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Action on my guitar
I am playing an Alvarez RD8 acoustic and I have serious questions about its setup. It seems that I have to press unusually hard on the strings to avoid buzz. When I practice playing a barre chord, I have to hold my thumb on the bottom half of the neck with so much pressure that my wrist aches before too long. I have checked the action of my guitar and it appears to be correct. However, maybe my guitar should have the strings closer to the fret board. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
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14 Replies
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Do you have the right too to check your action? Do you have a “ruler” something like this: https://down-th.img.susercontent.com/file/e9199aeed46061b5010eee2379d64516
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Yes, I have this string action ruler.
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Haha, I have the exact same!
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So you’re checking the action on your E strings at the 12th fret, looks normal?
Define buzz, do you mean literally a buzzing sound, or a muted sound? What chords are we talking about and are you fretting close to fret wire whenever possible. Understood with some chords your fingers are in the way and you can’t get close.
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Yes
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You could always give @jorgemac ‘s suggestion a try: tuning your guitar down 3 half steps.
quoting jorgemac:
“I like the tone of heavier strings but don’t like the fact that the strings take more finger tip pressure to produce that fuller tone of heavier strings.
I started with 10 gauge strings and now usually play .013/56. I found as i increased the string gauge I could put less tension on the strings if I tuned the strings down a half of a note to 1 1/2 notes per string. Much less string tension meant no sore fingers as my tips got used to the heavier gauges.
One of my early rock guitar hero’s was Lonnie Mack, A Memphis picker who was a huge influence on Stevie Ray. i noticed in his song books that he tuned his guitar’s Strings down up to a tone and a half when recording. While trying to learn his songs I began tuning my guitar down to try and emulate his sound. Never did actually copy his tone but i did learn how to tune down my guitar and found I liked the bassier tone this created.
I am currently playing .013 strings and am tuned down 3 half steps, treble to bass C#,G#, E, B, F#, C#. as I like the tone. It is easy to tune your string down if you have a headstock tuner on your guitar. This is an easy way to avoid sore finger tips when to increase the string size on your guitar. Just tune it down for a week as your finger tips will have less tension when holding down the fretted notes. Then you can tune it up a half step a week until you reach normal tuning. I can just capo up if playing with friends and they like the different tone my guitar has to their guitar tone. A nice blend of different guitar sounds.
It is hard to tune lighter strings down more than a half step, as they do not adjust to the less string tension as well as .012’s or .013’s do.”
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Hey Pete, Lighter gauge strings would probably help. I haven’t looked up that model as far as string size that comes with it, new. But learning how to change strings is very easy to learn how to do. Tony has a video on changing strings on his site.
If the string gaugge is either .012 or .013, even an half step tuned down will decrease the finger pressure needed to hold down a string. The Alvarez RD8 acoustic guitar is a very inexpensive basic entry level guitar and probably did not have any set up completed on it. A good set up from a good guitar tech will help but will cost almost as much as the guitar purchase price. For the same money you can probably purchase the guitar tools needed to make the same adjustments a tech will make.
If you are handy with your hands and a a good learner you can do a simple set up using online videos. Neck and saddle adjustments, new strings at an appropriate gauge could make a big difference in playability.
Other items that would help you achieve a better guitar tone would be to replace the guitar nut and the bridge saddle with bone material, instead of the plastic items that came with the guitar. All of this is an easy way to learn how to make simple guitar adjustments that improve playability and guitar tone.
I am a guitar snob and a tinkerer and am always messing with something on my guitars. I find it enjoyable.
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I am using Elixir Ultra Light strings. The diameter range is 0.010″ to 0.047″. I’d like your opinion on them. I’d also appreciate a brand and model of acoustic guitar that you would consider to be an upgrade from my Alvarez RD8. Thanks!
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First a better guitar will not make you a better player if your aren’t going put in an honest effort to improve.
I play D’ardarrio XL string – 12/53 and 13/56 usually tuned down. i can afford them and they fit my needs. Every guitar player develops their own personal string choice. Cheap strings don’t hold their tone very long. If that is all you can afford then expect to change strings quite often to keep a good tone.
