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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
 Posted - 03/04/2005 : 8:05:10 PM
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My goodall concert cutaway seems a litte slinky,
and perhaps buzzy...
Do I need a guitar for gorillas?
Goodall says no medium gauge with my engleman spruce top, and I believe this custom guitar has a lighter bracing...
In my headphones, my concern over my right hand induced buzz, and thumbnail touching adjacent strings didn't seem severe, only occassional. But the Fishman pickup, run through my Rane Apf-13 seems a litte fuzzy.
My action is 6 (hundreds?) on the high E, and 8 on the Low...
Should I get a higher action for slack key. And perhaps have them check the Fishman.
I turned down the Piezo pad, and fooled with levels and eq...
don't seem to be clipping...
I want a good acoustic and plugged in sound, and don't think I'm there.
Perhaps we should have a workshop for trouble shooting style and setup things that affect our tones.
Is this making sense?
It's late...I'll analyze what I said--tomorrow!
How many Friday night's have I said this in my life!
Geez, It's rainin in Phoenix...
but it's a dry rain.
Mongo
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2005 : 03:26:24 AM
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First, how did you measure the action? There is a right way - look at Frank Ford's website, and lots of wrong ways. Basically, press the strings down at the 14th fret and measure with a feeler gauge (I use wires - but you can use sections of guitar strings) at the 7th fret. But, do read Ford.
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html
Second, which Fishman do you have, and what was your hookup?
Can you be more specific about the sound? ("Fuzzy" is kind of a strange description for a *pickup*; most make your guitar sound different - or bad - , but I have never heard fuzzy.)
And, I am sorry, but I don't understand "slinky".
Also, string clearance is usally described in fractions of inches, not hundredths, usually multiples of 32nds. Can you do that?
Also, I am not sure what medium strings have to do with this. Believe James when he says not to use them, though.
...Reid |
Edited by - Reid on 03/05/2005 04:15:34 AM |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2005 : 07:19:52 AM
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Pickup is a mid 90's, under the saddle Fishman.
A new compensated saddle was done in Denver last spring...and the frets dressed,,,
Incidently I use Elixir light gauge, and might aversion to changing strings means Leave them on till the gore-tex gets fuzzy! But I'm still having tone and even intonation probs...when I do switch strings.
I'll sit with a tech when i get back, and possibly try another techie--2nd opinion, (even though this guy does work for nation artists.
The original Goodall saddle was dumped when teh fishman went in back with previous owner...before the new saddle intonation, was horrendous.
More later.
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2005 : 07:25:11 AM
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| Just for info, I had a technician recommend the K & K systems. He claims the fishman pickups are too "hot" for a Goodall. I had a K & K installed in my Goodall. K & K was recommended by two different engineer/players. |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2005 : 9:30:35 PM
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I will also double check the heighth, nut, saddle and the K and K pickup...maybe it is causing some fuzz when plugged in.
And Can you get a GREAT sound with light gauge in slack tunings?
And are Elixir's limiting my sound?
Also, are there variations in width setups between strings...on say the Goodall...do player's customize for their playing?
Seems unlikely for fingerboard widths.
Ciao, Dream time.
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2005 : 03:37:29 AM
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Yes, you can get GREAT sound with light gauge strings. I never knew that there was a question about it.
Yes, there are variations in width between strings and fretboard width, depending on maker. My two Goodalls are different: one is 1 3/4 and the other is 1 13/16. Sarah's McCollum is 1 3/4 at the nut and 2 1/8 at the saddle. I specified 1 3/4 at the nut and 2 1/4 at the saddle and, a wider fretboard as it approached the saddle so that string separation would be wider, and so that there would be sufficient fretboard outboard of the strings.
Customization like that is done before build, with negotiation with the luthier.
...Reid |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2005 : 2:29:05 PM
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El Burt de Gordon,
I know you are used to all the problems and subtleties of getting violins to sound good, maybe even getting fiddles to sound good, so why did you think it was any different than guitars?? You have lots and lots of variables in the equation here and sitting down with a good luthier is a good idea. I have just gotten my Taylor Dan Crary model to sound good in performance for the first time since I have owned it (14 years) and now I have a buzzing because of worn frets (needs a complete fret job)!
I never had good luck or good sound with my fishman under-saddle pickup, but the Baggs I-Beam sounds sweet in my box. I use a Baggs Para-acoustic DI as well. The light gauge nanoelixrs also work well in this case (but the action needs to be raised for them). You will notice on my guitars that the little cover for the neck tensioner nut is missing. This is because I was adusting the neck so much that it was silly to put the cover back on. Now I just leave them off.
If you like the engineering mechanics of vibrating structures then you may want to "fiddle" with this yourself, otherwise go to a luthier who has a good reputation for acoustic guitar setup in your area and show him ALL of your troubles. (kind of like going to a sports doctor / repetitive stress injury doctor for your part of the "action")
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2005 : 5:33:26 PM
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| This probably isn't your problem, but whenever my Takamine starts to sound buzzy or scratchy, it's because the battery is going dead. Jesse Tinsley |
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2005 : 5:53:17 PM
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Jesse,
Yours or the guitar's?
