MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN

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JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN

Guys, I've noticed that when playing at the 5th fret on my new Yamaha, the G string (3rd) has a shorter sustain than the other strings at the same fret. This shouldn't be the case should it? I was wondering why this is, and if there is anything I can do about it?

Thanks,

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 8:55:46

rickm

Posts: 446
Joined: Jan. 23 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

you might have to visit a luthier and have the frets shaped.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 15:09:39

Patrick

Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

James,

Actually, it's not your guitar it's the string. "G" strings are notorious for poor sustain (and brightness). The reason is mechanical. The fact that the “G” string is a larger diameter than the other two nylon strings is the problem. As a rule, the thinner the diameter of a string, the brighter it will be (and more sustain).

What I would do, is try a set of Saverez Alliance trebles, which are a composite, carbon based material. Hannabach also makes a composite "G" string. I play Alliance trebles on all my guitars. They are a bit thin and take getting used to.

I have heard good things about the Hannabach Goldin trebles as well.

Pat

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 17:14:33

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

quote:

MY G STRING

You sure about this

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 17:32:08

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to Patrick)

Thats guitar "G" string... just thought I'd make that clear!

Phew! So it's not my guitar... I was beginning to get worried! I think having the frets shaped would be difficult and expensive. You are right, though... I am currently not using composite strings. But I have heard great things about them- particularly that 3rd one. Although I'm quite happy with the D'addario J49 first and second, and am currently using La Bella 820 basses, so it's gonna be a real mix and match job!

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try and see if it improves things.

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 17:53:19

Patrick

Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

James,

If you really want to put your guitar on steroids, use Saverez Corrum basses and Alliance trebles. The trebles last forever, so I go months before changing them. I just buy bass sets form Stringsbymail.com and get about two weeks per set.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 18:19:56

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to Patrick)

Hmm... yes, I seem to recall Anders saying he prefered the Savarez basses. I will give them a try. Although he prefered the D'addario trebles... but I suppose it's a matter of personal taste.

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 19:21:45

Patrick

Posts: 1189
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Portland, Oregon

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

James,

I think he uses the D'addario composite G only, but I could be wrong.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2005 20:25:35

rickm

Posts: 446
Joined: Jan. 23 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

As a small measure of defense, yes the g strings are a pain, but a long time ago someone told me to take every new guitar and present it to a luthieer to have it set up to your preference, action frets etc scallops if you prefer. Most factory guitars and even custom ones are set up for a average determined by the manufacturer and obviously the skill and adherance to standards of the maker, not set upt to the individual player. I have since taken everything I have owned, from stratocasters to 200 ephiphones to my Brune 30 to a luthier, (and presently its Brune )to insure fret height is constant, action appropriate to my playing ad nauseum. My 200 $$ 30 year old epiphone which looks as if it was discovered under a rock in Spain, frequently draws laughts, but the action is the same as my Brune. So I can take it, practice golpes all day outside in the sun and feel secure when I get the Brune out that I dont have to adjust finger tension etc etc.
Obviously your choice and no Im really not that fastidious and certainly not a great player. it just something that makes my life easier. cya

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2005 0:15:17

Guest

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

Hi guys.

James give your guitar a little time. I should not have to many holes in the sound, but it's very new and will need half a year or even 1 year to get balanced. And also remember that there are reasons for difference in prices.

I like savarez basses and I play Daddario Nylon trebles and use the composite 3rd string. That string really turns me on. It's so percussive.

I was addicted to carbon trebles, but I took a cold turkey

That was a good move. Carbon trebles are impressing at the first touch. They sing, they ring etc. But they are hard on the fingers and they are not vey percussive. I must say though that I never liked the Alianza trebles. The first string is extremely hard.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2005 7:42:48

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to Guest)

Thanks a lot for the advice everyone. It seems the problem may be partly with my strings and partly with my guitar. The strings I can change, so that I will do. Hopefully that will solve it. Otherwise, I'll just have to give the guitar more time and see what happens. Thanks again.

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2005 13:22:44

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

James, first you shave your nuts, and now your G-string has no sustain.. Just why must you use such topics for your posts!?

Anyway, in case you didn't read what I posted on my thread the previous weekend, I've already received the CDs you sent me. I've been having problems with my CD burning though, would it be fine if I sent them to your email address? I could send you an invitation to get a Gmail account,more than 2GB of space for you.

