Need Help, Electric VS Acoustic

[Dav_C]

Guys, need some help....

I have been playing with the Clapton Strat, Scale Length 25.5", string gauge 0.09 onwards, low action.

I've just bought a Martin 00028EC, I have problems getting some of the chords properly that I can do easily with the Strat, especially those involving all the 6 strings.

It maybe the problem of my finger strength needs more training, but I find that I have difficulty pressing on the frest like I do on the Strat because of the scale length, I feel that my finger is squeezed in between the frets.

 

[portunderground]

Hey, did you get your acoustic set-up, or maybe the strings?

 

[reevenz]

sharing a similar experience ...

When I bought my Martin, I didn't bother to ask them to do set up for me. After choosing the guitar (they gave me option to try 3 guitars of a same model) and rushed back home.

Then only when I reach home and playing it I started to realise that this Martin is so damn difficult to play (string was very hard to press, etc). I tot this is the thing with "expensive acoustic" so I try to get used to it...

Few weeks pass, I found that I can't get used to it. I gave up and went back to city music to ask for set up. Told them to lower the action, make sure the truss rod straighten, etc. When i got it back ... damn ... it gets so much easier to play with.

Just my 2 cents ... Even it's a "branded" guitar. Make sure you ask them to do the setup for u. It makes u become a happier man.

 

[Dav_C]

sharing a similar experience ...

When I bought my Martin, I didn't bother to ask them to do set up for me. After choosing the guitar (they gave me option to try 3 guitars of a same model) and rushed back home.

Then only when I reach home and playing it I started to realise that this Martin is so damn difficult to play (string was very hard to press, etc). I tot this is the thing with "expensive acoustic" so I try to get used to it...

Few weeks pass, I found that I can't get used to it. I gave up and went back to city music to ask for set up. Told them to lower the action, make sure the truss rod straighten, etc. When i got it back ... damn ... it gets so much easier to play with.

Just my 2 cents ... Even it's a "branded" guitar. Make sure you ask them to do the setup for u. It makes u become a happier man.

I set up my Strat myself, with all these tools, feeler gauge. I'm quite good at it, as a mechanical engineer adjusting and measuring. Fender has a set up guide that I can follow the tolerance.

But the Martin, I have no idea how to do it. haha. Nothing to adjust other than filing off something....

 

[reevenz]

i think u need to file the bridge lower, straighten the truss rod a bit ... and/or use a lower gauge string? Just bring it back to the shop say, "Dude, this guitar sux, make it work!"

 

[foxxylady]

Hello Dav_C, you have to adjust the truss rod to make sure the neck is straight first before filing the saddle down. Naturally, acoustic strings will be harder to press compared with electric strings and you may need some time to get used to it. But if you got your Martin first hand then I suggest you bring it back to the dealer for a setup.

 

[Dav_C]

Thanks guys!

Brought it back, tuned the truss rod, and it is done

Now I have my chords :-D

 

[eieio]

Dav, can i be your friend? :lol:

foxylady, i just took out my old acoustic from hibernation
checked neck & it warps like bali tidal hell waves.. you know that kind of irregular wavy kind..
can it be straightened back by just adjusting trust rod? or need major neck operation rescue?

 

[Dav_C]

Normally, I wouldn't suspect the neck angle.

First thing I check the neck relief. After tuned the guitar press on first fret and last fret, check the spec of the gap of the string to the 12th fret, some guitar makers give you the tolerance/spec. If not correct, adjust truss rod. In rare cases the truss rod doesn't help, guitar shop has ways and the tools to correct it, some ways are easy, some are more complicated depends on situation.

You can download some manuals
http://www.fender.com/support/stratocaster_setup_guide.php
http://www.martinguitar.com/catalog/PDF/Care&Feeding.pdf
http://www.guitarspecialist.com/gallery.htm

 

[eieio]

thank you for the links, he's one happy guitar owner -

 

[Dav_C]

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/reference/faqs_answers.html
http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/wet_guitar.pdf

GUYS, I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.


I live in a very humid region of the country. What precautions should I take to protect my Taylor guitars from these conditions?
Here are some suggestions for people living in extremely humid locales:

Keep your guitars in the driest area of your house - this is such a logical preventive measure that it's easy to overlook.

Put about five or six silica gel packs in the open area of your guitar case, up by the guitar's headstock (putting them in the closed accessory compartment is much less effective). Silica gel packs can be purchased at some guitar dealers; another good source is your local professional photo/camera store.
Leave your guitars in their closed cases when you're not playing them. Every couple of weeks, take the guitars out of their cases, line the open cases against a wall in your house, and train a fan on their interiors for a couple of hours. If that doesn't help, use a blow-dryer on the interior of the case for 15 minutes or so (at medium heat, from several inches away). This will help dry up any dampness that might have accumulated in the lining.

If you have several quality guitars, or are planning to collect guitars, you might consider building a special "music room," complete with a dehumidifier and a good hygrometer to monitor the air's moisture. [Read our Tech-Sheets: Symptoms of a Wet Guitar (PDF, 70K), and Making Room for Music: Acoustic Rooms for Consumers (PDF, 97K).]

 

[eieio]

yeah good to do that, i found out about it a little too late..
a couple of mine hibernated in their cases for a very long long time
chucked away in dark corners of the store room where time didn't exist

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Eh? Why don't you just get a dehumidifier?

 

[Dav_C]

Eh? Why don't you just get a dehumidifier?

I will.

Reading through those two links really helps to understand more about taking care of acoustic guitars.

Before that I only know that the guitar feels a little heavier and doesn't sound as good, then suspected that it was exposed to high humidity. Hence I went on and find out more about the harm of humidity.