Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alan Roberts on January 24, 2011 at 11:47pm

How high is your action?

Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on January 25, 2011 at 12:03am

Hi Alan.

 

There is about 1.5mm (1/16") at the first diatonic fret (it has dulcimer fretting) and 4mm (5/32") at the octave. I did wonder if this was too high, but I am having to be super-careful with the slide to keep it from hitting the frets, so in that respect if feels too low. Possibly an issue of string tension as well. I have just ordered some other strings for it.

Alan Roberts said:

How high is your action?

Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on January 25, 2011 at 12:24am

With the slide right over the fret you should be pretty much in tune...if it's sounding flat it may be that you are 'pulling' the note sharp when you fret it.

 

If the strings are a fairly low tenison, the effect of pulling strings sharp can be made worse, so heavier strings may help.

 

Having said all this, when playing slide you need to play with your ears rather than your eyes, so always depend on what sounds right and just use the fret positions  as a guide rather than  an absolute.

Permalink Reply by Alan Roberts on January 25, 2011 at 12:50am

Hey John.

Up late (or early). I'd hand this puppy to a slide guitar player, if you can find one. Have you dropped by your local guitar store? There's a lot of knowledge that can be tapped there, for the price of the occasional set of strings. I betcha a cup of coffee it will be fine.

WORST CASE is you have your strings too low for slide. You can raise the action without starting over. StewMac has teflon dams for a few bucks. I saw someone glue dams on either side of his saddle with white glue and clamp with paper clamps (the sort you use when paperclips won't work). When the white glue dried, he carefully poured superglue into the slots on the saddle. A minute later, off came the clamps and dams. The white glue flakes off (it was there just to fill any gaps between the saddle and dam -- superglue will run EVERYWHERE). Then he was able to start over. Don't know how durable that is, but it was still working last week.

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 25, 2011 at 1:10am

dont worry about a thing john, just follow your ears.  If in doubt plug a tuner in and double check.  Remember that in intonating you have set your bridge back a little to allow for the string 'stretch' when fretting ?? This actually changes the scale length a little right ?   You are not experiencing an unknown phenomenon at all.  You've got a good ear tho mate, bravo

Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on January 25, 2011 at 4:38am

Thanks for the replies.

 

John. In terms of the choice of strings, I am using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th from a pack of .013s (currently tuned to gdg for no particularly good reason). What should I be replacing them with?

Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on January 25, 2011 at 4:52am

I'm assuming that top G (which would previously have been a ""B" string) has been dropped down to the G by three tones...which will make it VERY slack on a standard scale.  Either leave the strings on and tune the whole thing up to something like D - A - D to get a decent amount of tension in the strings, or get rid of the top one, and move 'em all up with a heavier one on the bottom, then what was the 3rd string will actually be tuned to a G as it was designed to be.  It's always easier to slide with heavier rather than lighter strings, but the tuning has got to be appropriate to impart enough tension in them.

 

John Maw said:

Thanks for the replies.

 

John. In terms of the choice of strings, I am using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th from a pack of .013s (currently tuned to gdg for no particularly good reason). What should I be replacing them with?

Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on January 25, 2011 at 5:15am

Thanks John.

 

That has made a tremendous difference. At the moment I have just tuned it to DAD but it sounds a lot brighter and louder as well. It is also a lot easier to use the slide as it isn't in so much danger of hitting the frets. The down side is that I will have to develop more resistant finger tips. This is only my second day of fretting so the fingers are a bit tender at the moment.

 

Thanks very much for the help.

ChickenboneJohn said:

I'm assuming that top G (which would previously have been a ""B" string) has been dropped down to the G by three tones...which will make it VERY slack on a standard scale.  Either leave the strings on and tune the whole thing up to something like D - A - D to get a decent amount of tension in the strings, or get rid of the top one, and move 'em all up with a heavier one on the bottom, then what was the 3rd string will actually be tuned to a G as it was designed to be.  It's always easier to slide with heavier rather than lighter strings, but the tuning has got to be appropriate to impart enough tension in them.