Guitar is hard to barre at first fret

[raggety]

what can remedy this problem? my classical guitar is really hard to barre at the first fret but other frets are ok to play barres.

 

[min7b5]

Think about you left hand thumb placement. Use it as a C clamp and ut the tip behind the problem spot. Your classical guitar's flat fretboard wasn't really made with barre chording in mind, so it is a lot harder for sure.

[moctzal]

Sounds like your string height at the nut might be the culprit.

A good setup goes a long way on any guitar.

[Cripes]

I'd just drop down 1/2 step and capo at the 1st fret. Typically I capo at the 2nd fret and stay at concert pitch because that's my vocal range and it's easier to play at that position for me.

[happy-man]

The last three guitars I purchased were this way. The string height at the nut was too high. See Freeman's sick guitar sticky. I use feeler gauges to measure the height of the string to the 1st fret. On two guitars all the strings needed to be lowered the same amount so I sanded the back of the nut to lower it. On the third it was different for each string, so I ended up making a new nut.

 

I recommend having it looked at and inquire about setting it up correctly if that's the problem. It's much nicer to play when it is set up well.

 

Scott O

[Cripes]

This brings up a possibly stupid question. I understand the variances of string height related to the saddle and why they are different. But, I would think that the height off the nut would/should be standardized...yes? That considered, why do they come higher on some guitars? Now I see the benefit of the zero fret.

[happy-man]

Seems like you get more sustain off a nut that a fret.

[raggety]

 

I'd just drop down 1/2 step and capo at the 1st fret. Typically I capo at the 2nd fret and stay at concert pitch because that's my vocal range and it's easier to play at that position for me.

 

 

I tried that and it makes it sound a bit muddy, but i wasn't using a capo.

 

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