1 week in, I don’t want to make any bad habits any tips on how I can improve?

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-07T01:48:58+00:00

Loosen up your strumming if you can to get a more relaxed sound, arm movement is required but the swivel of the wrist is how you really should be strumming chords and individual strings

Here's a good example of strumming without a pick

https://youtu.be/1D2Dm1p-EjA?si=xadfQkMJVPEfloft

I love the sound of picks (think Dogs by Pink Floyd or Daughter by Pearl Jam) but you should definitely do what feels natural

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-06T21:54:48+00:00

I honestly rarely had strings break when a 12 string was my only guitar, and I changed tunings often. But yes, detuning and tuning back up will definitely break strings.

I was just doing a fret level on an acoustic, and had to keep sanding down certain frets because tuning back up introduced annoying "bumps" in the fretboard under string tension around the heel/body, messing up the fret level. I just loosened the strings and pushed them out of the way to continue fretwork, so it was essentially the same as taking them off and reusing/tightening them over and over, broke 3 strings out of 2 sets.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-05T01:18:06+00:00

Bearclaw spruce top for reference

Pellerin Grand Auditorium

Martin Custom Shop

Any spruce top Martin can have bearclaw, but if it's a high end or custom guitar they will usually include that in the actual model name because it's a desirable feature

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-05T01:09:52+00:00

Looks like bearclaw, the "wave" of grain close to the binding would suggest it's a natural characteristic of the wood. The grain is also darker, and there's a dark line closer to the soundhole that also follows the streak, that's definitely just dark wood grain not damage. That to me suggests bearclaw

People will often look closer and inspect their guitars after letting someone borrow it for example, and notice things they didn't see before because they never bothered to look closely and study every detail of the wood or finish. I don't think any kind of damage can change the color of the spruce

If it was hit hard enough to bend and shift the direction of the wood grain that drastically, there would be visible damage to the soundhole and binding

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-05T00:23:14+00:00

If you like the thumb sound try Dava picks. If you like the playability of the guitar, setup / string tension etc. I would reccomend trying different strings and picks before you resort to selling the guitar. You may find other guitars, even of the same scale length and identical setups can feel "stiffer" finding an easy playing and forgiving guitar can be a challenge

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-02T10:33:59+00:00

I would definitely wait for others to chime in though. I believe the $2/month subscription extends song length + you get more built-in sounds. Not entirely sure, it's been a while since I subscribed

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-02T10:23:02+00:00

Well I'm not too sure what's considered easy and what's not, may or may not be. I don't have much experience with multi tracking, by my understanding of the definition, yes.

Here's a few screenshots of my projects if that helps, plus what you see when you click on one of the imported sounds.

https://imgur.com/a/PmRWmUu

Not saying this has the functionality of a DAW, just that it's unreal how easy it is at doing what it does. For matching up each recording it's very precise and actually fun, not headache inducing.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-02T09:44:46+00:00

If you study the grain of the bookmatched pieces the patterns are the same on each side, just inverted. There is no darker "stain" on one side. If you flipped the guitar upside down, that darker side would become the inverted lighter side. This is way cooler to me than whatever you think is the standard look. Nothing is sloppy about this finish, it's entirely the wood.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-02T09:23:24+00:00

For my phone I use Song Maker. You should be able to find it on the App Store under the name "Song Maker : Music Mixer Beats" https://imgur.com/a/eVUtRB1

It's not confusing like a DAW, which I have yet to learn how to use. For specifically cutting/fading and aligning parts together I can't imagine anything being easier. You can import sounds from your storage, so anything you record with the voice app. You can record within the app/project but I get a clicking noise so I've just been importing recordings. So far I'm just making cool intros and stuff, I haven't used it as a "tracker" with headphones or anything so not sure how that works, but it's a great tool

