Re: Grip of Death

NickH · Post by **NickH** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:41 pm

Lately I've been having a difficult (relative) time switching between my acoustics and my JM and tele. My fingers would stumble and the notes would often sound a little out of tune (particularly on the Tele) or not ring very well. It took me a bit to figure it out but it looks like I have developed a strong tendency to squeeze the hell out of my acoustics with my fretting hand- and the intensity of the pressure seems to be the cause of my issues. I switched to extra heavy strings on my acoustics about 8 months or so ago because of the great sound but I am thinking this has resulted in my grip of death on my electrics. I relaise the solution would be to just make a conscious effort to lighten up - but I was just curious if anyone else notices this themselves?

Nick

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:31 pm

I'va a similar thing going on. I've been playing a classical acoustic for years. Its actually the type of guitar taught myself with. People have always thought it unusual as its supposed to be best to learn on a steel-string. Since I fixed up my Jazzmaster (after 15 years of it gathering dust!!)I sit playing that as much as my acoustic. The difference is glaringly obvious - soft rubbery nylon strings with a wide fretboard vs narrow as hell neck with steel strings!!
As a result I get wierd stiffness in my joints, especially when I play the acoustic after the JM.

My solution is simple. I'm saving for a big, fuck-off Gibson Hummingbird with a narrow neck & steel strings!!

The classical?....that might just end up spending 15 years gathering dust!!

pullover · Post by **pullover** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:12 pm

I use pyramid's on my jazzmaster and when I would switch to one of my others guitars, like my tele or 51 with slinkys, I would bend them all out of tune with my fret hand. So I had to do the same thing you did and put thicker strings on them. I now use beefy slinkys on them. I think they sound a lot better with the thicker strings, and I don't worry about breaking strings anymore either.

NickH · Post by **NickH** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:05 am

funny you should mention the nylon string classical. I picked up guitar when I went to university because I couldn't bring my drums (eek I know knuckle dragging drummer). Any way my brother is a classically trained guitarist and had a few extra guitars lying around so I grabbed one and taught myself. After playing for years in that I bought my first steel string flat top and found the narrow fret board a huge pain and took a lot to get used to. I guess I've gone to beefy on my acoustic now so I will have to tone down the heavy strings on it and maybe up my electrics to 12s (11 on JM now 10 on tele). Plus I feel the heavy strings are not the best for carpal tunnel either.

n.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 9:54 am

Nothing wrong with being Captain Caveman...er, I'm mean a drummer!!!

I played the drums myself for 3 years between the ages of 13 & 16. I loved it & was getting pretty good. Unfortunately my Mums house was too small for a drum-kit & her garage was damp which would've fucked up any kit I'd have bought. Thats partly why I started up guitar playing.

Oh yeah, and girls at school never really liked drummers, but guitarists, thats a different story entirely!!

NickH · Post by **NickH** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:39 am

yeah I palyed from the time I was 10 through to my early twenties when i switched fully to guitar. I used to take piano as a young child and after 4 years my mom came to me said I could quit if I wanted to because she remember how much she hated it as a kid (she is a music teacher) but I had to take up something else to replace it. They were not to pleased when i chose the drums

. And were probably pissed that I stopped playing and took up somehting more quite after I had left their house;)

fuzzking · Post by **fuzzking** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 1:39 am

I think that's a very common thing...
It's one of the reasons I stopped playing acoustic, I just broke
string after string and was always out of tune when in the
rehaersal room, playing electric.
I even get that condition when I switch from Jazzmaster to Jag.

M