[Bombadil]

My new Martin came back from my luthier friend today. I'm finally convinced that Richlite is not an issue. She plays like a dream, and sounds fantastic.

[Daimonicon]

The action from the nut is a little high but I don't want to open the string slots for fear of rattle.

Fret buzz have nothing to do with the nut. All guitars, with the exception of Floyd Roses and Ibanez own versions of FR bridges, comes with a too high nut action. With a low as possible nut action you get a more comfortable and easier guitar to play and a guitar that plays in tune. The higher the nut action the more sharp the notes/chords will be on the first 3-5 frets. It amaze me that guitar players don't know enough about guitars stuff they should know. 90%, at least of worlds guitarists believe that just tune the guitar to the tuner and then the guitar is in tune. Wrong! And most guitar player tunes lightly and then they pick anything than light.

I'm a heavy hitter and my guitars with hard tail bridges I have filed down the hight on the nut and I don't have more buzz than the nut were higher. Leave the slots alone if they're okey if you want to have lower action there. Just get it off and file the bottom. Thicker strings will give you less buzz and lower action. If electric guitar buzz it doesn't matter as long as you can't hear it when plugged in to the amp or whatever you use as a substitute for a real amp.

[Forgotten]

Mike said “rattle”, not fret buzz