I just picked up my Squier '51 since I haven't played it in a while, I tuned it up (it kept it's tune quite well!) and when I began playing the strings were so hard to push down. I figured that since I had been playing my Agile LP that has .09 gauge strings on it and the '51 has .10 that made it harder. But I couldn't hit a barre chord if my life depended on it. Out of frustation I put the Squier '51 and picked up my LP and of course everything flowed nicely. It was still frustrating me that I had such a hard time playing my '51. Out of curiousity I picked up my Squier Strat which also has .10's on it (same brand) and strangely it was just as easy to play as my LP! The only difference I could figure out is that my Squier '51 has a Maple fretboard and my LP & Strat both have Rosewood. Could this be the difference? I don't know what else would cause me to have so much trouble on one guitar and not the other?
Thanks
I thought maybe fret wire size because your Agile has Jumbo frets. Then looking at the Squiers, they are both Medium-Jumbo. Maybe it has to do with the radius and width of the neck. I don't seem to find it terribly difficult to switch between rosewood and maple fretboards. Yes they do feel different. And have you noticed that most guitars come with rosewood, that it seems less likely to see a maple fretboard on a guitar these days. I don't know if historically that is the case, but I have looked around.
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I've noticed that some guitars play a lot easier (i.e. have lower string tension) than others. It appears to be specific to the guitar, and not the brand or model.
Some believe that vintage necks used higher quality woods that had better strength and memory. Newer necks use the same wood, but of a lower grade. This discussion is also used with instruments made by Stratavarius.
It is possible to find a regular strat with a great neck, although there are fewer of them. They use better grade wood in the plus and deluxe models, and they hand select the wood in the custom shop. Although some believe that lately the Fender custom shop has become more of a factory instead of a place for high quality hand-crafted guitars of exceptional quality.
I think that the neck setup also has a lot to do with it.
Your guitar staying in tune is a very good sign!
The most obvious solution is to change the strings - perhaps they got a lot more rigid when they aged without playing.
Using a lower guage will also lower the string tension, although it supposedly reduces tone.
You can also tune down a half or whole step to greatly reduce string tension (and use a capo for standard tuning).
This is especially important with vintage 12-string acoustics - the excess tension bows the top and ruins them.
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Try changing the strings on your squire to the same size and brand as you lp, string diameter has a great deal to do with the sension, also it may be that the action on the squire needs adjusted.
wherever you go, there you are.
You might need to lower your action because the strings are to far off the fretboard. Worse case your '51 is an open chord rythym machine.
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First point (doesn't really apply to Mike's original question, but something to keep in mind): Due to the scale length differences, 10s on a LP will feel about the same as 9s on a Fender.
Point two: As noted above, fingerboard radius has a big effect. However, small radius (more curve) is usually easier to bar. So this probably doesn't apply either.
Point three: Hardtail will have more fretting and bending tension than guitar with a trem. When you fret or bend a hardtail, you are stretching the string only. With a trem, the "give" is in the string and the trem. The '51 is a hardtail. What about the Strat?
One more: The further the string anchor point is from the bridge, softer the feel of the strings. Any extra length of string beyond the nut or bridge makes bending and fretting easier, as the strain (stretching) is distributed over a longer length of string => less force required.
-=tension & release=-
Try changing the strings on your squire to the same size and brand as you lp, string diameter has a great deal to do with the sension, also it may be that the action on the squire needs adjusted.
That is what I thought I should do...I like the feel of .09's on my LP but I like the .10's on my strat so I thought the .10's would be fine on the '51.
First point (doesn't really apply to Mike's original question, but something to keep in mind): Due to the scale length differences, 10s on a LP will feel about the same as 9s on a Fender.
Point two: As noted above, fingerboard radius has a big effect. However, small radius (more curve) is usually easier to bar. So this probably doesn't apply either.
Point three: Hardtail will have more fretting and bending tension than guitar with a trem. When you fret or bend a hardtail, you are stretching the string only. With a trem, the "give" is in the string and the trem. The '51 is a hardtail. What about the Strat?
One more: The further the string anchor point is from the bridge, softer the feel of the strings. Any extra length of string beyond the nut or bridge makes bending and fretting easier, as the strain (stretching) is distributed over a longer length of string => less force required.
Point 1: I have .09's on my LP not .10's so that can't be it.
Point 2: Not sure about this one
point 3: The strat does have a trem so technically it should be harder that the '51 to fret but it isn't :?
I am going to try .09's on the '51 and see how that goes and re-adjust the action a bit...should need much tweaking.
Thanks
Point three: Hardtail will have more fretting and bending tension than guitar with a trem. When you fret or bend a hardtail, you are stretching the string only. With a trem, the "give" is in the string and the trem. The '51 is a hardtail. What about the Strat?
point 3: The strat does have a trem so technically it should be harder that the '51 to fret but it isn't :?
Thanks
Read carefully, Mike. Hardtail (no trem) is harder and trem is easier: That may be one factor making your Strat easier to fret.
-=tension & release=-
sorry
