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@lollyt I agree with @jumpinjeff that if it’s happening on every one of your guitars, chances are good that it’s related to player technique…. So assuming you have 6 good fresh strings and there’s nothing wrong with your setup or structural elements of your headstock etc… it may be time to work on your technique.
After paying some attention to your posture and picking hand attack, (make sure all your fingernails are same length if you pick bare handed), you might want to do some arpeggio picking exercises similar to the ones the classical players do. This will help get all 4 of your picking fingers in relatively the same shape.
One of the most common picking hand dynamics drill involves stressing a different string as played louder than all the rest. Assuming for the drills, the thumb (p) is always picking the 4th, 5th and 6th strings (D, A, low E), the index (i) always picks the 3rd string (G), the middle (m) always picks the 2nd string (B), and the ring finger (a) always picks the first string (high e)
Start the drill by just doing an equal dynamic pima pick pattern. You can hold down a chord with your fretting hand or just do it with all open strings. Then do the same pima pattern but let the first string be louder than all the rest. (pimA) Next do the pattern with the second string emphasized. (piMa). Then do it with the third string loudest (pIma), then again with the fourth string in the spotlight (Pima). You can use the fourth string for your thumb in all of these to keep it simple…
This drill will help each one of your picking fingers become “more aware” of how strongly they each need to attack the strings for the desired dynamic. Most of us have differences in the innate strength of each of our individual fingers (no comments here about the middle finger, hehe) Anyway hope this made sense and hope it helps!!!
Best wishes, Carol
