Corp000085 Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I was given an acoustic guitar as a wedding gift 2 years ago... never played before. I did the guitar for dummies book to learn the simple chords and such, and i've been playing off and on for most of the 2 and a half years. As of last week, i was to the point where i was halfway decent at simple chord progressions, fingerpicking my way through simple solos, and basically playing by ear rather than ultimate-guitar.com! So, a co worker lent me her son's electric guitar and amp and the thing is ridiculously easy to play. I've taught myself most of george thorogood's songs with my slide (slide electric with the amp cranked sounds pretty friggin sweet), and its sorta like playing hockey against the high school remedial gym class. My question to all the guitar players out there, is electric supposed to be 100x easier than acoustic? I've read that you're supposed to learn on an accoustic because its harder, but this is ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Acoustic strings are much thicker and usually the action (height of the strings off the fretboard) is higher, so it's tougher to play than electric where you can put 9 gauge strings and lower the action. The most amazing thing I saw was Steve Rayu Vaughn playing a 12-string acoustic and flying all over the place on it. I wish I could see that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I am just a strummer but - it can be a lot more than acoustic vs electric guitar, it can be lousy acoustic and great electric (and amp). The reverse is true. I have a decent acoustic and a terrible electric. The electric is a keeper though, a VERY early 60's Gretsch hollow body. woo. Looks great. I was given an acoustic guitar as a wedding gift 2 years ago... never played before. I did the guitar for dummies book to learn the simple chords and such, and i've been playing off and on for most of the 2 and a half years. As of last week, i was to the point where i was halfway decent at simple chord progressions, fingerpicking my way through simple solos, and basically playing by ear rather than ultimate-guitar.com! So, a co worker lent me her son's electric guitar and amp and the thing is ridiculously easy to play. I've taught myself most of george thorogood's songs with my slide (slide electric with the amp cranked sounds pretty friggin sweet), and its sorta like playing hockey against the high school remedial gym class. My question to all the guitar players out there, is electric supposed to be 100x easier than acoustic? I've read that you're supposed to learn on an accoustic because its harder, but this is ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 i am also a strummer, and i just bought a Dean Baby V after playing for a year and a hlaf w/ my washburn acoustic, and yeah electric is much easier to play by far, esepcially the punk and metal stuff i play where you basically shred backand forth. but a really good piece of advice for any guitarist is to download the PowerTab Editor Program (free) and go to www. powertabs.net where you can download a great variety of PowerTabs to play along with. This program plays the music at the speed of the song and you are able to see where and when to be playing. Most of the songs have at least two or three instrumental parts that are included for each song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomstone Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Acoustic strings are much thicker and usually the action (height of the strings off the fretboard) is higher, so it's tougher to play than electric where you can put 9 gauge strings and lower the action. The most amazing thing I saw was Steve Rayu Vaughn playing a 12-string acoustic and flying all over the place on it. I wish I could see that again. Funny you ask that, I just searched for this yesterday and found it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZyv_UAApo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Funny you ask that, I just searched for this yesterday and found it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZyv_UAApo Holy Crap!!!! Wow, just wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Funny you ask that, I just searched for this yesterday and found it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZyv_UAApo More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Yep, those are what I remember. Thanks. Interesting story. One of my college roommates was from Wisconsin and I (and 2 other guys) had moved-into a townhouse for the 1990 (junior) year. Well my roommate moves his stuff in and says "did you hear about SRV?" We didn't so he told us that SRV had just died in a helicopter crash at the venue he worked (Alpine Valley) as an assistant stage manager. Sure enough, news broke later. He was initially named in the lawsuit but got his name removed. He said that someone had seen someone near the helicopter before it exploded, and that they found a finger with a ring in a nearby tree. It was sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 i second that! unreal!!! Holy Crap!!!! Wow, just wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted January 25, 2007 Author Share Posted January 25, 2007 and i thought i was making progress today!! compared to SRV, we all suck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webster Guy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Here's a cool electric