When 1st starting out 10’s were fine. As you start to develop your chops you will probably start playing a heaver gauge string as you will learn you can pick with more “character” to your tone with them.
OK Story time. When I bought my 1st grand daughter a guitar, in her junior high school year, I tried out all of the inexpensive guitars in the guitar Store. To my surprise I kept coming back to one of the cheapest guitars offered because it has, to my ears, the best tone for a starter guitar. The action was good and the tone was as good as guitars way more expensive. I finally bought it for her and she loved it for many years.
The point being buying a guitar is it has to fit you. Before you go to a music store to purchase another guitar learn to play one simple 3 chord song. Doesn’t matter what the song is just something you can kind of play for at least 1 verse. then you have something to compare different sounds coming from the instruments you are going to try out. Try to not be embarrassed by your lack of skill as people all around you are blowing your mind with their guitar picking. Just explain you are new to this and trying to find a first guitar that you feel comfortable with. Most real players will offer you all kinds of advise but take it with a grain of salt as you are your own individual and need to pleae you, not anyone else with this guitar choice.
Research online for different “best guitars” in your price range. If you can play 1 verse in a song or a lick such as Tuesday’s “Gone to long” lesson challenge you can repeat that over on all of the guitars you try out and you will find a guitar that grabs your ear and heart. Do not buy on your first day of checking. Salemen might try to pressure you but do not make any commitment until you have thought about it for awhile. This could be a lifetime commitment. It is important to you if you are really going to learn to play guitar.
I have huge expensive dreadnoughts, some simple parlor and medium folk style guitars. They all have a different sound and I will rotate between most of the smaller and folk size guitars on a weekly or sometimes a daily basis. I haven’t touched a large bodies guitar in a long time, except for my Gibson 200 that is just a magical guitar but isn’t as comfortable as the smaller bodies.
All guitar woods sound different also. Guitars made with all solid wood will age and over time and develop there unique sound.
Ply body wood guitars will sound the same 5 years from now as they do today. Ply bodied guitar with a solid top will develop a little bit of character but not like a solid wood body guitar. I have a Taylor mini that is a solid top guitar/ply body guitar and does sound good but the sound has not evolved much from the day I bought it.
Again research online “best acoustic Guitars” online in your price range and see if you can find something that will help you learn to play and is also fun and easy to play.
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Thanks. I can play a number of three chord tunes. I was already thinking that I need to feel the guitar in my hands and explain the difficulties I’m having with my current guitar to someone who can make some recommendations of guitars that I can play in the store. It also seems that I am using lighter strings than you. Thanks for your feedback.
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Personally I avoid Guitar Center. I was looking at some of the Guild all wood series guitars. they look interesting. An entry level all wood Taylor is always a safe bet. What is your budget? Most of the all wood models don’t start until $500.00 or up.
Used guitars are a great buy if… the neck is straight, It has a truss rod so u can adjust the action the frets are not too worn and you don’t need a “perfectly pretty” guitar.
I bought my used Yairi Folk FYM66HD guitar(LOOK IT UP, one of the best all mahogany guitars out there) it had a cracked body due to being dropped, that had been professionally repaired and it is a daily player and one of my go to instruments.
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I played a couple of guitars yesterday that I thought were good and don’t break the bank.
Yamaha FS-TA
Guild OM- 140CE
If you can afford to but another guitar in a year or so the Taylor GS-mini has a shorter scale, therefor easier to finger chords. It would be a perfect learner for someone who knows they will probably buy a larger concert or Dreadnaught guitar in the future. Good Tone but has laminated sides. If you buy a new one they do sell used for a decent return price.
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Thanks for the tips! I live in Canada so Guitar Center wouldn’t be an option for me anyway.
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Lot of great guitar builder’s in Canada. I have 3 larrive’e Guitars that i do enjoy picking. He is close to me here in California now. But he started in Quebec.
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