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Topic: tone loss in the higher register |
Ryan Dyck
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 7:27 am |
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| Anywhere right of the 15th fret on the E9 neck i find my tone loses the qualities i'm after and i get a crass, harsher sound - even with the lower strings. any tips on this? i'm currently playing a Fulawka D10 thru a Nashville 400 but have had this problem with other guitars too. thx |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 8:10 am
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Ryan, Frets 12 and above I usually raise my fingers off the strings behind the bar. It helps with the sound and sustain.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 10:12 am
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Are you picking nearer the bridge when you go high?
If not, you may be attacking the strings near the centre of their vibrating length, which will give erratic harmonic content. (Dead centre will give no even harmonics at all.)
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 7:00 pm
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| Perhaps pushing down too hard on the bar gets the strings too close to the pickup? |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 8:36 pm A close proximity to one's pickup...........
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This habit can have a dramatic affect on the TONE and pitch accuracy.
Anyone that has watched any of JERRY BYRD's many videos will recognize at once that he NEVER gets up too close to the pickup. He's always down in the area of "SWEET" tones. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 18 Jul 2014 10:54 pm
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I use a light bar so I notice that I have to push down on the strings harder as I move up the frets.
I think it might be just as Bill Duncan stated. By pushing down harder on the bar it could be nothing more than the cause that creates the results due to fact that by pushing down on the bar it forces the strings down away from my bar hand blocking fingers there by helping the sustain. |
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Ryan Dyck
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 21 Jul 2014 8:01 am
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| thanks fellas. i got some stuff to try out and look for now |
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2014 9:09 am
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First, I rarely go above the 17th fret. Second, I keep my right hand in the "sweet spot" for the steel I'm playing (usually a couple of inches away from the pickup - depends on the steel), unless I'm playing up high, then I keep my right hand as far away from the steel as possible. Learned from Jerry Byrd via Alan Akaka.
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Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8 |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2014 1:04 pm
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It's all in the hands and feet!!
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Indiana, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2014 12:05 am
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| It has been my experience that how a steel sounds up in Hugheyland is greatly dependent on the steel itself. Yes, technique is important but I have definitely played some that crap out in the upper register. It's one of the first things I check out when buying a steel. |
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Will Cowell
From:
Cambridgeshire, UK
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Posted 25 Jul 2014 4:15 am
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Amen to that. That's why I bought my Williams. It is so much brighter above fret 12 - or "Hugheyland" lol. So high it's nosebleed territory.
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Williams 700 series keyless U12,
Sierra keyless U14, Eezzee-Slide & BJS bars
Moth-eaten old Marshall 150 combo
Roland Cube 80XL, Peterson Strobo+HD,
EarthQuaker Despatch Master for reverb / delay |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2014 9:30 am
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Strings make a difference also.
Not only the brand, but also, the freshness.
I'm having good luck with the Live Steel strings, at present. I get a richness out of the high G# that I never experienced before. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2014 10:24 am
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I second Erv on the Live Steel Strings.
As for the above fret 12 playing, so many things can affect it, even the way your amp is set up. I think a lot of the problem could be what you are expecting it to sound like. Some times I get dissatisfied with the way my guitar sounds, and I can come back later and all of a sudden it sounds great.
One thing that is a real tone killer for me is to listen to Buddy and then try to play. No one should sound that good! The man ain't human!
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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