The sweet spot

jayx123 · #1 09-09-2011, 05:35 AM

I found the sweet spot which is just above where the pup and the bridge meet (on floating pickup), picking at this spot will produce the woody tone, now i have to get used to pick at this position.

oldane · #2 09-09-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayx123

I found the sweet spot which is just above where the pup and the bridge meet (on floating pickup), picking at this spot will produce the woody tone, now i have to get used to pick at this position.

I suppose you mean the spot where the pickup and the neck meets? Where that is depends on the length of the fingerboard extension and the placement of the pickup, both varies between different guitar models. Picking over the imaginary 24th fret or a tad closer to the bridge usually gives a good, clasic jazz tone (I figure that's the spot, you talk about).

Some people hear a big difference in tone depending on the pickup placement and the picking spot, others don't hear any big difference and couldn't care less. It's even possible to get kind of "Strat quack" with a single pickup guitar, if the guitar is picked in a spot which on a Strat would have been midways between the neck and the middle PU - 1-2 centimeters closer to the bridge than the neck PU. A pointed pick helps to get this effect.

John Link · #3 09-09-2011, 07:11 AM

I had a teacher when I was a kid who insisted that everything should be played above the 7th fret because that was where the the best sound was. I think things do sound better there and I agree that picking at around the 24th fret is good also.

oldane · #4 09-09-2011, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Link

I had a teacher when I was a kid who insisted that everything should be played above the 7th fret ......

Isn't that difficult when playing above that position. But maybe he taught you open chords only at that stage.

jayx123 · #5 09-09-2011, 07:38 AM

oops, I meant where the pup and the neck meet

kambor · #6 09-09-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldane

Isn't that difficult when playing above that position. But maybe he taught you open chords only at that stage.

I think John means "from 7th fret and higher", as me and my teacher agree too (I think the guitar in general sounds best from 5th to 15th fret)

Vihar · #7 09-09-2011, 07:33 PM

To me the "sweet spot" is where my picking hand feels the most comfortable and natural to play. It's between the bridge and the neck pickup for me.

hot ford coupe · #8 09-09-2011, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Link

I had a teacher when I was a kid who insisted that everything should be played above the 7th fret because that was where the the best sound was. I think things do sound better there and I agree that picking at around the 24th fret is good also.

You're absolutely right. On some guitars, especially the ones that aren't that great you have to go a bit higher up the neck to get that sound. With the better made guitars, you can get that woody sound starting at the 7th fret. That's where I try to stay.

oldane · #9 09-10-2011, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kambor

I think John means "from 7th fret and higher", as me and my teacher agree too (I think the guitar in general sounds best from 5th to 15th fret)

Maybe I'm stupid, but now I'm in doubt - are we talking about picking position or fretting position?

As for the latter, it's my experience that acoustic archtops sound best when fretted between the 3rd and the 9-10th fret, but that may vary between individual instruments.

jayx123 · #10 09-10-2011, 03:57 AM

just to make it clear I was talking about the picking spot (right hand)

kambor · #11 09-10-2011, 04:48 AM

Well, I don't agree then. Picking up there muddies the sound a lot, and probably in a quartet setting or playing with a piano people wouldn't understand what you're playing. Maybe a floating pickup responds in a different way, but the strings even on acoustic guitars sound muddy there to me.

My personal sweet spot in a 22-fret is about the end of the neck pickup, and in general in the space between both pickups. More extreme sides are useful only as an effect, but I find them not so pleasant when playing normally.

hot ford coupe · #12 09-10-2011, 09:34 AM

If we're talking about picking position, I'm at the end of the fretboard. If I'm picking up at the 7th fret, that's too far down the neck and interferes with my left hand. If we're talking about fretting, the 7th to the 12th fret is my sweet area like I mentioned before.

Patrick2 · #13 09-10-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kambor

Well, I don't agree then. Picking up there muddies the sound a lot, and probably in a quartet setting or playing with a piano people wouldn't understand what you're playing. Maybe a floating pickup responds in a different way, but the strings even on acoustic guitars sound muddy there to me.

My personal sweet spot in a 22-fret is about the end of the neck pickup, and in general in the space between both pickups. More extreme sides are useful only as an effect, but I find them not so pleasant when playing normally.

YEP!! This

jorgemg1984 · #14 09-10-2011, 10:16 AM

I like to pick really close to the neck pickup like Kurt Rosenwinkel