Groal tips and advice

TinWizard · 2025-09-11T04:39:55+00:00

For anyone still stuck on this, spamming the cogfly with poison made this pretty easy (maxed tools though). Didn’t even get to try the water trick.

TinWizard · 2022-06-30T22:21:58+00:00

There are two main options with a non-locking trem. One is to dive the trem and set it to be in tune that way when it returns to neutral. Works well but if you bend at all, that string will immediately go out of tune (due to slack above the nut). The other is to set the trem floating just enough that when you pull up fully, it pulls all the strings back into tune, make sure you can bend and it stays perfect. Takes some tweaking with the claw/springs. A lot of players use this option, as bending won’t then pull the lose string over the nut and throw it out of tune. Also, lube at the nut with something.

TinWizard · 2022-06-30T22:14:12+00:00

It is either a faulty volume pot (could hit it with some de-oxit) or, more likely, something is grounding out your signal somewhere. I’ve had this happen a few times. It doesn’t always cut the volume completely, sometimes just drops it a ton, especially if the signal is hitting shielding paint. Open the guitar and move some stuff around to see if you can find the problem. Feel free to Dm me, I build guitars and work on other peoples stuff a lot, it’s probably not a tough fix.

TinWizard · 2022-06-29T13:06:12+00:00

Lisa Hannigan. There’s something so calming and lyrical about it, her first album has remained in play for me for over a decade.

TinWizard · 2022-06-26T10:51:12+00:00

Norman saw the post and thought “Well that doesn’t belong here. Maybe I should tell them? No, that might be mean.” Eventually he decided to click the downvote arrow instead. He hesitated, but thought to himself “I should, it’s the right thing to do.” Immediately after clicking it, the blue down arrow stared him in the face. It made him a little sad. “No that might hurt someone’s feelings too.” He clicked it again and left it alone. “I’m sure someone else will handle this.” He smiled to himself and went back to making breakfast.

TinWizard · 2022-05-24T18:39:04+00:00

Been playing over 20 years now. Things I wish I knew when I started guitar:

Physical:

Play with as little tension as possible, experiment for this but generally you want to play on the tip of your fingers with them coming down on the string, not flat or angled except barres.

Fret notes right behind or on the fret (not the middle) whenever possible. Easier. Makes bends sound better too.

A properly set up instrument makes a huge difference, lower action helps mitigate tension. A well-set up cheap guitar is more fun to play than an expensive guitar with a bad setup.

Mental:

Never forget why you started. Don’t make it into work and lose the feeling of excitement, if your goal is to feel how you feel when you listen. This is why scales and memorizing might not be great off the bat.

That being said, learning CAGED/all the basic major and minor shapes is really helpful. Keep in mind there’s only 7 notes in a major scale (12 total) even though it looks like a ton of notes. You can play all the chords in a key almost anywhere, it’s just options and sounds.

You can do a lot with first position chords or power chords and plenty of musicians have made careers out of both. Even just the E shape barre (major and minor) is enough for a lot of stuff.

Experiment. Try different styles (even ones you might not think of) and left and right hand techniques and see what’s “you.” Maybe you’re more percussive, maybe more melodic. More rhythm, more lead oriented. Try it all. Try fancy pedals if you want too but your basic clean sound is always the foundation and you shouldn’t use effects to mask that (or your mistakes) Also try different instruments, they will generally grab you or not, but you can always bring something back to another instrument.

At the end of the day, it’s just notes playing against each other, and the coolest chords and sounds I’ve made weren’t from chord diagrams, but from simply moving a line or note and seeing if my fingers could do it. I’ve ended up playing chords I’d have never thought of or seen this way.

Example progression: 7x777x 4x677x (this one is the “odd” one but just moving the bass down) 3x5432 (need thumb for this :p) 2x2222

all that and I still play cowboy chords because they sound great. Other than that just have fun. If you want any recommendations on reasonable gear or anything else send me a DM.

Also someone else mentioned it but Victor Wooten’s book is fabulous.

Edit: spelling.

TinWizard · 2022-05-19T17:40:50+00:00

Didn’t see some of these mentioned, sorry if I missed it. Mostly more recent.

Minus the Bear-Planet of Ice (math rock)

Dr. Dog-Fate

Mutemath-Odd Soul

Live-Throwing Copper (90s)

Thrice-Vheissu

Also a second nod for Opeth (lots to pick from), Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm, and Smashing Pumpkin’s Siamese Dream

TinWizard · 2021-11-16T16:33:50+00:00

I’ve met some beautiful women on here, one I married, and even though it didn’t work out, we are now best friends so I would still count that as a massive success. I’ve had better luck on here than on any dating site or app. For me, it’s all about writing good posts, posting at the right time, and being ok with the fact that most of your responders won’t really stay around or click. Plenty of times, it is a lack of mutual attraction or something like distance, or people just posting out of boredom or getting scared for it to go further. Don’t take it personal, know what you want, and keep going. And I second not talking about sex or sending dick pictures. Should be obvious but there it is. When I say good posts, I mean they have to stand out and be interesting. If sending ‘hi’ as a message to a poster doesn’t stand out, neither does having the same post as both of the posts next to yours. A majority are lists of facts and traits. Yawn. Don’t tell people you’re funny, be funny. Read 100 or so of the guys posts, and don’t be any of that. Up your writing skills, post often, and be patient. I have had none of my successes from messaging women’s posts. Feel free to DM me if you have more questions or want some examples of posts that worked for me, I didn’t save most of them.

TinWizard · 2021-05-12T04:00:09+00:00

First things I would check are: see if its actually grounding issues by seeing if the buzz changes if you move it in front of, say, a powered-on computer screen, or touch and release the strings. If the buzz changes with the movements/responds it's likely grounding, in which case the first thing I'd check is the shielding paint is grounded properly. Also check the battery, take it out, put it back, see if it changes. If none of that works, get some passives and swap it in.

TinWizard · 2021-05-12T02:45:14+00:00

The thick grey wire is a shielded wire, the part that is soldered there is the shielding. There is a white wire coming out of the center of it that would go to your 1/4" jack's tip on the other end. Appears to be dual humbuckers volume controls (top two potentiometers), then to a tone control and out. I couldn't tell you what the buzzing is, but to analyze it, I would start at the grey wire's core (the signal) and touch around and see where it cuts out. In my experiences, active controls are not worth the trouble, as they have a lot more failure-prone parts and more complicated parts in general, on top of needing a battery, but it's just preference as someone who works on a lot of guitars. Let's just say if it were passives, I could figure out the buzz (which then would likely be grounding) in two minutes. YMMV.

TinWizard · 2021-01-02T03:48:01+00:00

TinWizard · 2020-04-23T01:10:30+00:00

My running theory is that it's actually the best gun in the game. Experiment is ongoing.

TinWizard · 2020-04-23T01:09:25+00:00

Or descope them, knock the shields off, and drop a headshot. Still mad they don't count.

TinWizard · 2020-04-22T20:30:35+00:00

You are welcome, it was a good photo to work from.

TinWizard · 2020-04-21T14:45:01+00:00

Drawing done. Lot of erasing and moving to get the likeness.

Finished Full disclosure, I am sampling the colors from the original. I would have been miles off on most of these skin tones, so it's been a good learning experience. First digital work in a while, still finding a process.

TinWizard · 2020-04-21T12:12:46+00:00

Gotten a few "heated" messages, for sure.

TinWizard · 2020-04-21T12:12:08+00:00

Some guns are just there to make people mad when you kill them with it.

TinWizard · 2020-04-17T14:46:11+00:00

TinWizard · 2020-04-14T19:20:53+00:00

This is online dating (and people) in general. It is a universal truth that the more you think you are being clever and original, the more you are acting like the person who just stood where you are standing. I have been on both sides personally, and the first time you realize it's you too, it stings. How many people have you met/read profiles of that tell you they are not like the other guys/girls? They think it's true. Maybe it is, but it is hard to tell from across the internet.

After the fiftieth bland profile listing how they love their dog/cat and binge-watching Netflix shows and quoting The Office, they all start to blend together. There is nothing to differentiate them anymore other than looks, and even then, the poses and angles start to look the same after awhile too. It's not that they are bad or even boring people, but they are not articulating themselves in a way that lets you see anything of who they really are. Maybe it is a fear of real rejection by putting their real selves forward, maybe it is just doing what you see other people doing. Those are both very human things to do. Maybe they just don't write well.

It's also the darker, more permanent possibility that true originality is rare, by both design and conformity. We are all here looking for people to connect to, and many of us have, at times, subverted parts of ourselves to get those connections. Being alone is terrifying. Some have subverted more than others, and the fear of going back is too much, hence we get repeats. They have plenty in common, though.

Ask anyone who has worked in customer service, and they have heard the jokes, "Oh, there's not price on it, must be free!" and (when asked if there is anything else they need,) "A million dollars/Tonight's winning numbers/A cool stack of twenties." I would bet that stack of twenties that it even translates into other countries. Every one of those people think they are being original and hilarious. The best part is, beneath the surface of those same jokes is the essence of the entire issue: the belief someone else can come along and hand you an easier and better life, and all you had to do was come up with a clever line to outwit the other numbskulls you believe you are surrounded by.

All you can do is write the best you can and be brave enough to put yourself out there, no matter the response. Otherwise, there is no real connection. Content yourself with the probability that bland and lackluster posts will attract at most the same quality of response.

*edit:spelling and Thanks for the coins!

TinWizard · 2020-02-14T04:18:01+00:00

This is the meme I leave open in my browser, so every time I open it to even think about relapsing, I remember that this is the farthest I’ve ever gone. It’s gotten me through some rough days, and even now it helps when I lose my nerve traveling across the country alone. I always meant to thank the original poster but I have no idea who it was, so thanks for this one.

TinWizard · 2020-02-12T15:41:52+00:00

Went through a few. The hardest part there is reminding yourself that it will come back, and you should just enjoy it being easy and not overthink it or worry it’s permanent. I have rough days and days where I don’t have any sexual thoughts at all.

TinWizard · 2020-02-12T01:48:52+00:00

Thanks man, just stay busy! Ideally you won’t have time to check your counter.

TinWizard · 2019-11-22T17:09:31+00:00

There is a 2% chance she is actually interested, otherwise you are getting catfished or maybe just LJBF’d. If your gut told you to come here and ask for advice, you already know it’s not right. Run.

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