• zguitar
  • Don't call me Sir
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  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Topic: Hard or easy?

Merry Christmas to all!!!!

What makes diff guitars harder or easier to play besides setup and string gauge? Reason I ask is, my 3 guitars are on opposite ends of the playability spectrum. My A&L and Yamaha are VERY easy to play. My Ibanez (the one I learned on) is hard to play. It takes effort to fret the strings, my fingers have to be in just the right spot for a clean sound, and I can almost not pull a bar chord. All my guitars were set up by the same guy and have the same strings. So what gives? I'm thinking about getting another Yamaha. I see lots on Craigslist.

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: Hard or easy?

Neck size and nut width have a lot to do with the difference in the feel and playability.

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  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,914

Re: Hard or easy?

Scale length and fretboard radius!   You're A&L is 24.5 scale length (shorter scale means less tension to string to pitch thus easier fretting) and I imagine the ones you can barre easier on have more radius/curve to the fretboard.

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
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  • dino48
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Hard or easy?

Hi zguitar I have the same thing going on with my guitars,and my yamaha has been real nice to play,its alot easyer then most acoustics I have found,but it will not produce the richer sound that the more expensive guitars do.

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  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Hard or easy?

I have a difficult time fretting my Epi ... lucky for me I'm a girl and sing a bit higher so I tend to use my capo more often than not.  Playing higher up the neck is much easier fretting!  When I get frustrated, I just put it away and get out my classical and try not to beat on the nylons too much!

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  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Hard or easy?

MKM, I wonder if the nut is standing too tall - holding your strings too high at the low end. I cut nut the grooves down lower on a guitar once and it really helped.
Merry christmas
toots

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  • From: Sioux City, IA
  • Registered: 2010-11-22
  • Posts: 71

Re: Hard or easy?

Guitarpix wrote:

Scale length and fretboard radius!   You're A&L is 24.5 scale length (shorter scale means less tension to string to pitch thus easier fretting) and I imagine the ones you can barre easier on have more radius/curve to the fretboard.

Hi Guitarpix,

Dumb question, but could you explain what scale length means. I've never understood what it represents. Another dumb one--is the fretboard curved? I thought it was flat.

Thanks!

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Hard or easy?

Fretboards are very very slightly curved. If you have a capo take a look at it - you'll notice the curve on it, too. (Except for classical guitars, which I believe are built flat.)

Scale length refers to the overall length of the guitar from the saddle to the nut. Gibsons, for the most part, are built on a shorter scale than Fenders. This means a couple of things:
1. Shorter distance between frets.
2. Lower string tension.

Add to this list the shape of the neck. I have a few thin necks and some that are chunkier "C" or "V" cuts. I've found that "V" gives me more to grab on to for string bending but they play a bit slower for me.

  • From: Sioux City, IA
  • Registered: 2010-11-22
  • Posts: 71

Re: Hard or easy?

Thanks for the information dude, I appreciate it. Here's another question, if your guitar as a scale of 24.5 is that a relatively small or larger scale? What's the scale for an average Fender?

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Hard or easy?

Summing up from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_(string_instruments)

25.5 is standard Fender scale. 24.75 is standard for Gibson. So 24.5 would be just a teenie bit shorter than a Gibson.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,914

Re: Hard or easy?

Thanks Dude for the scale breakdown smile

Here's a little write up I posted sometime back on fretboard radius that may be helpful to any that don't understand it.... http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=13839   Also includes a link to free printable radius gauges.

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

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  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Hard or easy?

My pleasure. smile

  • From: Rhondda, South Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-01-19
  • Posts: 120

Re: Hard or easy?

It also comes down to quality and craftsmanship of the guitar maker. You can pick up a guitar which has the right action, looks good but feels like a plank of wood. If you pick it up and it feels right. It probably is.

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  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Hard or easy?

tubatooter1940 wrote:

MKM, I wonder if the nut is standing too tall - holding your strings too high at the low end. I cut nut the grooves down lower on a guitar once and it really helped.
Merry christmas
toots

I've thought about that Toots, but I'm scared to fiddle with it myself.  I have measured the string height, and figure the nut could probably be lowered a hair, though it is right AT the "standard specifications".  I've thought about paying someone to do it for me, but with my guitar costing me as little as it did, it seems silly to spend so much on it.  I figure... I'll just get by and wait until I can afford a nicer guitar and get it all set up right and then maybe experiment a little on this one!  Either that or save my money to head south for a jam and request Pix brings  his files with him wink  LOL!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • From: Sioux City, IA
  • Registered: 2010-11-22
  • Posts: 71

Re: Hard or easy?

mekidsmom wrote:

I've thought about that Toots, but I'm scared to fiddle with it myself.  I have measured the string height, and figure the nut could probably be lowered a hair, though it is right AT the "standard specifications".  I've thought about paying someone to do it for me, but with my guitar costing me as little as it did, it seems silly to spend so much on it.  I figure... I'll just get by and wait until I can afford a nicer guitar and get it all set up right and then maybe experiment a little on this one!  Either that or save my money to head south for a jam and request Pix brings  his files with him wink  LOL!

You could try what I did, and use sandpaper to slowly work down the height of the nut from its base. The seal formed by hide glue that keeps the nut attached to the neck can be easily broken without damage to the guitar or neck. After removing the nut, I placed a sheet of fine sandpaper on a firm, flat surface and slowly worked the bottom of the nut. Nuts are cheap and easy to replace, so if you sand too much you can always buy a replacement. Of course, it helps if you have a micrometer to measure precisely and evenly how much to take off. I don't have a micrometer so I had to use simpler methods.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,914

Re: Hard or easy?

MK, If you want, I'd be happy to send the files and a link to the how to vid I made for Tony to ya...   It's quite easy smile  Of course I'd be happy to do it for you if we meet sometime as well. 

No offense Artless but that is the wrong way to do it and usually results in a poorly set up instrument.... Each string slot needs to be set to it's proper height and to match the radius of the fretboard for it to play optimally.

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Guitarpix's Website