The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    So about a year back I sold my epiphone joe pass ii for playability reasons. The first thing that came about was when ever I did a hammer on/pull off, it sounded more like a glissando than a trill. The second big thing was that if I did a walking bassline and did a little fast walking bass fill, some of the notes wouldn't sound unless I pressed really firmly and attacked string loudly (I use fingernails so my approach is a bit more delicate). I'm interested in making a guitar and want to make sure I don't have this problem and have a complete opposite effect.

    Here are some of the attributes I suspect
    - Jumbo frets (which I suspect gave me the problem of the less responsive bass end)
    - it could of been the flatwounds though I doubt it (it was my first guitar using flatwounds
    - Maple neck (I've read that they have less snappy sound)
    - Big guage/heavy tension strings on a very small neck (I'm use to spanish guitars, and 1.75 on moderns)
    - I doubt it was the body but I never used a maple guitar before

    Anyway, does anybody have a clue on what it could be?

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  3. #2

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    I've heard maple necks are more snappy.

    Sounds like you're coming from a nylon string background...I don't think you'll ever find an electric guitar as immediately responsive as a nylon string...maybe a telecaster?

  4. #3

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    It is really hard to say withou seeing/hearing you play.

    But probably I would not really bother about slightest details of guitar constructions (like woods, frets type etc.) for that particular purpose.

    Switching from classical guitar to steel strings and to electric guitars can be tricky and requires some technique adjustments.

    Also elecrict guitars offer such a big variety of setups in comparison to classical guitars and they feel so differently that often it can be difficult to elaborate general approach.
    And also electric guitars offer a lot of possibilities of indivudual setups (string gauges, pickups adjustment, action adjustments etc.).
    Also if you are not used to play with amplification... lots of things might depend on how you use the amp constrols.

    Amplification makes electric guitar both more responsive and more difficult to control.

    If you play at low volume you might need more obvious power for left hand and more 'fleshy' ('rounded') attack for right hand to make it sound especially on archtops with thick strings.
    At higher volumes (and/or for example on strat with light gauge) it maybe that you do not feel the strings at all and it sounds...

    I know accomplished strat players who just physically cannot handle an archtop or steel string acoustic guitar.

    Same thing concerns hammer on/pull off... at low volume it can be 'tiny' sound, at high volume it can really 'melt' and have glissando-like effect.

    Also as I said electric guitar can be setup individually very well: you can adjust pickups hight (poles hight where possible), action, mix different string sets and thought it should not be that important use amplification and guitar tone/volume controls.

  5. #4

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    I would guess that technique and setup are the primary influences. Steel string electrics require a different technique than classicals with nylon strings, and the setup makes a big difference to me. Getting the nut height, neck relief, and bridge height exactly right makes it much easier to play. Perfectly level frets are also necessary, and are not always present on factory-built guitars, or even on some hand-built examples.

  6. #5

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    More snappy and more responsive sounds like a solid body or semi-solid body guitar would be what you want.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    I've heard maple necks are more snappy.

    Sounds like you're coming from a nylon string background...I don't think you'll ever find an electric guitar as immediately responsive as a nylon string...maybe a telecaster?
    Thank you for your reply. I have also heard that maple tends to be at least more snappier than rosewood but some sources otherwise.
    So like, my martin 0x1e doesn't have that problem nor does my squier. I've played/had lots of guitars before other than nylon strngs and never had any of those problems. There were so many different features on that epiphone that I have never played before (jumbo frets, maple neck, glossy fretboard) and it seemed to be in good shape.
    Last edited by richay; 06-09-2023 at 06:54 AM.

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    It is really hard to say withou seeing/hearing you play.

    But probably I would not really bother about slightest details of guitar constructions (like woods, frets type etc.) for that particular purpose.

    Switching from classical guitar to steel strings and to electric guitars can be tricky and requires some technique adjustments.

    Also elecrict guitars offer such a big variety of setups in comparison to classical guitars and they feel so differently that often it can be difficult to elaborate general approach.
    And also electric guitars offer a lot of possibilities of indivudual setups (string gauges, pickups adjustment, action adjustments etc.).
    Also if you are not used to play with amplification... lots of things might depend on how you use the amp constrols.

    Amplification makes electric guitar both more responsive and more difficult to control.

    If you play at low volume you might need more obvious power for left hand and more 'fleshy' ('rounded') attack for right hand to make it sound especially on archtops with thick strings.
    At higher volumes (and/or for example on strat with light gauge) it maybe that you do not feel the strings at all and it sounds...

    I know accomplished strat players who just physically cannot handle an archtop or steel string acoustic guitar.