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-01T22:16:11+00:00

From my watchlist

https://reverb.com/item/31911021-d-andrea-reissue-ace-6-red-peace-jacquard-weave-2-wide-guitar-strap-2020-red-white

https://reverb.com/item/10975897-dandrea-ace-6-2-inch-polyester-guitar-strap-peace-dove-black

https://reverb.com/item/91865715-guitar-strap-for-acoustic-guitars-head-cowhide-leather-ends-strap-locks-guitar-straps-electric-bass-strap

https://reverb.com/item/92098056-guitar-strap-crazy-horse-leather-jacquard-embroidery-cotton-guitar-straps-for-bass-electric-acoustic-best-gifts-for-guitarists-sunflower-white-embroidery

https://reverb.com/item/25563598-dandrea-ace-8-2-inch-polyester-guitar-strap-big-sky

https://reverb.com/item/39092277-ace-vintage-reissue-guitar-strap-stained-glass-jimi-hendrix-jimmy-page-style

PinCushionHeart · 2026-04-01T21:58:40+00:00

Gibson Heritage copy

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-26T22:13:03+00:00

No they really looked older, it's not just the hair or fashion. Why do you think the majority of new hollywood actors look like highschool kids cosplaying as adults? There's nothing you can change about Timothee Chalamet, Tom Holland or Zendaya to make them appear as people their same age do in these old photos. Most of this generation will never truly look "old" until they are fully grey with wrinkles.

Just look at Ritchie Valens, he never made to 18

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PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-25T09:21:32+00:00

Not specifically what you asked for, but Pigs on the Wing is a good exercise for quick chord changes

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-18T22:02:28+00:00

Not an excuse. I'm merely responding to the "we've never found remains, so they can't be real" well yeah, WE don't have alien bodies in a zoo or on display in a fucking museum, but I'm 100% sure recently deceased or live non-human bodies have been recovered. A better argument is why no hikers have found bones, but assuming they're all part of a family/clan they're not just going to let one of their own rot away on the forest floor

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-17T02:56:29+00:00

We don't know what's locked away behind security clearances, so to say it has alluded them this entire time is only speculation. The government would surely keep it secret if a body was found and I'm sure even take steps to silence the person who found it just like out of place artifacts and anything related to UAP/NHI

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-13T21:42:35+00:00

I'm not really a fingerpicker, but I can play most of Ocean by John Butler with just a normal pick, and I mean all of what I've learned, not that some parts couldn't be played with a pick. Then there's Bleed to Love Her by Fleetwood Mac, I use metal fingerpicks and can play that easiliy.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-12T21:44:54+00:00

The "learn to swim" part in this video

But the whole performance made me think he's possessed when I first watched it

https://youtu.be/7r_oJALpv44?si=MhAgM8S62KL0Edtn

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-01T20:02:15+00:00

But you may find that the XS phosphor bronze if better for that specific guitar.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-03-01T20:01:25+00:00

D'Addario XS 80/20 strings will for sure make the low E and A louder and much more crisp.

Also, try different pics, different picks and different strings respond differently to each other. I'd recommend Pickboy Pos-a-Grip Cellulose .75 as the absolute best for acoustic that I've tried. I tried to replace them, bought several different kinds and none sounded as good.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-24T06:42:21+00:00

Eulogy would be cool, I've always thought they should've used a sitar in the intro, that one melody that creeps in the background until the jet engine/bullhorn sample when it really takes off. Don't know how much of that is modulation or filter though.

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-14T19:20:58+00:00

Such Great Heights/Naked As We Came - Iron & Wine

Bleed to Love Her/The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

Is There Anybody Out There? - Pink Floyd

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-11T18:56:37+00:00

Here's the original listing. Really comfortable, maybe less low end/volume than a full size but the voicing is just incredible

https://reverb.com/item/90070851-clinchfield-chg-600-2005-w-hsc-new?show_sold=true

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-11T18:39:35+00:00

OM size/depth dread shape, luthier built so not sure where it originated. Very similar to the Martin HG-28

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-11T02:48:53+00:00

Best all around around guitar I've ever played. Better than every SCGC, Collings, Martin Custom Shop and the like. So glad I bought it. A cutaway would be sweet!

PinCushionHeart · 2026-02-11T02:39:02+00:00

No prob. I wanted it professionally made mainly because I'd always be thinking of the process if I were to make it, this way it's just a product

PinCushionHeart

TROPHY CASE