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Three questions from a daily practicioner

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(@vortix)
New Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

Hello all, I am a fairly new guitar player, I have been playing for about a year now. I currently play both the acoustic and electric. Just a few questions to get me started off on Guitar Noise...

First of all, I was wondering what makes a good guitar, for instance, I see no difference between the fender stratocasters everyone seems to be looking for and the 100$ squier strats. I was told that wood had a big deal to do with it but I still dont completely understand.

Secondarily, I am looking for tips on how to build my accuracy of my notes, I tend to get bad buzzing when I try to do any speed playing at all.

Last thing for now, I bought a cheap digitech multieffect processor, and when I use it, it tends to cut in and out... I have to play fairly loud to get any distortion or whatever effect I am using. I am a bedroom guitarist and I do not like using my headphones with my amp, so any recomendations here would be great.

Thanks in advance everyone.


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

what makes a good guitar? well, if you play a lot of guitars back to back, you'll notice differences in tone when played on the same amp at the same settings. some neck woods and shapes are more conducive to faster playing, some body woods hold more sustain, some fret heights feel better for bending vs shredding, and there are tremolo bars, humbuckers vs single coils, different body shapes, etc.
a lot of it is a matter of taste, which is why you'll find a dozen different guitars at the same price.

building accuracy is a matter of focus and repetition at speeds you're comfortable at, and slowly speeding up without losing that accuracy. make sure you're pressing the string down close behind the fret, not far back from it. also, make sure your picking hand is plucking it consistently.

i don't like those digitechs much. the effects all seem cheesy. but if it's cutting in and out, it might be weak batteries. personally, i'd rather have a couple of well built pedals, but that'll be more expensive.


   
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(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

I'll tackle the last question, since I don't have enough experience to give much help on the rest.

When you say "cutting in and out" do the lights on the digitech dim or change when it cuts out?
If so, then it's probably the battery, power supply, or power connection, like Jason suggested.

If not, try wiggling your guitar cord while letting a chord, or even a single note ring. Does it cut out (or make a crackly noise) when you wiggle near one of the connectors? near the middle?
If so, then you've got a bad cord - or maybe the jack on your digitech (or on the guitar).

Oh, and about accuracy falling apart when you play faster...
...play slower.

Seriously.
Don't go from slow to superfast in one jump. Work your way up s-l-o-w-l-y. Get your accuracy down first then gently ramp up the speed, get it nailed at the new speed, then step it up again. Small steps.

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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(@vortix)
New Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2
Topic starter  

Well, when I play, its like my amp completely stops working. I use the digitech processor (rp100a) as a pre-amp if that matters any.


   
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