Dave |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2005 : 7:01:47 PM
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Slack dog,
After a day with my two little boys, my battery is definitely on the wane.
Jesse Tinsley |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2005 : 6:04:37 PM
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I did change the battery...no dif.
Is there only one model of K and K pickup? How pricey?
Perhaps I'll find some time to compare different setups at a good acoustic guitar place.
I got a good deal on ebay for the Goodall, but would opt for more hands on choice and pay a little more if I had it to do over.
Guitars and other wood instruments have such a wide range of personalities... |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2005 : 1:18:00 PM
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LAwrence,
You mentioned your under saddle Fishman did not sound good on the Taylor. I had one put in my 910 several years ago. I am not very happy with the sound of mine, either. But, more importantly, the sound of the guitar unplugged is definitley less impressive since the Fishman was put in. Does anyone know whether this is a common occurance with under saddle pickups; that the sound of the instrument is compromized? It still sounds better than most guitars, but not as sweet and deep as before. Taylor told me there might be some loss of acoustic tone, befoer ethy put it in, but i did not think i would be able to notice it as much as i have.
As for string guages, somebody told me, when i bought my first taylor, the 910 above, that i shoul donly use light guage strings. I did for years, and fond them to be just fine. recently i mentioned that to sa good player and he poo pooed th idea, so i went and put on some mediums. I thinjk the lights really do sound better. This guy had said he thought the heavier guage would "drive the top" harder and give me more sound, but i personallylike the lights better. And, for a mediocre player such as myself, the lights are easier for me to fret.
The sound from the Fishman, by the way, is no better than with my el cheapo Dean Markley ProMAg soundhole pickup. Sounds pretty good to me,maybe alittle 'electric', but good just the same.
Gordon, I hope for your sake your problem with guitar sounds; buzzing, slinking, intonation, tone; is not the same as mine; operator error!
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Karl
Frozen North |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2005 : 3:04:23 PM
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Karl, I like to throw in a little operator error to quantize my immaculate performances, and keep it real.
Speaking of our Northern Alliance, I just heard an Alaskan free-form industrial ice sculptor on NPR...interesting quote about how ice doesn't bend, it...
Well, may come in handy if I ever meet an icy person...
of course...not in the patch...
Meanwhile, back at the topic...
I measured the distance between strings--forgot that Reid measured FRETBOARD width.
So back to the fretboard.
But if it helps, my strings are 9/32 at the nut, and 15/32 at the bridge. Is that a decent distance for fingerpickin'?
At 6'4 and 200 plus, my thumbs are a little on the mongo side...all ten of em.
Wonder if I should see how other setups feel.
I played a Dennis Lake small acoustic in Hawaii...felt immediately comfortatble, and sounded great. But didn't ask widths.
but I don't get to have a guitar wall, yet.
Still, I'm sure my Goodall will do a good job if I do my work.
And adjustments can be made.
Anyway, remember...life is short, but it's wide. (Utah Phillips).
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 10:59:24 AM
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Yes, life is definitely wide.
I also like this one, as it pertains to a lot of the somewhat esoteric discussions that go on here;
"If you don't think too good, don't think too much" Tom Magliacci (Click, or Clack, not sure which one). Anyway, i know fromm experience that a wall of guitars doesn;t make you play any better, so just play what you got and quit'cher bellyachin' :) |
Karl
Frozen North |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 11:35:55 AM
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Karl Monetti sez:
quote:
Karl Monetti
I agree, Karl. I like the feel of lights too. However, I use mediums on my Goodall (and my Martin HD28) and tune down a whole step to F taropatch. They feel like lights but sound a LOT better in that tuning than lights would. Also those two guitars sound better fingerpicked in F than they do in G (with lights). BTW, I use Elixer polywebs. |
Dusty |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2005 : 1:49:09 PM
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I went direct at church this morning, and it sounded fine.
Using heavier strings will only work if I'm staying in ONE tuning so I can beef up the necessary strings...
but might do that if I do a specific song/tuning in a studio setup...
Thinkin about doin' a demo of a couple tunes at a friends studio...
dat's de acid test.
My widths are 1 3/4 at the nut, and 2 1/4 at the end of fingerboard...
this is wider than say, a Martin, but less than some designed for finger-pickers demands...
and or course narrower than a classic ( another item for the wish list).
I think I just need to be meticulous, and practice some things slowly.
I notice low C (Keola's) and others are gonna have a wider "floppy zone"...because of slack and low bass strings being slacked...
so a heavier gauge should help minimize that for a recording...
but of course, minimize is not good enough...
But for now, I blessed with a great guitar, and it's hopefully not my last guitar!
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