The Fret Files: the guitar workshop podcast

[The General]

Interesting. Isn't the notch in this case a string raiser w/slightly shorter length?

Nope.  That's a compensated saddle specifically for a nylon string guitar.

As an aside, have you ever worked w/a FFT analyzer w/zoom frequency resolution to 3 digits < 1?

I can take you as far as this puppy goes.

[attachimg=1]

After that, you're on your own, bub. 
Bob Lazar might be able to help you with that.

[The General]

Got another question for the next cast: When gluing in frets, do you reccommend installing the fret and then applying glue next to the fret so that it wicks under? Or do you glue first? I'm way more practiced at doing it the first way. I'd like your opinion on this.

I glue first.  Mask off either side of the slot, and use CA gel.  And to answer your question from last week, I don't use accelerator for frets.  But I'll go into it for the next podcast.

Also, do you ever scrape glue off of the fretboard with a razor?

If there's glue needing scraped.  In the course of a fret job, I try to keep it real neat to the point that there shouldn't be any glue to scrape.  But sometimes, yeah.

[eeieeyeoh]

Nope.  That's a compensated saddle specifically for a nylon string guitar.I can take you as far as this puppy goes.

[attachimg=1]

After that, you're on your own, bub. 
Bob Lazar might be able to help you with that.

Interesting. I wonder if a saddle notch is similar to saddle horn.

That Conn is a little different than the one someone tried to get me to use. Don't remember the star point shapes. was mechanically driven wheels lit by strobe light, but the damn thing needed ear compensation above and below middle octave on Rhodes 88 the guy was teaching me how to tune filing forks. I got it done for customer eventually for my ears from lowest to highest note, but figured there must be a better way.

I later own 3 dedicated FFT analyzers described, used them to tune a few analog pianos, and work as expected. I don't know what Bob Lazar specializes in.

[The General]

Interesting. I wonder if a saddle notch is similar to saddle horn.

Only in English.

I don't know what Bob Lazar specializes in.

Weebering, Zeta Reticulans, antimatter propulsion, and brothel accounting services.

[zeebo]

Guild nailed it, it's old strings, likely.  ... Other things that can cause this are an improperly cut nut, action set too high, bad fret wear, I could go on... just change the strings first and see what happens.

Thanks General & GuildNav as well.  I'll put new strings on to start, but I think in the past when I've done that I still get some wonky chords.  (I do however often mangle my strings by over bending them so I'm sure they're in bad shape now.)  Also, the action idea is interesting as mine is on the high side.

[eeieeyeoh]

Only in English.
Weebering, Zeta Reticulans, antimatter propulsion, and brothel accounting services.

I apologize. I'm not a guitar tech or familiar w/repair terminology.

FFT analyzers are digital scientific instruments that do spectrum/frequency analysis. 2 I have are dual channel (amplitude and phase matched) and more suited for room or venue analysis/PA setup w/lots of complex math fuctions built in. For instrument tuning though only 1 channel is needed, and the screen can be set up so the horizontal line has next lower note on left side and next higher note on right side of screen so center of screen is note measured. Although I could expand it out further, I mostly divided the screen into 800 discrete frequency steps and set the curser on exact frequency in middle of screen. From lowest to highest note, harmonic, or sub-harmonic frequency, the measurement is absolute and doesn't have the Conn strobe tuner effect needing aural compensation. The best piano tuners do it by ear though during stage sets because more in-depth analysis takes a lot more time (I think mostly equalizing multi-string notes as needed).

Again, my apologies for perhaps wandering outside the realm of a luthier or guitar repair tech.

[The General]

Again, my apologies for perhaps wandering outside the realm of a luthier or guitar repair tech.

Oh, no problem. 
I'm just not sure if I'm messing with you, or if you're messing with me.
As long as we're wandering, does your name have anything to do with Old MacDonald?

[eeieeyeoh]

As long as we're wandering, does your name have anything to do with Old MacDonald?

Not related to the name or song.
My handle was more based on engineering, calibration, repair, and reverse-engineering of electro-mechanincal things.
I've made some sounds too.

[ziznak]

Not related to the name or song.
My handle was more based on engineering, calibration, repair, and reverse-engineering of electro-mechanincal things.
I've made some sounds too.

when I see your name i think about:

[The General]

Thanks General & GuildNav as well.  I'll put new strings on to start, but I think in the past when I've done that I still get some wonky chords.  (I do however often mangle my strings by over bending them so I'm sure they're in bad shape now.)  Also, the action idea is interesting as mine is on the high side.

Unreasonably high action would cause intonation problems on your classical guitar because the string has to move so far when you fret it that it raises the tension of the sting and thus the pitch. If you have the option, I would get that guitar professionally set up and that will likely cure any intonation problems you're experiencing with it.  Some routine maintenance could be performed as well like oiling the fingerboard, which can't hurt. Hopefully your neck is straight on that guitar, as most classical guitars do not have truss rods.

[area51drone]

General,  I gave your show a shot tonight because I had nothing else to listen to and I have to say, it was pretty interesting.  I have a couple of cheap guitars that I don't know anything more about other than how to tune them and play a few songs, but I am in no way a "guitar guy."  Regardless, it was a nice show, the best part was the interview with your friend.   Also, I didn't have any problem with the recorded call audio, I thought that was a cool part of the show too.   If I'm ever downtown on a business day, I'll drop in and say hi.   Anyway, good show, I will definitely check out the next episodes.   