guitar display from Stanley Jordan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjXN3OLgoqs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungee Jumper Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Funny you ask that, I just searched for this yesterday and found it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZyv_UAApo Of course, SRV strung his electric with heavy gauge strings - as I recall his sixth string (the low E) was actually a bass guitar string, and his third string (the G) was actually a wound string - maybe the D on a normally strung guitar. He also tuned to an E-flat (and in that clip it sounds like he's got the 12-string tuned down a half-step as well), but the strings were stiff as hell regardless...to SRV, a 12-string probably didn't feel all that much stiffer than his Strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Acoustic strings are much thicker and usually the action (height of the strings off the fretboard) is higher, so it's tougher to play than electric where you can put 9 gauge strings and lower the action. The most amazing thing I saw was Steve Rayu Vaughn playing a 12-string acoustic and flying all over the place on it. I wish I could see that again. Leadbelly is the king of the 12 string guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yall Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Of course, SRV strung his electric with heavy gauge strings - as I recall his sixth string (the low E) was actually a bass guitar string, and his third string (the G) was actually a wound string - maybe the D on a normally strung guitar. I'm not sure who told you that, but putting a bass string on a guitar will probably really screw up the guitar. For it to be in tune he'd have to have the tension on the low E (assuming he used a bass G string) so high that the neck would likely warp. Additionally, I'm not sure the ball end would even fit through the bridge, but I guess that would depend on the brand. Even though the gauges are similar, they are different strings. At any rate, I'm pretty sure Vaughn used D'addario .013's with a .054 gauge low E. Edit: I was wrong about his brand and E gauge: http://www.jcdisciples.org/musicians/srv/g...itar_setup.html Stevie tunes his guitar down a half-step and uses GHS Nickel Rockers measuring .013, .015, .019 (plain), .028, .038, and .058. On this particular day, Rene had substituted an .011 for the high E to keep down the sore fingers that blues bends can cause. Rene changes strings every show for each guitar that gets played. (Rene Martinez was Stevie's guitar tech) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I'm not sure who told you that, but putting a bass string on a guitar will probably really screw up the guitar. For it to be in tune he'd have to have the tension on the low E (assuming he used a bass G string) so high that the neck would likely warp. Additionally, I'm not sure the ball end would even fit through the bridge, but I guess that would depend on the brand. Even though the gauges are similar, they are different strings. At any rate, I'm pretty sure Vaughn used D'addario .013's with a .054 gauge low E. Edit: I was wrong about his brand and E gauge: http://www.jcdisciples.org/musicians/srv/g...itar_setup.html Stevie tunes his guitar down a half-step and uses GHS Nickel Rockers measuring .013, .015, .019 (plain), .028, .038, and .058. On this particular day, Rene had substituted an .011 for the high E to keep down the sore fingers that blues bends can cause. Rene changes strings every show for each guitar that gets played. (Rene Martinez was Stevie's guitar tech) Read it somewhere, and was going from memory (read it 20 or so years ago in a guitar mag). I'll have to dig it up, because although I wasn't sure about a bass string being the low E (and if it were a light-gauge string tuned down a half step, it should be entirely possible - if you can get the string on the guitar, like you said), I'm dead-nuts positive the article said the "G" was wound. I'll have to try putting a bass string on a guitar. I've got an old Dean I'm willing to sacrifice - haven't played guitar in seven or so years, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 The smallest standard bass string gauge I could find was .032. Maybe they make them a little smaller, but no WAY you get one of those on an electric guitar. I think the .013 is probably the heaviest you'd see someone use. I strung my electric with .012 (jazz) strings for awhile. Man that was a workout! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Funny you ask that, I just searched for this yesterday and found it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZZyv_UAApo I know this is a different style, but you want to see some awesome guitar work. Try this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 this is beautiful music, fingerpicking at its best- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfXBDHeAfEc&NR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 this is beautiful music, fingerpicking at its best-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfXBDHeAfEc&NR right next to that you could watch a very depressing Johnny Cash too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Without a doubt, SRV had some of the strongest fingers ever. Anyone who even attempts such things on a 12-string, or ever has, knows what I'm talking about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts