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Pickups
and Preamps
Q I have
a Seagull S-6 Plus equipped with a Dean Markley Pro-Mag Grand Acoustic
pickup. When plugged directly into my amp, the level is very low
compared to what I get with my other guitar, an Epiphone Emperor
Regent with a single humbucker. Do I need a preamp or some other
"in-between" box?
Alan Hutcheson
Mesa, Arizona
A It sounds like your Dean
Markley pickup’s output isn’t as hot as the one on your Epiphone.
If your amp has separate Gain and Volume controls, you might try
experimenting with their respective settings. Otherwise a preamp
is likely to solve your problem, in addition to improving the pickup’s
sound. Most manufacturers of acoustic pickups offer stand-alone
preamps, any of which should work. If you’re on a low budget, you
could try a simple EQ pedal such as the ones made by Boss and DOD.
Inexpensive used pedals are often available, and they generally
provide enough gain to work as preamps as well. Another option is
to have a luthier install an internal preamp such as Fishman’s Powerjack,
which would eliminate the need for outboard gear.
––Teja Gerken
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Rhythm
Instruction
Q Are
there any books available that teach rhythm guitar playing?
Jake Messenger
Escanaba, Michigan
A Rhythm
guitar is a huge topic. A few books take a general approach, but
most deal with specific styles of rhythm guitar, such as swing,
Celtic, blues, etc. Rhythm Guitar: The Complete Guide, by
Bruce Buckingham and Eric Pascal, is a hefty book that covers a
lot of musical styles. It’s part of Hal Leonard’s Musicians’ Institute
series. For more information, log on to www.halleonard.com.
Accompaniment Basics, from String Letter Publishing (Acoustic
Guitar’s publisher), deals with several styles of rhythm playing,
including folk, country, and rock, and features lessons by such
teachers as Happy Traum, Dix Bruce, and David Hamburger. You can
try a sample lesson from the book at www.acousticguitar.com/lessons/traum/accomp1.shtml.
For blues rhythm, try Blues You Can Use Guitar Chords, by
John Ganape (Hal Leonard), which focuses on chord theory,
progressions, and voicings. Though it’s generally directed at a
blues audience, it also touches on R&B, jazz, and rock. For
more specific blues rhythm, try Robert Calva’s Texas Blues Guitar
(Hal Leonard). For jazz rhythm, Mickey Baker’s A Complete
Course in Jazz Guitar, Vols. 1 and 2 (Music Sales, www.musicsales.com),
has taught jazz rhythm and voicings to countless guitarists since
the ’50s. And for Celtic rhythm, try Celtic Backup for All Instrumentalists,
by Chris Smith (Mel Bay, www.melbay.com).
––Andrew DuBrock
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Fret
Styles
Q
I bought a Santa Cruz OM, a beautiful instrument with
great tone. The frets are high and pointed on top, making the OM
feel stiff and difficult to play. Would you advise having the frets
dressed to make them lower and the OM easier to play?
Robert Eustis
New Orleans, Louisiana
A Fret
height and style of crowning is really an issue of personal comfort
and playing style. When you look at the list of fret styles available,
you can get a headache just thinking about all the variables! The
Santa Cruz Guitar Co. uses a gauge typical of older Martin guitars:
the fret wire falls into the medium to narrow range. For some players,
these frets feel just right; for others, they’re just plain wrong.
In any case, the fret tops should be gently rounded, definitely
not flat, so the intonation point comes from the center of the fret.
I wonder if the points you are seeing are not the fret tops, but
the pyramid style of fret end dressing for which Santa Cruz guitars
are known.
The fret gauge on your guitar may not suit you, but it’s more likely
that the problem is a nut that’s too high. When you say "stiff action,"
I immediately start to question the nut and/or saddle height. Check
out the frets on instruments you do feel comfortable playing and
then discuss fret gauge and height as well as action and general
setup with your local luthier. It may take a refret, but he or she
should be able to get you the tone you love and the playability
you seek.
––Rick Turner
Beginners'
Tip: Sore Fingers
If you’ve just started playing and your fingertips are killing
you, you might try using lighter-gauge strings: lights are much
softer to press down than mediums, and silk-and-steels are even
softer still. Coated strings like Elixirs, though more expensive,
also do not dig into your fingertips as hard as regular strings
do. Another consideration is action: if your strings are higher
off the fingerboard than they need to be, some inexpensive setup
adjustments might really help. Be sure to pace yourself while you
play, too. Short, daily practice sessions are better for building
calluses than one marathon a week.
––Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
Send Questions, tips, or observations to Acoustic Guitar’s online
discussion forums at www.acousticguitar.com
or write to Dear A.G., Acoustic Guitar, PO Box 767, San Anselmo,
CA 94979-0767.
Excerpted
from
Acoustic
Guitar
magazine, June 2001, No. 102.
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