    Same thing concerns hammer on/pull off... at low volume it can be 'tiny' sound, at high volume it can really 'melt' and have glissando-like effect.

    Also as I said electric guitar can be setup individually very well: you can adjust pickups hight (poles hight where possible), action, mix different string sets and thought it should not be that important use amplification and guitar tone/volume controls.
    Thank you fore reply. So, I'm not coming directly from a nylon string - I currently own a Martin 0x1e, an Art Lutherie Parlor and a Squier JM (aside from my flamenco).
    To clarify, it wasn't that the action was too hard on my fingers, it felt lovely. It's just certain notes wouldn't sound on the bass end as if the lower volume dyanmic was completely non existent and that when I did hammer on's/pulls offs/trills - it would have a glissando sound. My bandmate in which I currently play piano in, she owns a Guild A-150 and a Loar LH (w/ pickups she installed) and both play great without any of the issues I mentioned. I think she has roundwound chromes on both, Idk though.

    But you do lay a good point, it could have been the string/action factor. It was my first time around playing flatwounds and I was using a 52-12's chromes at 2mm-1.5mm height. However, I had on pure nickle 50-12's before that but I hadn't taken any note on issues as I didn't play it that much (though I really loved it for arpeggios and the picking experience)

  9. #8

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    EQ pedal?

  10. #9

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    I don't think there are any specs outside the setup that would mess up the response of a guitar. Ie the fretboard is maple so notes aren't sounding - that's just silly. So basically this:

    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    I would guess that technique and setup are the primary influences. Steel string electrics require a different technique than classicals with nylon strings, and the setup makes a big difference to me. Getting the nut height, neck relief, and bridge height exactly right makes it much easier to play. Perfectly level frets are also necessary, and are not always present on factory-built guitars, or even on some hand-built examples.
    String gauge, string type, string height, height at the nut, level frets, technique are likely to be the factors, not what type of wood the guitar is etc.
    Last edited by Jimmy Smith; 06-09-2023 at 07:00 PM.

  11. #10

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    It might just have been a guitar with a too-dark sound for you. I would suggest trying an Eastman- they tend to be brighter and usually have a 1.75" nut. An archtop with a floating pickup might be an option which could be more satisfactory to you.

    I play finger style on nylon string and hybrid, pick and fingers on steel strings; for an all fingerstyle approach, my Stratocaster is more responsive than any of my archtop guitars.

  12. #11

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    My very first suggestion is to watch the Warmoth vids that compare different woods, necks, frets, and other aspects. I can hear the differences, but those differences can be subtle. I also think that as you combine different elements, they compound those differences somewhat.

    Here are my limited experiences.

    Note sustain and articulation is largely shaped by the technique of both hands.

    Fretboard material has more effect on approach to playing then on tone. In other words, you can have a bright maple neck with rosewood fretboard. However rosewood will have a ‘softer feel’ easier to play legato, and ligado type stuff.

    Maple fret board takes more focus to get a legato, and ligado stuff happening. Some people will refer to this as snappy.

    Rosewood on mahogany can be smooth.

    Ebony on mahogany helps with attack and note separation, but is still easy to get ligado playing happening.

    It is also important to think of the particular density of the specific piece of wood.

    Ultimately the differences are not extreme, and with enough playing of different guitars, can become a matter of focus.

    Some people like everything to be as easy as possible on their instruments. I like to have different guitars that challenge me to adapt.

    My adapting falls within a range. For example, my upper limit of speed will change based on guitar, but I can easily play fast enough with any well set up guitar. If I have my guitar set up to help with bends (blues or faux pedal steel type stuff), then I will lose a little upper speed. The opposite is true. I always try to balance those two aspects. I am not sure if I need to anymore because I have been pretty focused on jazz.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by richay
    … But you do lay a good point, it could have been the string/action factor. It was my first time around playing flatwounds and I was using a 52-12's chromes at 2mm-1.5mm height. However, I had on pure nickle 50-12's before that but I hadn't taken any note on issues as I didn't play it that much (though I really loved it for arpeggios and the picking experience)
    Since you don’t have this issue on other steel string guitars and since this was your first time using flat wound strings try switching back to round wound strings. It’s the easiest and cheapest thing to try. Flat wound strings tend to deaden harmonics which might interfere with hearing the detail you want. If round wound strings are too bright for you try dialing back the volume knob on the guitar (while dialing up the volume knob on the amp).

    You might also evaluate your setup. I think that’s a much more important factor than type of wood.

  14. #13

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    I am not sure I would put snappy and flat wounds in the same sentence.