Guitar Chasers

from Gigtips Aug.2003

3. Plan for the broken string. Broken strings happen to the lead guitarist during his lead solo. The first course of action is for the rhythm guitarist to take over the lead break. If that is not possible, your options are to either finish the song minus the lead player or zip right into the band’s break song. Every band has a break song, right? The one thing you do not do is stop the song abruptly. Since a broken string is unlikely to destroy an entire gig, it’s safe to replace the string then repeat the tune to show the audience how it was supposed to be…. or just move on with the show and forget about it. It is often the small things that identify your band as truly professional. Things like how easily you recover from broken strings, dropped beats or collapsing drum stools.

from Gigtips March 2002

6. String gauge revisited. *If they feel good at home… they are too light for gigs. *If your fingers ache or blister and bleed, you are squeezing too hard… switch to a heavier gauge. This sounds contradictory, but it works in many cases. The one big exception is a lead player doing numerous extreme bends. In this case, lighter may be better (but I’ll never believe it). Easier on the fingers, but they’ll always be out of tune. Thinner strings do slice through skin more easily, like a sharper blade, but that slicing ability seems to affect only some of us. Most working guitarists I know use 10′s or 11′s, although all string gauges have their diehard enthusiasts. *If it’s too difficult to play with medium gauge strings either the action or nut are too high, or the neck is bowed upwards beyond normal. *Heavier strings will feel wrong at first, but give it a few days… you’ll probably re-adjust and grow to love them. Keep a close eye on your guitar after a change of string gauge. You don’t want a pretzel neck. Tremolo systems; the bridge will pull up and top out (adjust it or add a spring).

8. I had an ****** guitar for a few years, equipped with a double locking tremolo system, that stayed in tune better than any stop tail piece equipped guitar I have ever played. Come to think of it, it stayed in tune better than any guitar I’ve ever played. How can this be?

from Gigtips Oct.2001

6. Electric Strings: 12′s or larger- You are an Iron Man. 11′s- Are best for me. 10′s- Are probably the most common nowadays, but I like 9′s more than tens. 8′s or smaller- Very strange.

from Gigtips April 2001

1. When changing strings, check the screws or nut securing each tuner to the headstock and tighten as needed. Just snug them up, don’t over tighten. Loose tuners will create tuning problems.

7. Is it just my imagination, or do flat wound strings die before the first song is over?

from Gigtips Feb.2001

1. The Squeeze Factor. How hard do you squeeze the neck when you play? Chances are that your hand pressure increases dramatically when you’re on stage. I’m sure you already know how the squeeze factor can destroy your fingertips or cramp your forearm and hand muscles, but it also has a serious effect on the guitar. Intonation suffers, especially the unwound G and B strings. The harder you squeeze the more out of tune they sound. It’s worse with shorter scale necks (Les Paul, PRS, Hamer, others). Here are some possible remedies. *Learn to play with a lighter touch, even when elevated blood pressure is about to blow your eyeballs out of their sockets (the adrenalin factor). *Intonate the problem strings a bit on the flat side (not recommended). *Change to heavier gauge strings. *Use a guitar with lower frets. *Lower the action (not recommended). *The best fix is to simply keep your cool; groove-on when you play, regardless of the distractions surrounding you (pretty girls, Clapton in the audience, the SWAT team just burst through the front door of the bar, etc.)

3. Still breaking strings on your Strat too often?
Some Strat and Strat style bridge saddles can shift to the left or right when you change strings, or even with heavy whammy use. Make sure the saddles stay aligned correctly. This tip was sent in by Ranger Karl, thanks mucho: “Also check for burrs and grooves on the saddle and especially on the rim of the through-body hole. Have your repairman take a jewelers file to it or use fine emery paper wrapped around a q-tip stick or small shaft screwdriver.”

7. If you plan on changing to a drop D tuning during a gig, don’t use a whammy equipped axe. Ignore this advice and your band mates will hate you.

from Gigtips Dec.2000

2. Still having tuning problems? White plastic nuts. Bad news.

4. Make adjustments to your axe early in the week so the guitar will have time to “settle in” before your gig. Don’t change string gauge the same day of the gig, you’ll meet with disaster.

5. Break another string on your Strat? Be sure to remove the old ball end stuck inside the bridge casting hole.

7. We’ve used several different magnetic pickups for acoustic guitars, and every one of them sounds better when the axe is strung with nickel wound strings. Even the pickups that are optimized for bronze strings sound better with electric guitar strings. Give it a try. Get the correct gauge string set with a wound g, or pick your own custom gauges to match the open tunings you prefer.

13. Remove the whammy bar and strap before you close the case.

from Gigtips Oct.2000

13. No one wants to wait while you change a broken string. Keep a spare guitar on stage at every gig. The cheezier the spare, the better (only if it’s in working condition).

from Gigtips Aug.2000

5. When you restring your Les Paul, pull the strings gently through the stop tail piece. If you yank them through the holes quickly the ball ends will smack down against the body and mar that pretty flame maple.

8. Switching to a heavier gauge string set has cured many a gigging guitarists frustration. If your axe sounds great at home but horrible at gigs, those skinny little strings may be the problem. That adrenalin rush that comes with gigging might also be a factor.

9. Don’t assume that you will play your best by setting your axe up like your favorite guitar hero’s axe.

13. Keep your guitar’s neck straight. If you change to a heavier gauge string set you’ll probably need to tighten the truss rod a bit ( one eighth to one quarter turn only ). Truss rod adjustments sometimes don’t settle in until many hours have passed, so be patient and never twist more than a quarter turn at any one time. Sight down the edge of the neck from the end of the body to view the results. Once the neck has achieved straightness check it every month.