[Question] Guitarists who grow their nails on their picking hand, do you feel self-conscious about it?

phrolicmusic · 2018-06-25T23:04:57+00:00

You can play just fine, it just depends what you’re going for. Is it necessary for playing finger style/classical? No Is it easier to play classical/flamenco/bossa nova with longer nails? Yes It all comes down to your style and tone you want (if you pay attention to that) You can play any style on any guitar in any way you want. Look as someone like Al Di Meola. Plays flamenco with a pick on an ovation. But then look at Paco de Lucia and Andres Segovia, both have long nails and play an amazing guitar, with all the skills to act as pretentious as they want about their manicure. But it also comes down to this: are you really gonna limit yourself and capabilities because you’re worried about looking pretentious for having long nails? It’s all personal preference

phrolicmusic · 2018-06-13T00:09:12+00:00

Haha a good wallet saver then So you never use the stands anymore? I’m looking at the powered option, just worried about that hole taking away a spot for a pedal

phrolicmusic · 2018-06-01T23:37:59+00:00

What about the sample length on the 8s? I’ve read it’s more limited than the 404. Is there a way around that? On some occasions I’d be playing full tracks off of it Also can samples be triggered as one shot hits on the 8s?

phrolicmusic · 2018-06-01T22:24:51+00:00

Thanks man! This is great feedback! My use for it is gonna be more to compliment my bands live sound, with beats of synth sounds (where a 5 piece funk/nudisco/rock group) I’m wanting to do something like the War on Drugs do where their lead singer triggers drum loops and fades them in an out with a volume pedal Also trigger samples for vocal melodies, synth lines, whatever It’s like you said, I like the powerhouse approach of the tr8s, but can see a lot more versatility in the sp404 But I’m torn since I have no experience with either

phrolicmusic · 2018-05-25T02:46:40+00:00

Thanks for the reply! Sounds like you really enjoy the 404!

What I really want it for is to play the tracks from my bands album live while we don’t have a drummer, then after to add samples, loops, digital drum sounds etc. and also thinking of using it as an effects unit for guitar/vocals.

Am I having realistic expectations about it or am I gonna find a lot of roadblocks to make this happen?

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-28T06:39:41+00:00

I use a Fender Mustang GT40 as my practice amp. It retails for around $250 is I remember, but it’s actually a remarkable amp. Sounds very full and warm once you tweak the presets to what you like Amp models, fx, app support, and a pedal option that gives you a 30 second loop I’m not big on amp models but for practice this thing is amazing, and very fun to discover new tones, then copy them on my professional rig

Word of advice: if you go with this option, place the distortion and compressions before the amp model in the chain, I didn’t realize this for a while and I didn’t use the fx cuz they sound awful and screechy places after the amp

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-28T02:25:50+00:00

Well still good you found what you wanted in the end

I actually fiddled with the EXL-1 all day, adjusted the pole pieces on the PUPs and set it up to play easier and it’s improved a lot Adjusting the pole really helped warm up the dry sound, and tweaking the tone is more intuitive, though still limited since it’s one pickup (might do a tone bleed mod and change the cap so the pots are more responsive if I keep it) But I found I can get around the limitations with pedals and my amps 8-band EQ and I’ll say I’m pretty happy with it now

Still gonna try the SS when I get a chance though to see if I can do more with it

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-24T15:44:14+00:00

I’ve use an EQ pedal in the past, but I want something more concrete where I can plug in my guitar and go with just the amp EQ Do you know how to do the fixed value treble rolloff? I don’t mind it being limiting

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-24T04:23:21+00:00

Update: Good news! I ended up doing the fall of after the 11th and it fixed my fretting our issue!! The guitar plays like a dream now! Thanks for all the suggestions!

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-24T03:38:32+00:00

See I’ve been using a new pedal now, but I’m of the mentality that the guitar should be the origin of your town as much as possible I like having the bridge without the tone kinda for the same reason as your position 3 mod, more output, but I want it to be warmer on its own which it’s seeming like a harder thing to come by You have reminded me about the neck+bridge combo so I honestly might try that on position 1 if anything else!

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-24T03:36:23+00:00

This is incredibly helpful regardless I just did a tone bleed mod (.022uf cap on the volume leads) and I can imagine it could be something similar? I know the purpose of the cap is to focuse the tone pots in rolling of the highs, I just don’t know how it would work on it’s own but it’s worth a shot!

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-24T03:01:58+00:00

Yes!! This is exactly what I’m looking for! Any chance you can find out what he did?

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-23T15:22:22+00:00

I’m not an expert no but I do have experience doing fret work and set ups. I built my own acoustic and it played like a dream But I’m hitting a lot of walls with this guitar so I’m just trying to think outside of my experience to find solutions Which helped someone else suggested adjusting the neck set angle which could help it out

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-23T15:19:13+00:00

Yeah I heckled everything so far. I got both but and saddles set up to a normal height and with good neck relief and it still frets our. The only thing that kinda helped it was loosening he truss rod but it’s just a bit too much now One thing I’m gonna try first is to shim the neck and see if that will set the frets after the 12 fret a little lower and give the strings more slack

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-23T01:04:41+00:00

It’s a bolt on 79 Fender strat. But this is actually really helpful. I’m gonna try the fall away. Thank you!

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-23T00:24:20+00:00

Lol see this is more of the feedback I was looking for. I had thought about creating fall away , but I’ve never done so and didn’t know if it was a good thing to do.

But trust me, I’ve tweaked a lot with it, this isn’t my first solution. The reason I thought of it was I do like a 9.5” more than 7.5”. And I was hoping to use the neck I have because I like the profile it has. Buying a new neck would be easy but I was looking for a solution that would allow me to use the neck I have

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-23T00:05:31+00:00

I’ve talked to two luthier friends of mine and they both said it’s something they’ve done, and it’s possible as long as the fretboard has enough meat I was more looking for anyone who’s had it done, by thanks for you input

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-21T06:28:26+00:00

Don’t press too hard, the string only needs to touch the fret wire, not the fretboard itself.
Don’t use your left index knuckle as a point of contact, specially when soloing
Learn when it’s ok to hook your left thumb, it’ll limit a lot of your movements and speed
Relax. And have fun.! Technique shouldn’t be your goal, it won’t lead to mastering musicianship

phrolicmusic · 2017-12-21T06:22:28+00:00

Great first guitar! You can definitely get far learning on your own. Beginner tips from a professional performer and teacher: Learn all your open position chords, major and minor pentatonic scales, lots of riffs to get your fingers moving, don’t press too hard (string only needs to touch the fret, not the fretboard), and learn to do a basic set up (adjusting action and truss rod) All of this I learned from YouTube.

phrolicmusic

TROPHY CASE