[area51drone]

Thanks!
As for soldering to the housing on tone/volume pots... it's all about temperature.  The soldering irons most folks have, the pencil type from Radio Shack or if you're lucky maybe even a nicer one, they don't really get hot enough to work properly for that.  You gotta get the big guns out for that...
[attachimg=1]

Have you tried a RF Metcal yet?  You haven't soldered until you've tried one.   I have to do board repairs all the time on my pinball games, this thing gives out the heat.   It's almost instant, and it transfers more heat than any other soldering iron/gun I have ever used.  I've even used it to do spot welds on large metal pinball parts and it performs amazingly.    Check them out if you haven't heard of them: http://www.okinternational.com/metcal/   

[saucerlike]

I've gotten by with a Weller 25w cheapo for awhile.  I'm sure I'll upgrade eventually, but since I work in a hardware store I can get nice discounts on that kind of stuff.  I know people debate that on guitar forums, you can do damage to guitar components by overheating with both a low or high wattage iron if you don't know what you're doing. 

[The General]

General,  I gave your show a shot tonight...

Thanks for checking it out, and thanks for the soldering iron tip.
We should talk pinball someday.

[guildnavigator]

My friend just got an American Special Telecaster, he says it slips out of tune a little. If you'd unleash some Tele tuning stability tips in the Fret Files I'm sure he'd dig it.

[The General]

My friend just got an American Special Telecaster, he says it slips out of tune a little. If you'd unleash some Tele tuning stability tips in the Fret Files I'm sure he'd dig it.

I think that's a great idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

[area51drone]

General, what's your take on this in regards to tuning in cold weather?

http://news.radio.com/2014/02/04/red-hot-chili-peppers-at-center-of-super-bowl-miming-controversy/

[The General]

General, what's your take on this in regards to tuning in cold weather?

http://news.radio.com/2014/02/04/red-hot-chili-peppers-at-center-of-super-bowl-miming-controversy/

Obviously not the real reason. 
As long as the instruments were acclimated it would have been fine.

[PB the Deplorable]

Obviously not the real reason. 
As long as the instruments were acclimated it would have been fine.

This isn't the first time recorded music has been played instead of a live performance at cold outdoor events.  Other Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations...

In Jan 2009 they specifically mentioned the instruments...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/arts/music/23band.html?_r=0

[eddie dean]

What's the ETA for the next episode of the fret files?

[MV/Liberace!]

What's the ETA for the next episode of the fret files?

IT WILL BE HERE WHEN IT GETS HERE!!!  HOW DARE YOU ASK THIS!

only kidding.  i just wanted to see what it feels like to be a neck bearded virgin on a linux forum.

[area51drone]

The Neckbeard God

I just threw up on my keyboard.

[eddie dean]

IT WILL BE HERE WHEN IT GETS HERE!!!  HOW DARE YOU ASK THIS!

only kidding.  i just wanted to see what it feels like to be a neck bearded virgin on a linux forum.

Lol
I wasn't talking to you!! You pumpkin haired dwarf!
I couldn't help but notice that you didn't answer my question, did-ya?

BTW, your avatar is hilarious! That pic of Dames is just begging for a photoshopped penis to be slapped somewhere around the mouth area.
Is it wrong to think such things.

[eddie dean]

The Neckbeard God

I just threw up on my keyboard.

Heh.
What neck?
I don't see a neck there.
This is probably an older pic.  He's lost a lot weight since the no-neck beard picture.
Interesting how he isn't as funny as he once was IMO.
I must be growing up, or something.

So, Mr. General, what string gague do you recommend for neck bearded dudes?

[The General]

So, Mr. General, what string gague do you recommend for neck bearded dudes?

Any banjo string will suffice.

What's the ETA for the next episode of the fret files?

[attachimg=1]

[guildnavigator]

Any banjo string will suffice.

[attachimg=1]

At that factory I worked in, when you fucked up on the job somehow, you'd be sent out to work on banjos in the cold warehouse.

It was kind of funny. Thankfully I never really had to work on them.

[analog kid]

I have a Baby Taylor. It's 3/4 scale and highly susceptible to the climate here in LA. I should have a humidifier for it, and a hardshell case, but the intonation is so bad since winter that it's unplayable. It has relatively new Elixirs on it, and they're brand new in appearance. Could this be mitigated at all with truss rod adjustment?

Same as this one.

[The General]

I have a Baby Taylor. It's 3/4 scale and highly susceptible to the climate here in LA. I should have a humidifier for it, and a hardshell case, but the intonation is so bad since winter that it's unplayable. It has relatively new Elixirs on it, and they're brand new in appearance. Could this be mitigated at all with truss rod adjustment?

Same as this one.

Your guitar likely needs a setup.  Truss rod adjustment is only one aspect of a properly functioning guitar.  Saddle height, nut slot depth, neck angle, etc might all need some adjusting.  Get it set up by a pro, is my advice.  I recommend getting any guitar set up at least a few times a year.  By a pro.

[analog kid]

Your guitar likely needs a setup.  Truss rod adjustment is only one aspect of a properly functioning guitar.  Saddle height, nut slot depth, neck angle, etc might all need some adjusting.  Get it set up by a pro, is my advice.  I recommend getting any guitar set up at least a few times a year.  By a pro.

I wish. I don't have any pros in my area. I can set up an electric fine, but acoustics, not so much. My climate is pretty much like shipping a guitar to a peat bog somewhere.. If it's a light acoustic, the humidity is going to reek havoc on it, as I'm sure you know. It was fine for a while, when I got it. I'm hoping a truss rod adjustment will at least improve it somewhat.

I do know a guy who knows a guy, who supposedly works on them. I'll have to look into it.

[The General]

I wish. I don't have any pros in my area.

Aren't you in Boise?