Members gardo Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 British Rock Guitar Veteran – Robin Trower The first thing I’d do, on a practical level, would be to use as high an action as possible on the Stratocaster. It’s the only way to get a good sound out of the instrument. That’s something that took me years to come down to; so I’ve just saved them about four years of messing about. When I used to go and buy a Strat, old or new, I would go through them all and listen to them acoustically. The one that had the best acoustic sound I’d check out for it’s electric sound. If it doesn’t sound good without an amp, it’ll never sound great with one. The most important thing, however, is that high action. You’ve got to learn to work with it because it helps you to bend and to get your fingers behind the strings and be able to push them up and hold them there. If your action’s too low, then you’re going to have trouble with it snapping back underneath your finger. With strings, use only as light a gauge as you have to. The heavier the better, obviously, because the heavier the string, the bigger sound you’re going to get. I’ve got very strong hands from playing for many years, so it’s no good for young players to try going to my gauges yet. And the other thing is: Don’t listen to any guitar players who have come along in the last 15 years. Don’t listen to me; don’t listen to Hendrix; don’t listen to any of those other so-called rock and roll heros. From this article http://www.effectrode.com/tube-vibe/british-rock-guitar-veteran-guitar-player-magazine-1980/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 You would be surprised how often I hear "I want the action as low as possible without buzzing..." And I try to oblige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordite Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 Robin isn't quite making sense to me because obviously he wont be getting any tone unless the string is against the fret which would be difficult with half his fingertip stuffed underneath it.If you push the high string with a chunk of fingertip (I get that bit) you would then have to roll it down to meet the fret which would negate the effect.Its like hearing someone say you have to use a manual typewriter to type well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 1980... Might have still been playing with the pharmaceuticals a bit... Sounds like he was completely stoned out of his gourd saying that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Buttcrust Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 1980... Sounds like he was completely stoned out of his gourd saying that. too rolling stoned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted March 2, 2015 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 He backs up his talk with his playing so there must be something to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted March 2, 2015 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 SRV is another one that favored high action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted March 2, 2015 Members Share Posted March 2, 2015 I like that he said this, "And Chuck Berry – he’s still the best rock and roll player ever." Because IMHO, this country doesn't do near enough to kiss that man's ass for being the quintessential pioneering Rock Guitar God. Yes indeed, he's been in the papers for some deviant perv behavior, but he's still a living musical icon and a national treasure. One of these days soon, he'll be gone and then all the media droids will come out of the wood work with their crocodile tears singing his praises. I'd like to see him get a bit more accolades now while he's still around to appreciate the recognition. Sure, Obama probably would raise eyebrows for inviting him to the White House for tea with Malia and Sasha, but someone besides Keith Richards should be making the effort to remind the public that he's still among us and was also a big contributor in paving the way to integration in the entertainment field. /soap-box. Back on topic, I agree high action and thicker strings = better tone, especially on Strats, but I lose too much of my playing nuances that way and I'm now fan of the barre-chord hand cramps. SRV was another player known for using cable thick strings and high action. But note that even Robin says he plays with it tuned down a half-step suing 11s, and that was the only way I was able to reconcile with having 11s on one of my strats. The rest are either 9s or 10s. (10-46 being my preference) I go with "as low as I can get with only a minimal amount of buzz. Too much buzz may not kill the string's vibration, but I find it does indeed knock the tone right out of the note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted March 3, 2015 Author Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 We need a Chuck Berry thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted March 3, 2015 Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 How many guitarists do we do we lose to low action ? I don't know but I'm sure it's quite a few. Back in the 80's everybody including the soundman was getting laid and now it's just a bunch of gear heads and music lovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted March 3, 2015 Author Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 How many guitarists do we do we lose to low action ? I don't know but I'm sure it's quite a few. Back in the 80's everybody including the soundman was getting laid and now it's just a bunch of gear heads and music lovers. Now you're thiking. That's a pretty good one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted March 3, 2015 Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 Not nearly as much as to low life. Oh wait, that's the industry. Sigh... Anyway, low action just requires higher resolution touch to achieve variety and expression. The problem is it's so much easier to hot dog. Just add low lifes ...uh, pros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 3, 2015 Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 You would be surprised how often I hear "I want the action as low as possible without buzzing..." And I try to oblige I actually replaced the saddle on my Ibanez because I was getting some buzzing from action that was too low for my playing style. It's a difficult balancing act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted March 3, 2015 Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 Perhaps some guys start off on low action guitars and think it's an easy instrument, so they switch to keyboard. Some start off on high action guitars and learn to appreciate how difficult the guitar is to learn. My first guitar was a high action acoustic, and chord progressions and scales were so difficult that it took me a couple of months before my instructor attempted to teach me a song. When I got my first electric that year, things were much easier and I immediately started writing songs and developing a style. Much of my rhythm sensibilities come from the first few months with a POS acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted March 3, 2015 Members Share Posted March 3, 2015 I hear you on that. Had to raise the action on my Gary Kramer, since it was set up to low for my style. Still amazes me just how good that guitar is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted March 5, 2015 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2015 This is posted over at Cool Jam a good argument against low action[video=youtube;INqfM1kdfUc] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted March 5, 2015 Members Share Posted March 5, 2015 I doesn't get. Nice O scope effect though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members capitalist Posted March 9, 2015 Members Share Posted March 9, 2015 I'm married, so ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hellion_213 Posted March 9, 2015 Members Share Posted March 9, 2015 Fewer beginners probably quit because of low action as opposed to high action. Im asuming properly setup low action, and not fret buzz low. High action causes finger and wrist fatigue quicker, and we're talking about those beginning to play. I think it would be detrimental to a beginner to start off with dobro high action. If a beginner was to read through all of the development threads out there, they would literally be put off immediately. This guy recommends a low action for ease, and fretboard accuracy, this one high to build strength. This guy recommends light picks for technique, but another says to use the stiffest pick available, for speed building. Light gauge strings for less fatigue, or heavier strings for callus building, etc. A happy medium for beginners would probably be the best advice, because starting off, new players are uncertain what they want and why. They know they want to sound like (insert name) but have no clue about the other points. These are the make it, break it points. End rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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