13
votes
On instruments that use frets, where's the best spot to press a string on, in order to minimize hand fatigue and potential for injuries?
Producing a sharp angle for the string over the fretwire makes for a clear, clean sound. So just behind the fretwire will be a good place. It also means not having to press down on the fingerboard so ...
- 197k
12
votes
Moving short violin bridge towards fingerboard
Optimum bridge position is all tied up with the position of the sound post (which can be moved) and the bass bar (which can't). There's also the matter of getting used to playing a fiddle with non-...
- 95.6k
11
votes
Problems with playing high notes (17-20th fret on e-string)
The top string is a little too low, so as you get to the dusty end, it's catching on the fretwire of fret 20. If that's the only problem, raising the saddle on the the string should be enough to get ...
- 197k
9
votes
My B string on my bass keeps hitting the pickup
Can you adjust the pickup height?
That would be my first adjustment, assuming the rest feels right while you're playing it. Any other adjustment would change how it plays.
Dropping the pickup back ...
- 28k
6
votes
I think my guitar strings are wound too tight and I can't play barre chords
Put a new set of light gauge strings on it and adjust the truss rod accordingly to give just a bit of neck relief. It needs adjusted from time to time especially if you change string gauges. It may ...
- 4,138
6
votes
Truss rod adjustment had no noticable effect
Many folks think it's a rather simple operation of just tightening the nut on the truss rod, but actually it is recommended that the neck be clamped in a jig that causes the neck to be bent backwards ...
- 7,860
6
votes
Is my guitar action too high or is the bridge too high?
Action, to an extent, is due to the height of the bridge. Which does look like it could be lower. It's way higher than the bridges on my guitars, but I do like as low an action as possible. The ...
- 197k
5
votes
Truss rod adjustment had no noticable effect
I see now in the comments that the OP has now mentioned a specific, special guitar, and @leftaroundabout has answered with the appropriate information for that guitar. This is answer is applicable to ...
- 6,842
5
votes
Do I have a guitar with high action?
That's far too high, even for an acoustic guitar (which would typically have a higher action than an electric guitar).
You can look up recommended guitar actions for acoustic guitars online, but off ...
- 1,591
4
votes
How to know the action of an acoustic guitar before buying it?
There is an excellent, reliable, time-tested way to find out all about the action (and other important elements) of a guitar before you buy it: you play the guitar.
Yes that does present a challenge ...
- 58.6k
4
votes
String gauge switching without truss rod
There is nothing you can do, assuming you stay with concert pitch tuning. Since the new strings will be 10-15% lighter, with less tension involved, there may be some relaxing in the neck.So, nothing ...
- 197k
4
votes
Can a stiff piano action be lightened?
You say it's heavy/stiff. Which? If the action is well-regulated, there's probably little that can be easily done about the weight. But a piano technician can do something about 'stiff'. We can't ...
- 95.6k
4
votes
Accepted
I think my guitar strings are wound too tight and I can't play barre chords
Those strings look like .011s or .012s. Not only that but 10 years too late being changed ! Put some .009s on first, and feel the difference. If that doesn't solve all the problem, check the action, ...
- 197k
4
votes
Piano action too stiff after tuning, what's happened?
The instrument’s action may need a treatment with a proper lubricant to resolve the problem. A more experienced technician will know what to use: a liquid called Protek CLP (cleaner, lubricant, ...
- 1,346
4
votes
Electric Guitar Setup For A Newbie
There are many useful YouTube videos about setting up a guitar, but here are the basics:
Checking neck relief
Press each string down on the first fret, and press the other side of the string ...
- 3,672
4
votes
Accepted
Can a well regulated piano be incompatible with a sufficiently fast/soft song?
If you are interested in more information on this, check out Charles Rosen's book, "Piano Notes".
In short, in conjunction with a local provider, concert pianists pick a piano to play at the venue ...
- 5,607
4
votes
Accepted
Can my guitar action be lowered further, or is it already too low?
That is a very high action. If you intend to just play "Cowboy Chords" and want your strings to sing out clearly with no fret buzz, that could work, that's high for even slide-first guitars.
...
- 13.2k
4
votes
Is it technically possible to play Chopin`s op. 10 No 1 etude at 176 bpm on Casio PX-160 piano?
TL;DR
Yes
Caveat: I have not been able to access a Casio PX-160 to positively confirm this answer.
Is it possible to play Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No. 1 at 176bpm?
Yes. It requires outstanding technique,...
- 94.9k
3
votes
Accepted
Ideal action and string gauge for acoustic fingerstyle
It sounds glib - but learn to adjust the guitar yourself! Certainly if there's no-one local to help you. It's not difficult, and with care, not risky. Turn the nut a quarter each time, re-tighten the ...
- 197k
3
votes
tight truss rod
You should be very careful about pushing things with the truss rod. You can damage the neck and strip the truss rod if you tighten it too much.
You might want to loosen the truss rod a bit, and try ...
- 6,842
3
votes
Truss rod adjustment had no noticable effect
The truss rod in a guitar is for adjusting the neck relief, not a direct way to adjust the action. You can get slightly better action by reducing the relief of a neck that is set very deep, but there ...
- 7,544
3
votes
Truss rod adjustment had no noticable effect
The whole thing is made from carbon fiber, no wood at all
Well, that's highly relevant. Most carbon fibre necks don't have any truss rod at all, because unlike wood, the stuff can never warp after ...
- 35.8k
3
votes
Am I correctly approaching the relationship between string bending and action height?
Similar to Todd, for a large bend I'll use three fingers, and as they push the desired string, the natural rotation of them catches the next strings and moves them up away from frets.
In this picture ...
- 37k
3
votes
Accepted
Am I correctly approaching the relationship between string bending and action height?
If you bend a string (up towards the ceiling/sky) the lower (sounding, i.e., thicker) strings are supposed to move under your finger(s). If your finger moved under the lower (sounding) strings then ...
- 20.2k
3
votes
Accepted
When adjusting the neck of an acoustic guitar, what bending might be normal?
The three things that determine the height of a guitar's action are the nut, the saddle and the neck bow. Unless something else is wildly out of whack (like the the guitar's top lifting or the bridge ...
- 2,795
3
votes
How do I keep my guitar in tune with out affecting the action?
The action and keeping in tune are not particularly related. You could adjust the springs that balance the string tension, but it seems like the problem is more to do with the strings binding at the ...
- 197k
3
votes
Accepted
Clunking/clacking bass
If the sound is noticeable when you play the instrument with no amplification it is probably time for a truss rod and action adjustment. Changes in temperature and humidity can affect instruments and ...
- 28.6k
2
votes
Upright Piano action problems
One simple fix that you can do yourself relatively safely is to make sure the capstans are adjusted to remove any play in the key where it makes contact with the rest of the action.
The capstan is ...
- 15.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible