Members kwakatak Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 This is just a rant, but I felt compelled to share. Earlier today I was fumbling with my acoustic and really not enjoying it. The strings sounded dead, I was having trouble balancing its bulky dreadnought girth on my right knee and generally my fingers were having trouble pushing down on the strings. I guess ever since I tried an OM with a wider 1.75" fretboard I've been in a love/hate relationship with my guitar. Well, later on I decided to try something. I put my capo on the first fret and tried to play as normal. Apart from being disoriented at first by the fretboard markers my guitar seemed to play and sound much better. I think I've just stumbled across the allure of a shorter scale, not to mention that the first fret is 1.75" wide. It also confirmed that I need to have the slots on my guitar's nut filed out a little so that they don't bind. For a moment I almost considered giving up on my GAS for a Larriv
Members JasmineTea Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 Hey, tell the tech you want a new nut that spreads the strings out a little wider. I did this with my D-16GT and it made all the difference, gives the fingers just a tad more room. Also tell him you want the grooves cut deep so that it plays as though it has a capo on. Short scale also means less tension.
Members hondro Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 shorter scale also means it plays better and sounds awesome (although better can be debatable)
Members riffmeister Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 Originally posted by kwakatak I put my capo on the first fret and tried to play as normal. Apart from being disoriented at first by the fretboard markers my guitar seemed to play and sound much better. This is sooooo true! When I tire of the sound of my steel string guitars, I use a capo on the first fret. This "trick" brings out a whole new sonority and my ears like it alot! Alternate tunings and a capo is another way to get your acoustic guitar juices flowing.
Members carguy Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 i have a Martin D-1 that I keep tuned down a half step. I normally play itwith a capo on the first fret. To sing along, it is easier to play with the capooff. I like the way it plays and sounds with the capo. But I wonder if thedecreased tension of tuning down has an effect on the neck.
Members kwakatak Posted October 23, 2005 Author Members Posted October 23, 2005 I think I'm gonna play with the capo on all the time, especially since I play a few songs tuned down 1/2 step. The only thing that throws me off are the fretboard markers being all off. I think I am gonna take it to my tech and see what he says. I don't think that I would go with a wider string spacing though. They're at a comfortable distance from the edge of the fretboard as-is. BTW - the GAS is still not cured. I still "need" am OM just because the size is more comfortable and the tone is less "boomy" and more focused. I'm PISSED that somebody else stole my Powerball winnings though!
Members knockwood Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 BTW - the GAS is still not cured. I still "need" am OM just because the size is more comfortable and the tone is less "boomy" and more focused. I'm PISSED that somebody else stole my Powerball winnings though! I keep telling myself the GAS is off. I figure if I say it often enough I'll eventually fool myself. If it WEREN'T off, though, I'd have the same desire for an OM. I figure I'm looking at maybe two years of shoeboxing... It will be a short scale, when it materializes. I've decided from now on every future git I buy will be short scale... except maybe a D-28 somewhere way far in the future... but that is neither here nor there because the... uh... GAS is... off.
Members kwakatak Posted October 23, 2005 Author Members Posted October 23, 2005 Originally posted by knockwood I keep telling myself the GAS is off. I figure if I say it often enough I'll eventually fool myself. If it WEREN'T off, though, I'd have the same desire for an OM. I figure I'm looking at maybe two years of shoeboxing... It will be a short scale, when it materializes. I've decided from now on every future git I buy will be short scale... except maybe a D-28 somewhere way far in the future... but that is neither here nor there because the... uh... GAS is... off. Nice analogy. I put $37 in a 12 year-old car that used to only take $12. On the guitar front, I can't help but thinking that now is the best time to buy since many traditional tonewoods are becoming scarce and the weather is beginning to turn up here.
Members knockwood Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 Originally posted by kwakatak I can't help but thinking that now is the best time to buy since many traditional tonewoods are becoming scarce and the weather is beginning to turn up here. That has me in a bit of a panic as well - the tonewood paucity, not the weather. I'm getting a little concerned that by the time I'm able to spend $ on a good OM, either the prices will have shot up or I'll be paying for a neck made of petrified raisin pulp. In the meantime, I haven't had an opportunity yet to make an up-close acquaintance with the Epi EF-500 and EF-500R ($600 and $650, respectively)... I have a feeling that if such an encounter takes place, I may do something irrational, short scale or not... Good thing the GAS is off. Yeah.
Members lalatingstrings Posted October 23, 2005 Members Posted October 23, 2005 i love to tune to d minor low to hi dadfad and put the capo on the first fret.it really brings out a warmth and even more sustain.i never go above 5 though.i like a lower guitar sound i guess.
Members RainsongDR1000 Posted October 24, 2005 Members Posted October 24, 2005 I've been tuning to Eb and capoing on the first fret for years. I found that I needed to switch to mediums instead of lights because it throughs the intonation off, but once I did, I love the sound and also the flexibility to play all those songs by STP, Vertical Horizon, VH, Godsmack etc. in the same key as well as sing a lot more songs half a step lower than I can in soncert pitch. My only complaint is that it wears grooves in the frets a lot faster capoing all the time. On the upside, you'll never break a string tuned to Eb.
Members kwakatak Posted October 24, 2005 Author Members Posted October 24, 2005 Yesterday I tuned my guitar down a half-step (Eb as RainsongDR1000 indicated) and played for a little while. I've done this before so I'm used to the decreased string tension and lower pitch of my guitar, but it usually loses its appeal because it tends to make the bass a little stronger. Last night I was in the "love it" phase and had a good woodshedding session. As for using a capo, I keep getting mixed up by the fretboard/fret-edge markers. I'm gonna have to use lime green dot-shaped stickers!
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