tune o matic bridge hard to palm mute?

[guitargo25]

I just returned a yamaha revstar rse20 because it had a hairline crack in the neck, but it seems I don't really want that guitar anyway. Partly because it seemed way harder to palm mute vs the cheap $125 squier strat I had. In the store today I confirmed a cheap strat and tele with hardtail bridges were much easier to palm mute for me despite I just read other posts about people saying the opposite it seems some prefer the T-O-M because it's higher off the body of the guitar but I think my preference is actually the bridge lower to the body possibly like a strat/hardtail.

 

Another reason I wasn't crazy about the revstar is size, I know larger bodies may have better sustain but I tent to play in rather unconventional postures sometimes and it felt restricting with the Revstar.

 

I'm considering these now :

Squier Classic Vibe '70s Telecaster

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier/Classic-Vibe-70s-Telecaster-Deluxe-Maple-Fingerboard-Electric-Guitar-Olympic-White-1500000264105.gc[/URL]

 

Guild Surfliner HH Solidbody Electric Guitar

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.guitarcenter.com/Guild/Surfliner-HH-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-Shoreline-Mist-1500000396775.gc[/URL]

 

I'm leaning towards the surfliner HH because it has 23 frets and lower profile toggle switches instead of the common 3-way toggle above the neck because I strum there often and don't want the distraction of possibly hitting the taller switch. But the taller switch is probably way more common and easier to replace in the future if necessary vs the unique switches on the Surfliner.

But the Guild has a T-O-M and the Squier has a ahrdtail. Only way to really tell if the Guild will palm mute easier than the Revstar is to order it and return if don't like it but I feel kinda bad just returning things after test playing.

 

I also like that the Guild is through-body strung should be more stable - I don't mess with Floyd Rose or locking nuts anymore because it tended to make my cheap $125 Squier Strat go out of tune and I don't bend notes that extreme often and can use my fx pedal to bend octave if I really wanted - I admittedly though do press the headstock in-out for a subtle pitch bend sometimes I know this can't be good for the guitar or action etc settings but I do it every sometimes.  But it kind of boggles me that with a hardtail, the only sort of holding power is the friction simply caused but the two mini phillips head screws used to adjust action presses against the bottom - in other words it seems not much is keeping it from sort of fishtailing and killing sustain or tone or something but it seems to do its job just fine.

 

But anyway, mostly wondering about palm muting a T-O-M if the Guild Surfliner HH will likely have the same elevated feel as the Revstar.

That being said. I'm ordering the Guild now lol and if I gotta return it like-new after a quick, clean test run then whatever I mean it won't be dirty or damaged and they'll likely resell it as new. GC et have a no questions asked satisfaction guarantee 45 day window but it won't take long for me to see if it palm mutes as I prefer.

Edited June 6, 2023 by guitargo25

[daddymack]

Yes, the Revstar TOM and the Surfliner TOM are going to feel very much the same.

[badpenguin]

Oh, I see we are doing this again. Okay...

The Yamaha and Guild's tun-a-matic styled bridge will be, within a few mm's, the same. Same break angle, same height off of the body, same distance from the point where the strings go into the body, and most likely the exact same part from a random factory in China. So the issue of palm muting, will be the same. You are comparing the left side of the apple to the right side. 

You wanted a guitar that was a sonic "multitasker", being able to do different styles of music. I get that, I have a few that do that. And yet, you choose a guitar that has the word "surf" in the name. Take a few seconds to think, what kind of music and sound, it's geared for. I'll wait.... Death metal? No. Jazz? Probably not, Fender tried that in the late 50's early 60's and it was a dismal failure. Country? might work quite well for that, but maybe not. Surf music? Bing! Give the boy a prize. Bright, cutting, not a lot of sustain to get in the way, and loves tremolo and reverb.

You are comparing the palm muting on the Yamaha, to the Squier. COMPLETELY different bridge. Different set up, just about different in every way possible.  Stop comparing, you will only drive yourself insane. Either go out, get a Squier or a Fender, (Even an Ibanez.) with the pickup configuration you like, and be done with it. Or realize there are many different options out there and try something different and allow yourself to experience a different feel and sound that what you grew up with.

 

 

[guitargo25]

I thought the same at first but the Surfliner isn't named for Surf music, it's named after the Surfliner train that runs along the California coast. Tone-wise I think the description basically said it's neutral and the 70's Telecaster HH says it's a bit hot like vintage humbuckers, which I don't particularly want hot at all but I think it's a lot of marketing placebo affect, I can roll the tone down, the Surfliner has coil split probably can sound much 'hotter' or bite when engaged, or they can call it twang etc, 

 

others are saying the same thing, get used to a tunomatic it's well-known for palm muting. I think it's my posture when picking I tend to rest my pinky on the body or under the High E which I Was told by a guitar teacher when I got some lessons back in like 1995 but my fav guitarist from disco biscuits I see he rests his pinky on the body too sometimes so I'm ok w it if it happens to work for me too and this also combined with a low profile hardtail bridge seems to make palm muting effortless for me, but I Will try the surfliner first because I like everything else besides the TOM possibly being hard to mute but will see if I can get used to it. 

