How Sensitive is Your Guitar Technique? Affected by Neck Shape? String Height? Etc..?

[AlsoRan]

If I grab a guitar and the neck is not held at a certain angle, or the string action is to high, or the neck has a different shape like those Fender "C" shapes, or the pick is not to my liking, or the amp does not respond the way I like, my technique starts to fall apart and I struggle. Now if you give me an hour or so, I can get acquainted to smaller differences but large ones, like super-high string action, destroy my technique.

Do you find this to be true for yourself or other guitarists you know? This is a bit of a vexing problem that I notice for myself.

Thanks.

[docbop]

I have my preferred position, but after being a roadie and going to music school, or playing pit bands where space is minimal, or at home in rooms other than my practice room I'm just used to playing whatever guitar or position.

[Melodic Dreamer]

I adjust my technique accordingly. Instead of trying to play the same way on every guitar, I let the feel of the moment and guitar dictate what I am going to try and play. It's the same if I play something with lite strings and super low-action. I struggle to play the way I prefer because I like some resistance. So I adapt my technique to the instrument. That could mean playing slower, holding or withholding some chords and so on.

Does that make since?

[wolflen]

if I play a guitar ..and the strings are dirty/heavy strings/high action..my technique suffers..i play with low action and light guage strings(10-46)-and clean the neck & strings on a constant basis..if there is any "drag" on the neck or strings I clean them .. I watch other players pick up a guitar and can adjust right away no matter what condition the guitar is in..high action/heavy strings/ dirty and all and their technique does not seem to suffer one bit..

Im spoiled (guilty as charged!)

[nick1994]

I'm a bit versatile, I can play on different guitars and use different picks and it doesn't bother me.

[ecj]

I've thought about this. Super high action is a killer - like if you play someone's old guitar that they never use, and you realize they probably never use it because the action is half an inch off the board. There's nothing you can do about that.

String gauge and pick thickness is interesting to me. It seems like during times of my life when I've used heavy strings and a heavy pick, it's very easy to adjust down if you just pick up some random guitar, but it's very hard to go the opposite way if you're used to thin strings or picks and someone hands you something heavier.

I've never noticed any difficulty adjusting to different scale length or neck profile. It feels weird, but I don't think I've ever struggled with it.

[AlsoRan]

Thanks for the feedback, all of you.

I guess its just like being able to play with different golf clubs - you just learn over time to adjust to each.

[AleikhBaba]

I adjust my technique accordingly. Instead of trying to play the same way on every guitar, I let the feel of the moment and guitar dictate what I am going to try and play. It's the same if I play something with lite strings and super low-action. I struggle to play the way I prefer because I like some resistance. So I adapt my technique to the instrument. That could mean playing slower, holding or withholding some chords and so on.

Does that make since?

yep that makes sense alright. My primary goto axe is a strat that is set-up with low action and 10-46 gauge strings. at home I usually rotate between that and an epiphone sheraton and a yamaha acoustic just so I can keep in touch with the broad differences that are observed in those guitars. I also play a LP and PRS copy at my friends' so I'm in touch with the various categories of guitars available (just missing out on a Tele).

The main thing that I have to adjust to is right hand positioning at the wrist (which is dependent on the style/type of bridge) and at the elbow (which is depending on width of body and contour). outside of that I try to retain good balance in the RH and adjust pick angle + attack as necessary while playing. sometimes on certain guitars it feels alright to lightly anchor the fingers and on others float more etc.

However, having unreasonably high action or intonation issues proves to be an instant buzzkill.

[mr quick]

My right-hand technique needs work, tend to anchor my hand somewhat between the bridge and tailpiece or on the pickguard, which doesn't work on a strat for example

[Patrick2]

On arch tops, I find that my biggest impediment to good technique is round wound strings. Sounds crazy? I know. But, I just get very uncomfortable with the feel, the tone, the string squeak, etc. Then, the discomfort causes me to try to compensate and it dramatically affects my playing. I sited an example a while back of when I sat in Mandolin Brothers playing a Benedetto Manhattan. I was in "The Room" sitting of "The couch" with this beautiful guitar on my lap. Stan Jay was sitting with me and we were chatting a bit as I was playing. Stan always had his in-house tech set up the arch tops with round wound strings of a medium gauge, so that they would play easily and have the ringing tonal benefit if a round wound vs a flat wound. Stan noticed me struggling and asked if there was a problem with the guitar. Instead of going off on a rant about how much I hate round wounds on an arch top . . I just responded with . . "No Stan, the guitar is fine. It's me . . not the guitar"

[Cunamara]

I switch between guitars with different width necks, different scale lengths, flatwounds, roundwounds, nylon strings, different size bodies all the time. I've got a 17" archtop, a GB10, two classicals (one a normal size and one a thin semi-hollow) and a Tele in regular rotation on a whim. I find I can play most anything except a flattop with high bronze strings; those take 15 minutes or so to get used to.

[Frethack]

Neck size and string spacing between my guitars cause some time to adjust. Mine are set up nearly the same for action height. Its easier to transition from one than the other.

[Jazzism]

Interestingly since i became more aware of it over the years, fret size seems to bother me the most. Its hard for me to get the articulation i want on really tiny frets. Generally my preference now is at least 6100- 6105. Havent tried 6000 yet.
Cheers

[Jazzpunk]

I'll have to go against the grain and admit that I'm very particular especially with neck carves. There are just some neck carves I do not get along with.

[Hep To The Jive]

I have my preferences for a neck, nut width, radius, profile, but I can adjust quickly. However, some guitars, or rather some necks cause my left hand fatigue and cramping out. Like thinner necks with wider nut width will do that. I actually encountered it the first time recently, when bought Guild Starfire (from when they where under Fender, late 90's), and however great the tone was, I couldn't play it for any long time- the neck felt flat and thin.

[sgcim]

i have a lot of trouble playing archtops after playing solid bodies for any amount of time.
I just turned down a rock Musical show for another Musical that I can use an archtop on, even though the rock show paid more.
I just didn't want to mess up my archtop chops again.

[christianm77]

I have a pretty consistent level of technique on most guitars, I think, because I tend to mix it up with my own - I play nylon string, archtop, electric and macaferri, and these all have radically different set ups. It's something I'm conscious about, because I wanted to be able to play most guitars and not be too precious about setups, necks etc.

That said, I do find I need to adjust my technique from acoustic to electric. I think most players who double do this to some extent. If you have a floating wrist on a guitar above a certain level of amplification, well it doesn't work. It can go either way with an archtop.

I do find it tricky to play guitars with very light strings (.009s) - does anyone else find this?

[christianm77]

Oh something else - I can play a guitar with a high action much the same as I could a lower action instrument, but I wouldn't do so for a long time - tiring! I have a medium action on most of my guitars. I find low actions very difficult for string bends, but OK for electric jazz.

My least favourite set up would be a shredder's dream - low action, light strings!

Oh - and I HAVE to have my own picks. That at least is easy to ensure :-)

[EOE]

guitars not so much .. a bass has to be just right because of my slap style and I tend to keep one tech for years because of that.

[P.J.]

Nut width used to be a big deal to me until I got my Parker Niteflies, which have much narrower necks than what I was used to. I adjusted and now one of my Niteflies is my #1 guitar.

[nickyboy]

The biggest effect on my playing technique is how well I can hear myself.
If I can't hear myself as well as I'd like I tend to "try too hard" and loose my fluidity.
Obviously this is in a band situation.