Guitars for "heavy handed" people

ProcessedMeatMan · Post by **ProcessedMeatMan** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:45 am

Or whatever the term is. I tend to press down too hard when I play guitar. To the point where I have a hard time keeping the shit in tune. After two decades of playing bass, pressing down hard is very difficult for me NOT to do. It's like a reflex action.
I have a Les Paul and a Gibson Marauder and my issue is much worse with the LP. Are there certain types of guitars that lend themselves to a more heavy handed playstyle?

I've been looking at telecasters, but it's hard to get a good feel for it. I hate playing in guitar stores. I never play like I normally do because I'm too subdued and shy to wank on anything.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:49 am

Every time that I've ever been in a band, I've been stuck playing bass, so my playing style has been greatly skewed toward the bass. When I play guitar, I prefer Teles.

I don't know if that helps at all

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:37 am

Try raising the action and using thicker strings, I sometimes have this same problem of pressing too hard live cuz I'm amped up and there are notey parts that it becomes noticeable that it's off.

Shad's suggestion of a Tele should be a good one, though I find myself pressing too hard on any guitar at a shop because I'm used to 11s and all of those have 9s or 10s. Just try some thicker strings which will have a higher tension to them.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 3:04 am

13's / high action.

if i play anything smaller now, everything is sharped

ProcessedMeatMan · Post by **ProcessedMeatMan** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 3:51 am

Thanks for the tips guys

I'm using 11s on the LP currently. I'll up it to 12s and see how that goes. I assume some neck adjustment may need to be made with adding thicker gauge strings?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:53 am

I now play 11s on my main guitar, which is comparable to a tele (ovation viper). I was playing bass in a band at the time I made the switch as well. Any lighter feels too light now.

And yeah, I'd tighten the truss rod a little before tensioning the new strings and keep an eye on the bow

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:02 am

ProcessedMeatMan wrote: I hate playing in guitar stores. I never play like I normally do because I'm too subdued and shy to wank on anything.

I'm relieved I'm not the only one who has this problem.

As for the other problem, that was me when I came back to my electrics after a couple years living with only an acoustic. The only thing for it was practice. Setting up your guitar for heavier gauge strings might ease the transition.

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 8:50 am

There's also as case for Learning to play with dexterity and precision. Depends what you want out of the guitar I guess

Technique might be the problem

ProcessedMeatMan · Post by **ProcessedMeatMan** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:11 pm

Yeah, I figured someone would bring that up.

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 12:39 pm

Well again it depends what you wanna get out of it. I don't think the average or even strong player will be able to bend, play quickly, fingerpick or move around with 12s or 13s as well as they could if they worked on trying to exercise more control with a lower gauge.

Don't get me wrong if you just want to hack out power chords and riffs then go for it but there's a glass ceiling on what you'll be able to play long term

Raising the action super high is only going to give you even more tuning issues as well

I dunno when it gets to the point that you're looking at specific guitars its seems like its going too far. But if you're going down that road, something with vintage or very low fret wire might help you from overbending

Paradigmforcosmos · Post by **Paradigmforcosmos** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:12 pm

George wrote:Well again it depends what you wanna get out of it. I don't think the average or even strong player will be able to bend, play quickly, fingerpick or move around with 12s or 13s as well as they could if they worked on trying to exercise more control with a lower gauge.

I think you're wrong. I have played with 12s for a while and I can bend just as well as wih a lover gague string, of course it's going to take a while to get your fingers used to it but it definitely works. I can easily bend minor thirds, major thirds with thicker strings.

As for control I personally think that the added tension you get from thicker strings adds a certain stability to the guitar that you won't get from thiner strings. I also feel confident using thicker strings that if I want to hit my guitar hard I can do that without sounding out of tune.

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:24 pm

jesus, two whole tones with 12 gauge strings in standard tuning?

this guys lifts

Paradigmforcosmos · Post by **Paradigmforcosmos** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:11 pm

George wrote:jesus, two whole tones with 12 gauge strings in standard tuning?

this guys lifts

No, I don't. It's just a matter of practice. I do belive however that you have a point that sometimes it's a lot better to practice one's technique rather than blaming your gear for making you sound out of tune.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:43 pm

I use 13s but I don't really bend that much, it's always going to be a struggle to bend a wound third though.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:02 pm

I had a set of .013-.056 on a Duo Sonic once and they completely zapped any fun out of playing it.

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:51 pm

jumbo frets are going to sharp worse when u mash them too hard-- if you play on something with vintage or worn down frets it wont matter as much when you play like gorilla

ProcessedMeatMan · Post by **ProcessedMeatMan** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:40 pm

George wrote:Well again it depends what you wanna get out of it. I don't think the average or even strong player will be able to bend, play quickly, fingerpick or move around with 12s or 13s as well as they could if they worked on trying to exercise more control with a lower gauge.

Don't get me wrong if you just want to hack out power chords and riffs then go for it but there's a glass ceiling on what you'll be able to play long term

Raising the action super high is only going to give you even more tuning issues as well

I dunno when it gets to the point that you're looking at specific guitars its seems like its going too far. But if you're going down that road, something with vintage or very low fret wire might help you from overbending

Your point is well taken and I've certainly been making efforts to do that. I'm just considering options. Playing all dainty like doesn't come easy... and I'm not really doing an riffs or power chords.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:12 pm

Disagree strongly George.

I find it easier to play delicately on heavier strings. After all the "standard" gauge strings for acoustic are 12's, and it's not like any acoustic players are known for fingerpicking and nuances, or anything other than chugging power chords for that matter

.

I feel heavier strings are actually superior for finger picking because there is more to hold onto with my right hand, and the strings project more volume with less effort. The only downside is that it takes time to adjust to playing them for long periods of time.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 8:48 pm

Yeah I was gonna say I use 12-13s on my acoustics and get far more in the way of dynamics and fingerpicking out of those than I do with any electric.

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 9:40 pm

I don't think acoustics are the same thing. You don't bend or jump around the fret board in the higher registers as much

I think what I mean is that to get the most out of an electric the higher gauges will hold the average player back

Guitars for "heavy handed" people

Guitars for "heavy handed" people

Re: Guitars for "heavy handed" people