Hi all,
OK so everyone knows the A chord is a :x chord when you're learning. But I feel that I had nailed it on my acoustic and often got it to sound pretty good even in fast chord changes.
I have very recently bought a Squire Standard Telecaster as I wanted to try out some new sounds to supplement my acoustic.
The A chord on this guitar is a :evil: the problem is that the D string of the chord rattles - only at the end of the strum though. So I play the chord - all fine then after a few seconds - rattle rattle rattle. I've even tried just fingering the D string but the same appears to happen after about 3 or 4 seconds as the note tails off. Could there be a set up issue with the D string?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Russ
That does sound odd. Yes, I'd have the set-up checked.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Thanks. With my not being used to the squire I didn't want to wander in and the guy to say - "hmm so you can't actually play guitar but you think your set up is wronq!!" :oops:
I know what you mean about the whole not being able to play guitar thing. I pretty much still suck at guitar and I hate when I walk into guitar center and ask questions and the answer I get back I know to be either wrong or misinformed, but the fact is the guy I'm talking to can play better than me so I wimp out and never rebut him.
However, in your case there is no right or wrong set-up it's a matter of preference, so you should definatley take it in and have it looked at. Hope this helps.
"A working class hero is something to be..." -J. Lennon
I had a very similar issue with my Epi LP2, it was caused by the truss rod being loose. Make sure your set up guy checks that, mine missed it the first time around.
No need to be intimidated by salespeople. Their job is to help you. Don't worry if you look like a newbie - there is no shame in it, and by the way, you ARE new to guitar. If you get an explanation you don't think is accurate or is condescending, ask to speak with the manager - he/she will most likely treat you with the respect a customer deserves.
Just explain it the way you explained it here and then show them. They should be able to diagnose the problem for you.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Thanks all for your advice. I'll go in with a bit more confidence now.
I hate A chord. I wish they made frets wider
The first thing to try is simply raising the saddle for the D string only. Take the supplied Allen Wrench and turn the Allen screws clockwise.
But....
Before you start, note where you are. What I mean is, turn each Allen screw maybe 1/2 revolution to begin with. There are two, so raise them both the same amount. If 1/2 revolution does not solve the problem, try another 1/2 revolution. But pay attention to your Allen Wrench and count the revolutions so you can return to the original position if need be.
Could be a truss rod problem, but not too likely. When you get buzz in frets 1-5 that indicates the truss rod is overtightened. It is pushing the neck out straight which forces the headstock down, your neck is shaped like a frown. :( So buzz will occur in the early frets. New guitars rarely come with the truss rod overtightened, but often come with the truss rod too slack.
When a truss rod is too slack you normally get fret buzz in frets 5-12. This is because the neck is upcurved like a smile. 8) So when you fret in the middle frets the string touches a fret higher up the fingerboard.
Don't mess with the truss rod yet, try simply raising the saddle for the D string slightly. Remember, count the turns! :D
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hi,
It sounds odd that the buzz occurs as the note decays, not at the start. If it was caused by fret buzz I'd expect it to buzz earlier, when the string was moving in a bigger arc after the strum.
Could it be a buzz at the nut? Sometimes you can get an odd noise if it's catching or not quite seated right in the slot. Either way, it's easy to have a fiddle with with no risk. Just slacken the string right off (don't remove it though) and lift it in and out of the slot a couple of times and see if you can see or feel a problem. You could even add a bit of graphite (pencil lead will apparently do, although I've never tried it). Then retighten and retune.
Might make no difference, but it's simple and cost free to do, and I've had it work, so you might be lucky. :)
But you really can't go far wrong if you take it back, demonstrate the problem on the single string and ask if they can tell you what's going on. Good luck. 8)
Chris
this may sound way too easy, but it is supposed too....
My solution is to...
just kick it in the a$$ and do it.
Play it,
Fix it,
Love it...
Practice, practice, practice..
Maybe palm mute the rattle.
and also do what others suggested with the set up.
-Pat
Thanks Dudes!
Keep on Rockin'
Pat
I hate A chord. I wish they made frets wider
I could never play it the way it's "supposed" to be played (i.e., with three fingers). So I learned how to do it by barring the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings with just my index finger. It takes a little practice to learn how not to mute the 1st string, but once you do it's so much easier to do. And it makes going from A to D super-easy, because you just move your barre down 1 string and put your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string.
+1 to what yournightmare said, I too could never play the A chord with 3 fingers - they just would not fit!
Pete
ETD - Formerly "10141748 - Reincarnate"
Ditto with not playing it with three fingers - I only use two: index and middle over the three strings. Never could jam three in there and come away with a clean sound
