String tension just too much - Acoustic Guitar Help

Fingerpicker

This is a dumb one, but are you tuning with a tuner? (string tension high).

What you can do if you do have a decent tuner is take the tuning down a semitone. May make it easier on the hands.

Lacuna-ZA

Thank you guys so much for replying. Thing is, in this town (Bloem) there is only 1 decent music shop. To my knowledge there are no luthiers. These guys know guitars, but I don't think they know how to setup them properly.

I'm scared to try and mess with it myself, but I get this bad feeling that'll be my only option.

I'm not sure what the string gauge is, as I bought it that way. But I hvae 10s on my electric and they are MUCH thicker than that. I'm guessing maybe 12s.

Bob-Dubery

Lacuna ZA wrote: Thank you guys so much for replying. Thing is, in this town (Bloem) there is only 1 decent music shop. To my knowledge there are no luthiers. These guys know guitars, but I don't think they know how to setup them properly.

I'm scared to try and mess with it myself, but I get this bad feeling that'll be my only option.

Check the neck relief first. You don't have to actually change anything ?

IMO you need to get it somewhere for a setup - or get the shop to arrange that. It may well be the case that you get the neck right and then you run into that fret buzz again. Unless you are sure you want to deal with the nut, the frets and everything else get it done by a pro.

CDee

Lacuna ZA wrote: Right, so about a year and half ago, I bought an steel string acoustic guitar (tanglewood). At the time I didn't know much about guitars (like now ? ) and said I had 2 grand to spend, what do they recommend. So they gave me this guitar and it sounded great. The little I played on it.

Lacuna ZA wrote: I'm not sure what the string gauge is, as I bought it that way.

So you have not changed the strings then in almost a year and a half? That is a problem in itself. The strings they give you as part of the guitar when you buy is normally not the best. Get new, good quality strings and see if that makes a difference? I think you'll find a huge improvement already. (Try 11's or even .10's)
?

Lacuna-ZA

Cool, I think I'll try that first.

Even try and "install" the strings myself

EDIT:I wonder, if one could possible ship the guitar to a luthier? But I guess its pointless if I'm not there to test it myself.

Bob-Dubery

Maybe check with the shop or with the manufacturer's web site to see what strings are fitted as standard. I'd start with those - not necessarily the same brand, but the same gauge. If you're averse to changing strings on a regular basis then shell out for a set of Elixirs.

CDee

X-rated Bob wrote: If you're averse to changing strings on a regular basis then shell out for a set of Elixirs.

+1. I try to only use Elixirs. Swop them out every 2 months. Regular D'Addarios I swop out every 2-3 weeks.

Bob-Dubery

Another thing (Darren). Acoustic guitars can be a bit more physically taxing than electrics because of the heavier strings. However that should pass once your hands get used to the extra effort involved. It sounds like you've been playing this for a while now and yet you're still struggling - this leads me to think that there's something not lekker with the setup.

Attila

Hey the Lacun ......bloem my old stomping ground .... I may have mentioned this 16 times or so

Perhaps you can get hold of Andy Crawford from bloem and see who does his guitars

Lacuna-ZA

Right, so I finally restringed the guitar (by myself for the first time ? )

I got Elixirs as suggest and a thinner gauge (10s). The difference is HUGE. You still need a little dexterity to play, but I can now easily jam on it. Thank you guys for the advice.

Though, I still think there is something wrong. The tone is just so thin with the 10s (playability over tone any day), so I still think there should be a way to put a thicker gauge on without making it impossible to play. I took it to the shop so they can check it, and they said everything is about normal. I doubt it. They are players, not luthiers. (With all due respect)

I think I'll either have to sell one day or track down a luthier somehow.

Heath

i will bet that the action is to high , take a photo from the side of the guitar , so we can see the height of the strings in relation to the fret and bridge .

Bob-Dubery

Tailon. wrote: i will bet that the action is to high , take a photo from the side of the guitar , so we can see the height of the strings in relation to the fret and bridge .

Better still. Revisit that article on frets.com (URL Previously posted in this thread) and using capos and/or hands press the strings all the way to the fret at 1st and 14th fret. Then take a shot from the side - making sure that the range from about 5th to 8th fret is clearly in view. Get a ruler or something of known thickness in the shot so that we can extrapolate the clearances shown to real life.

TomCat

10's are a little thin on an acoustic. Probably 11's are ideal from a balance of tone/playability.

Again, I stress the importance of a good setup. Proper setup will improve both the tone and playability of the instrument, making a joy to play and a pleasure to listen to (Assuming the guitar is a good guitar to start with).

chris77

Lacuna ZA wrote: They are players, not luthiers. (With all due respect)

I agree with you 100%!
I also recently had a bad experience with the in-store Sales person screwing up something he rather should not have attempted...

If your still in Bloem you can ask for Deon at DeeVees or Nico at Music Shoppe. Neither one is a luthier, but they are IMO competent enough to do a proper setup for you. I remember there were always younger guys helping out at the counter at Music Shoppe and, well, more mature gentleman at DeeVees. If either of those groups said its fine, then just tell them No. It plays k@k and sound tinny. Please let Nico/Deon take a look at it and phone me with a qoute on how much it will cost to fix it.

Hope it helps.

Gearhead

If I had a shop and a client with a buzzing guitar but no tech, I would put .013 strings on the thing and send it out like a homing pigeon. The customer would come back for .011 strings and I'd make some more money. :?