Apparently, I have a death-grip

[kirs]

I took a look at three first three frets on my five-month-old Les Paul and noticed I am already forming grooves under the high strings from playing in open position. I wasn't really conscience of why this is happening until I stopped and realized I am death-gripping the hell out of the neck.

 

It must have been because my first guitar had a bad setup and would buzz on chords unless I crushed the neck. Now I have to undo years of instinct or live with refets every few years. I'll take the former

 

I have to admit, my teachers should have taught me about having a light touch from the get-go. Since I've been conscience about it my speed has picked up tremendously. I guess you don't realize until you have.

[poolshark]

I hear you. Every time I see a young guitar with butchered cowboy frets, I'm glad I was blessed with a light/medium touch.

[Frets99]

Good setups are crucial to good playing. Your fingers should dance across the fretboard. Death grips are also really bad on your hand. Can cause problems later in life. I played with a novice mando player for a few years and he told me the biggest thing he took away from watching me was relaxing his grip. He was strangling that bitch when I met him!!!

[mrbrown49]

I went through the same thing a few years ago. I'm a much much better player now as a result. Just focus on using the minimum pressure needed to make a note ring true. If you are like I was, you will be surprised how little pressure is needed.

 

Also, most heavy freters are heavy pickers too. You may want to focus on your right hand dynamics as well. Once again it doesn't take much energy to get a string moving, let the amp do the heavy lifting.

[Frets99]

Also, most heavy freters are heavy pickers too.

 

That was like my novice mando player. I would look over to him and ask him what that poor mando had done to deserve such abuse...

[soundcreation]

I have a pretty heavy grip too...I try to be conscious of it and lighten up when ever possible...but sometimes I don't know how I'm suppose to play something with out gripping pretty hard.

 

For example just to night I was working on the We will rock you solo...

 

[YOUTUBE]-tJYN-eG1zk&[/YOUTUBE]

 

And when he's up baring the 14th fret playing the little lick at 1:50...I have to squeeze that one to get the B string to sound properly. By the time I finished my wrist was a bit sore.

[notjonahbutnoah]

I started on bass so it took awhile to stop choking the life out of my necks, but nowadays, it's smooth sailin'

[MoreGuitars]

If you do a heavy vibrato, it's kind of impossible not to get a lot of fret wear. If it's excessive, use s/s frets. I would risk tone for fret wear.

[mrbrown49]

 

I started on bass so it took awhile to stop choking the life out of my necks, but nowadays, it's smooth sailin'

 

 

I guess that's my problem too. I played mostly acoustic for the first few years.

[GibsonQC]

 

And when he's up baring the 14th fret playing the little lick at 1:50...I have to squeeze that one to get the B string to sound properly. By the time I finished my wrist was a bit sore.

 

 

Try playing it softly and slowly. Then, pick up the pace a bit, but DON'T let your left hand do anything differently. Then, adjust your picking. That should keep your left hand pretty relaxed.

[mrbrown49]

 

Try playing it softly and slowly. Then, pick up the pace a bit, but DON'T let your left hand do anything differently. Then, adjust your picking. That should keep your left hand pretty relaxed.

 

 

That's a good tip. I've sort or trained myself to grip harder as I pick harder. Still trying to break that habit.

[nuke_diver]

I played acoustics for a long time so I have a heavier touch I think and while it's gotten better whenever I'm really concentrating on something specific my grip can get tighter and I have to watch it cause I messed up my elbow and wrist a while back lifting and it can bother me if I don't

 

 

If it's excessive, use s/s frets. I would risk tone for fret wear.

 

I did refret my first electric (after 5-6 years of playing) with SS frets and posted clips from both the SS and the original frets. The results were that only 2 people picked the SS frets from the original, more people couldnt tell the difference or picked the original as SS. If you have dog ears you might be able to tell a difference but I cannot and seems like most others can't either.

 

To the OP If you are going to refret I think you might find it worth the money to get Stainless Steel frets

[kirs]

 

To the OP If you are going to refret I think you might find it worth the money to get Stainless Steel frets

 

 

The goal is going to be to learn to lighten up on the touch, then get a level and crown job at the year mark in April. Hopefully I'll have learned by then and it won't be an issue going forward.

 

Always worry about refretting a Les Paul as not many luthiers preserve the binding nibs.

[ILikeGuitar]

sucks when the guy that got you started on guitar was srv, my poor frets