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I've got 6 inches, but I don't use it as rule...

Hugh

I have over many years used a set of 10s and quite standard lowish action and it is true you can get a reasonable Shads tone with that set up but as I got more into the Shads stuff in recent years and moved up to regulary playing 12s now with a wound third I realise that thickness of tone is what really works and along with the thicker strings I have now realised that setup affects tone and I can get a set of 12s to sound as thin as a set of 10's and this adjustment I talk of is what I have found that thickens your tone and makes the guitar more suited to lead lines for instrumental tunes like the Shads and of course the jazz type of sound.

The thing you do have to master is controlling particulary the way the bass end sounds with the plectrum technique by shortening your grip and clashing the thumb against the strings and adjusting the plectrum readily as you move onto the higher treble strings and positions.

HBM is reported to have very high action and some people who have tried his guitars report them as somewhat unplayable ! but Hank always had the sound did he not !

It really comes down to the player and what he/she wants from their guitar and their idea of tone and sound but I am sure now that thickness of the treble side and notes volume and projection is improved by lifting the bottom end rather than following the curvature of the fret board as is often the case with many modern players and styles. This is old school stuff though !

HBM and SRV are two of my altime guitar heros and they know what tone is/was because they wrote the book !

cockroach wrote:I've got 6 inches, but I don't use it as rule...

Is that with or without the wee blue pills???

Had another go at it today Rodger. Not totally satisfied with the result but its better, I just need to keep working on it. The top e is the problem, its not getting the same clarity as the rest, its not the string either as I've got a new set on so it must be the set-up.
I'll start with a fresh head tomorrow, I've had it for the day its about to get an aero-dynamic test right out of the window at the moment
Hugh.

Hugh you might need to raise the PU heights I also had a wee problem with the top E and especially on the bridge PU (no problem on N/M) Make sure the volume on all three PU is about the same and the string saddles are level on the 2 screws. Annoying is it not !

Also check the forward relief on the neck with truss rod adjustments as this should be around 12thou at the 8th fret by capo on first fret and depressing string at last fret and checking the relief at the 8th fret that is. If it is too much the strings appear to stand off the fretboard even more !

Also check the six tremeole screws are not to tight especially on the treble side . The middle 4 can be backed off more than the outer two but when the trem is in it's resting position try and make sure the screw heads are not too far down onto the plate as I think that can dampen tone as well. Apparently some guitarists swear that removing the paint under the trem helps with tone but I am not really that convinced.. yet !

Vintage Strat bridges are fiddly but worth the effort for the tone they give.

Bluesnote wrote:Just reading that bio of Stevies. I'd never have thought it feasible to use these mega high guage strings that he did for playing that fast and furious music he did over his career, its certainly opened my eyes, if someone gave me a guitar set up like that to play, I'd think there was something wrong with it, or badly in need of a service. You never stop learning in this game do you?
Hugh.

I read somewhere that SRV detuned his guitars ( I think to Eb ) to cope with the high action and heavy gauge strings.

Baz.

[
ps 4 x 64s = 1/8th so SRV had his bass strings about a 1/4 inch in the air ! I always though HBM first srat had lower action but I bet it did not


Roger,

I think that calculation may be wrong. 1 divided by 64 multiplied by 4 = .0625 or in other words, 1/16 not 1/8 (which is .125).

Regards

Bill Bowley wrote:[
ps 4 x 64s = 1/8th so SRV had his bass strings about a 1/4 inch in the air ! I always though HBM first srat had lower action but I bet it did not


Roger,

I think that calculation may be wrong. 1 divided by 64 multiplied by 4 = .0625 or in other words, 1/16 not 1/8 (which is .125).

Regards

You are correct Bill I made a mistake 2 x 1/64 = 1/32 and 2 x 1/32 = 1/16th = 4/64ths and therefore 8 x 1/64ths = 1/8th... duh ! Should have put more thought into what I was trying to say ! Actually SRV's Strat is around 7/64s so thats not so high really.

Hope this info is helpful to some folks anyways

bazmusicman wrote:

Bluesnote wrote:Just reading that bio of Stevies. I'd never have thought it feasible to use these mega high guage strings that he did for playing that fast and furious music he did over his career, its certainly opened my eyes, if someone gave me a guitar set up like that to play, I'd think there was something wrong with it, or badly in need of a service. You never stop learning in this game do you?
Hugh.

I read somewhere that SRV detuned his guitars ( I think to Eb ) to cope with the high action and heavy gauge strings.

Baz.

That is Correct Eb tuning was used and it meant he could manage the thicker guages and bend them although he did not use wound Thirds !