[daddymack]

3 hours ago, guitargo25 said:

I thought the same at first but the Surfliner isn't named for Surf music, it's named after the Surfliner train that runs along the California coast. ...

Which runs right by Guild's facility in Oxnard a couple times a day....runs right through Hooterville, too.... [we are not anywhere 'near' the surf]

[Wound_Up]

On 6/6/2023 at 1:22 PM, badpenguin said:

Oh, I see we are doing this again. Okay...

The Yamaha and Guild's tun-a-matic styled bridge will be, within a few mm's, the same. Same break angle, same height off of the body, same distance from the point where the strings go into the body, and most likely the exact same part from a random factory in China. So the issue of palm muting, will be the same. You are comparing the left side of the apple to the right side. 

You wanted a guitar that was a sonic "multitasker", being able to do different styles of music. I get that, I have a few that do that. And yet, you choose a guitar that has the word "surf" in the name. Take a few seconds to think, what kind of music and sound, it's geared for. I'll wait.... Death metal? No. Jazz? Probably not, Fender tried that in the late 50's early 60's and it was a dismal failure. Country? might work quite well for that, but maybe not. Surf music? Bing! Give the boy a prize. Bright, cutting, not a lot of sustain to get in the way, and loves tremolo and reverb.

You are comparing the palm muting on the Yamaha, to the Squier. COMPLETELY different bridge. Different set up, just about different in every way possible.  Stop comparing, you will only drive yourself insane. Either go out, get a Squier or a Fender, (Even an Ibanez.) with the pickup configuration you like, and be done with it. Or realize there are many different options out there and try something different and allow yourself to experience a different feel and sound that what you grew up with.

 

 

Whats with the attitude? You didn't have to reply, ya know? 

 

If posting info multiple times gets you this "wound up", forums might not be the place for you. Just sayin... 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Wound_Up

[badpenguin]

7 hours ago, Wound_Up said:

Whats with the attitude? You didn't have to reply, ya know? 

 

If posting info multiple times gets you this "wound up", forums might not be the place for you. Just sayin... 

Wow. Thank you for your words of encouragement Mr. Newbie.

IF you had read ALL of his posts, you might understand the snarkisms. Probably didn't, so there's some slack allowed there. Secondly, this is pretty much me, all 3700+ posts, as opposed to your 2. Don't judge someone after reading one post of theirs.

[guitargo25]

I didn't take any offense to that post, I know I'm very picky, and they were straight to the point. 

Turns out penguin was right, the tune o matic on the surfliner is basically the same as the revstar. I received the surfliner yesterday and had a good ~5 hour session with it. The Tune o matic bridge is basically same height of the body of the guitar as the Revstar, I could lower the action a bit but it won't matter much. 

PERSONALLY I don't like TOM for palm muting , maybe just my way of handling the guitar. I don't find TOM that hard to palm mute but I find I need to pick closer to the neck in order to do so and personally I prefer picking a bit closer to the bridge when palm muting or picking in general although I pick depending on tone all the way from just past the bridge (for that plucky sound) up to a few inches past the neck over the frets for that more airy sound, but in general I find it difficult to palm mute TOMs, so considering Guitar Center's satisfaction guarantee no questions asked, I'm returning it and hopefully 3rd time's a charm with the Squier Classic Vibe '70s Telecaster Deluxe Maple Neck. The HH tele doesn't have coil split like the others and at first I thought I didn't want Coil Split (as if I know these things but I assumed 2 similar-priced guitars one without coil split/tap might be better overall quality pickups and I was thinking I didn't really want too much twang single coil tone but it is nice sometimes.

 

Not crazy about the toggle switch buttons on the Surfliner either, rather stiff and not effortless/quick. I like the smaller body though vs the revstar and Surfliner is much lighter and I don't notice and loss of sustain (I got lots of work to do with my BOSS ME-80 to get tones where I need them anyway before even thinking about body size for sustain). I like the Surfliner tone and volume knobs spin very easily and very knurled but they don't seem to pop up for coil split as easily as the Revstar's. 

[badpenguin]

4 hours ago, guitargo25 said:

I didn't take any offense to that post, I know I'm very picky, and they were straight to the point. 

Turns out penguin was right, the tune o matic on the surfliner is basically the same as the revstar. I received the surfliner yesterday and had a good ~5 hour session with it. The Tune o matic bridge is basically same height of the body of the guitar as the Revstar, I could lower the action a bit but it won't matter much. 