Get back to me soon too. I'm booking into camp for another 2 weeks my monday evening.

Let me know,
Cheston

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Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 6:46:36

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to Skai)

Hey Cheston,
Good to hear from you. Yes, sending the CDs by email would be fine. but I don't think my hotmail account would have enough storage space. So it would have to be gmail like you said. I am willing to open an new account as long as I don't have to pay for it! If you send me instructions, then I'll go ahead and do it. Then I'll figure out how to burn the tracks to CD afterwards.
By the way, I have a few new Gerardo Nunez CDs and am expecting a Canizares Cd any day now. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll do you some copies.

Thanks,

James

PS: I'll try and keep the topic titles serious from now on!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 8:14:58

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

I like your titles James. Don't drop them. There great.

Just a thought, (and I'm sure what your doing is perfectly legal), but openly talking of copying CDs could be miss-interpreted. Sry if i'm being a bit over sensitive.

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 8:26:57

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to flyeogh)

Nigel,
You are right ofcourse, caution should be exercised when duplicating CDs, as this is NOT legal. But the only reason I am doing so is because these CDs aren't readily available where Cheston lives. It also helps to promote the guitarists' work, which I'm sure they would agree with.
By the way, thanks for recommending Steve Holmes at the Spanish Guitar Centre... he is a great teacher, and had me playing a basic Soleares in minutes. His technique and teaching skills are suberb, and I don't regret going to a professional Flamenco guitarist (as opposed to my classical teacher) one bit.

Cheston,
I'm also expecting a couple of Tomatito CDs.

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 8:53:29

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

James, really glad to hear your with Steve. I only had one session with him and then for various reasons we lost contact. I really liked the guy's style and I remember the Solea. And although its now been demoted down the scale the Burguet he vouched for has been and still is a good friend. Give him my best. On my website flamencouk.info list of UK teachers I had a website for him but when I checked it recently it seemed to have dissappeared. If you could get me some sort of number, email, website, address ... for him it would be great. assuming you haven't reserved all his time.

Look forward to hearing an upload of your solea some time soon.

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 9:48:09

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to flyeogh)

Nigel,
No problem at all. His website is: www.stevehomes.co.uk (note that there is no "L" in "Homes"... easy mistake). His Email address is: flamenco@dsl.pipex.com Let me know if you need any further info.
About the Solea, I might upload it at some point, but I'd rather wait until I can play something a little more impressive... like PDL's "Rio Ancho"!

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 10:30:48

flyeogh

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct. 13 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

Would that be like the "l" in your post above??? Sorry couldn't resist it. I'm a very sad person

Seriously thanks for that. As for the Rio Ancho I can wait another week.

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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2005 10:55:38

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

Hey there James, I'm finally back from camp. I've sent you an invite to your hotmail account, just go set it up and let me know that you've done so. I'll send you the files this weekend if time permits, rather difficult since I'm going back into camp at 7+pm on Sunday. Anyway, it seems that you're trying to set up a CD shop James

I wouldn't mind some nice tracks sent to my gmail account.

Cheston

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Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 14 2005 0:44:11

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to Skai)

Hi Cheston, Welcome back!
Thanks for the gmail invitation... I've set up an account- jamesbashorun@gmail.com you can send the files there. As for emailing you the Nunez, Tomatito and Canizares... I might be able to, but I'm not sure which tracks you would like. It would also take quite a while to upload the files, as my computer is very slow! To be honest, it would probably be easier just to mail them to you, but if you won't be around to listen to them, I suppose I could try and upload them. Let me know what you'd prefer. Thanks.

James

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 14 2005 8:51:41

Skai

Posts: 317
Joined: Sep. 12 2004

RE: MY G STRING... AND SUSTAIN (in reply to JBASHORUN)

Yup you caught me in time, going in in about 9hours..

Since you don't have a really fast computer, I think I'll just send files of average quality. I was initially thinking of sending them at CD quality but the difference can't even be detected anyway, plus you'd have an easier time downloading files of lower quality. I'll leave out some of the really mediocre tracks though and just a note, I'm sending them in .wma format if you can read them.

Cheston

_____________________________

Try some Enrique Iglesias for some great cante.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 15 2005 2:51:28