PERSONALLY I don't like TOM for palm muting , maybe just my way of handling the guitar. I don't find TOM that hard to palm mute but I find I need to pick closer to the neck in order to do so and personally I prefer picking a bit closer to the bridge when palm muting or picking in general although I pick depending on tone all the way from just past the bridge (for that plucky sound) up to a few inches past the neck over the frets for that more airy sound, but in general I find it difficult to palm mute TOMs, so considering Guitar Center's satisfaction guarantee no questions asked, I'm returning it and hopefully 3rd time's a charm with the Squier Classic Vibe '70s Telecaster Deluxe Maple Neck. The HH tele doesn't have coil split like the others and at first I thought I didn't want Coil Split (as if I know these things but I assumed 2 similar-priced guitars one without coil split/tap might be better overall quality pickups and I was thinking I didn't really want too much twang single coil tone but it is nice sometimes.

 

Not crazy about the toggle switch buttons on the Surfliner either, rather stiff and not effortless/quick. I like the smaller body though vs the revstar and Surfliner is much lighter and I don't notice and loss of sustain (I got lots of work to do with my BOSS ME-80 to get tones where I need them anyway before even thinking about body size for sustain). I like the Surfliner tone and volume knobs spin very easily and very knurled but they don't seem to pop up for coil split as easily as the Revstar's. 

Ok, here's a couple of suggestions. As I have said from the beginning of time, I am an Ibanez fan, so of course, here's a couple of Ibanez's for you to think about.

Ibanez S561PMM S Series Standard 6-String Electric Guitar (Pink Gold Metallic Matte) | Reverb Don't judge it by the color.

Amazon.com: Ibanez S series S521 Electric Guitar Ocean Fade Metallic : Musical Instruments Had one, fantastic guitar.

SX HAWK MN ASH H NA Semi Hollow Body Guitar (rondomusic.com) Have a tele and a Liquid from them, along with 3 Agile Les Paul copies, can't rave about them enough. You can always buy new pickups with the money saved.

XV-870 Double Cutaway Solid Body (guitarfetish.com) Good quality, might need a bit of tweaking t make it perfect.

 

 

 

[daddymack]

On 6/9/2023 at 3:46 AM, Wound_Up said:

Whats with the attitude? You didn't have to reply, ya know? 

 

If posting info multiple times gets you this "wound up", forums might not be the place for you. Just sayin... 

W_U, without sounding too harsh, badpenguin has been trying to assist this forumite for several months, and the OP is having difficulty narrowing down what he wants based on his particular style of playing which, I might add, is atypical. So to 'call him out' for expressing some mild frustration, without having been spending the time to see how invested he is in this process, is uncalled for.

[guitargo25]

i have to admit I haven't lowered the action on either of these tune o matic guitars which should make palm mutes easier but I was thinking also these being 12" radius instead of 9.5" I was used to might also make palm muting a bit harder for how the palm curves along the more-curved 9.5" radius. FWIW for some reason maybe the action (which is not very low how I like, I'm going to lower it right now) I don't feel much difference between these 12" radius and 9.5" - the time I really felt the difference which might be the 12" radius for 'easier to scale' was a random les paul I tested in sam ash but could have been the action was set nice and low.  And now I'm realizing I'm maybe ok with a 9.5" if all other specs and design of guitar are to my preferences because placebo of how 9.5" is 'easier for chords' and I think shredding and solo etc is easier than chords regardless of radius so maybe i could use the help of the 9.5 being easier for chords more-so than making scales/solos easier with a 12" radius.  

[daddymack]

gg25... think you are wayyyy overthinking this, particularly the fretboard radius. Scale length is a far more noticeable issue than radius.  'Better for chords'? Where did you read that nonsense?

[guitargo25]

I returned the surfliner today (like brand new they can just seal the box and sell it as new again so no loss for them.

It just didn't feel right. Then I tested a ~$600 strat in the store and yes it seems easier to palm when quickly switching between that and a Tune o matic les paul etc.

 

Another thing I like about hardtail is I can adjust the action for each string rather then the TOM you lower/raise each side but then one in the middle could be buzzing and would need to fiel down all 5 other saddles, this happened with the surfliner. And despite hardtail is sorta wiggly, a few times jamming with the surfliner TOM when it popped into my head to check sustain which is supposed to be better on a sturdy TOM, it didn't seem to sustain long and I think this mostly has to do with FX box set-up which I'm not good at yet. 

 

I might just get a noiseless SSS! I like the smaller strat body too. 

[badpenguin]

I think I said as much when you first started this journey. Good luck.

[daddymack]

the journey is just as important as the outcome.