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That's the Way It Crumbles, Cookie-Wise

Nancy Hart

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2025
Messages
536
Location
NE Georgia
"Miss Kubelik" (Shirley MacLaine) in The Apartment:

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Just send her a fruitcake every Christmas, Boys:

 
It's not that I've become a GSS (guitar string snob). So far the only thing I can play on this new guitar is 8 bars of Deep River (at the same speed as the river).

It's that the G-string is clunky---it doesn't ring like the others. I learned that this is not uncommon because the 3rd (G) string is the fattest of the nylon strings. Sometimes it does not fit in its groove well. I don't want to start haphazardly filing out wider grooves. Found a whole set, all 6 different from the factory defaults, with a thinner 3rd string. These are also normal tension strings. The factory ones are high tension. The new 3rd string does sound better.

There was considerable apprehension involved in changing my very first guitar string. There are almost as many ways to tie knots as there are YouTube videos. I need to get up the courage to change the others now.

Savarez 510MRP Normal Tension Nylon Guitar String Set
Made in France and cost $16. You can pay as much as $65 for 6 strings, or as little as $5. Some people have tried fishing line.

sava_510mrp.jpg
 
It's not that I've become a GSS (guitar string snob). So far the only thing I can play on this new guitar is 8 bars of Deep River (at the same speed as the river).

It's that the G-string is clunky---it doesn't ring like the others. I learned that this is not uncommon because the 3rd (G) string is the fattest of the nylon strings. Sometimes it does not fit in its groove well. I don't want to start haphazardly filing out wider grooves. Found a whole set, all 6 different from the factory defaults, with a thinner 3rd string. These are also normal tension strings. The factory ones are high tension. The new 3rd string does sound better.

There was considerable apprehension involved in changing my very first guitar string. There are almost as many ways to tie knots as there are YouTube videos. I need to get up the courage to change the others now.

Savarez 510MRP Normal Tension Nylon Guitar String Set
Made in France and cost $16. You can pay as much as $65 for 6 strings, or as little as $5. Some people have tried fishing line.

sava_510mrp.jpg
Use D' Addario J45s. They last the longest and are very reasonably priced. Be very careful if you file out the nut. Keep the nut face flat or you may change intonation. I would suggest not messing with the nut or saddle unless you have an accurate metric ruler. Is your scale 650mm? That is most common. What is the make of your guitar? Is your bridge 6 hole or 12 hole? I have made 6 string nylon string guitars with both 6 and 12 hole. The 6 hole requires more wrapping. The thing about the 12 hole is the break angle is better and less likely to have buzz with a low action. The G string is less likely to slide on the saddle, which is what cause many G strings to sound dull. A 6 hole can be drilled out for 12 hole, but it is tricky and requires a hand made tool. Basically a drill bit on a long aluminum tube.

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Hi Faye. Thanks for stopping by.

It is a Cordoba C5 Classical guitar with the cedar top. The specs say it's standard 650mm. The bridge has 6 holes. Love the wider neck. I chose Savarez simply because that's the brand of strings that came on it. I would never try to file out the nut, but I've watched numerous videos showing how to modify things. I did try some graphite in the nut groove. It didn't help.

I've watched several videos of people making guitars. It's impressive that you can do this.

I think the action is a little high at the high (pitch) end, but just right at the nut end. Can't seem to span more than 3 frets at the low end. I think I'm too old for that to ever change, so I modify some of the chords to just 2 notes. I love the sound on this thing when you do everything just right. I haven't gotten that far along yet.

I kind of wish I'd gotten the cut-out version, because I like the sound of the higher notes.

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Cordoba is a quality factory made guitar. To test intonation, see if the harmonic at the 12th fret is centered over the fret. If not the saddle can be filed to correct this.

It will get easier to play as your hands get stronger and you build calluses. In time you will be able to play anywhere on the fingerboard. I haven't played in over a month. I must get back to regular practice and start building callouses again. The nylon string is best to learn and nice for either basic or advanced playing. Lots of videos on Youtube on how to play any style you like.

Also tabs for about any song you like can be found online. Learn to use your right hand (fingerpicking) and the possibilities are endless.

.
 
What is this "harmonic" thing? ;) I Googled it, and they start talking about wave lengths. Am I overthinking it? :(
So simplify, if you hold your finger gently touching the string over the 12th fret (no pressing) on the E1 string, then the high sound you get is a harmonic of E. All notes are the same on the 12th fret as the open string note, just an octave higher and the harmonic is just a super high version of the string note, if it is played on at the 12th fret. Harmonic are the chime or bell like notes you hear on some guitar solos. You can also get nice harmonics at the 5th and 7th fret. Some players play entire verses using harmonics. Fun to mess with even just beginning. Search Youtube on how to play harmonics.

I think most important is to learn arpeggios fingerpicking. What kind of music do you want to play?
 
So simplify, if you hold your finger gently touching the string over the 12th fret (no pressing) on the E1 string, then the high sound you get is a harmonic of E. All notes are the same on the 12th fret as the open string note, just an octave higher and the harmonic is just a super high version of the string note, if it is played on at the 12th fret. Harmonic are the chime or bell like notes you hear on some guitar solos. You can also get nice harmonics at the 5th and 7th fret. Some players play entire verses using harmonics. Fun to mess with even just beginning. Search Youtube on how to play harmonics.

I think most important is to learn arpeggios fingerpicking. What kind of music do you want to play?
OMG, I was UNDER-thinking! As if a guitar isn't already complicated enough. I'll go off now and try to find some harmonics. Thanks, Faye. :cool:(y)
 
The "harmonics" are all centered right above the 12th fret on all 6 strings. You sneak up a string toward the fret from either side, and all the sudden it rings out. Like magic! :cool:

Get with it, Riley (@Joe Riley)! Pull out your guitar and try it. It's fun.

I like popular music. The guitar should play the melody. No singing. Maybe it's called chord/melody style? I still use a pick. I'm so far away from learning fingerpicking, it's pathetic.
 
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The "harmonics" are all centered right above the 12th fret on all 6 strings. You sneak up a string toward the fret from either side, and all the sudden it rings out. Like magic! :cool:

Get with it, Riley (@Joe Riley)! Pull out your guitar and try it. It's fun.

I like popular music. The guitar should play the melody. No singing. Maybe it's called chord/melody style? I still use a pick. I'm so far away from learning fingerpicking, it's pathetic.
You are closer to fingerpicking than you think. House of the Rising Sun is a good one for learning arpeggios and basic chord switching. Do you know how to read tab? If so I will see if I can dig out some of my old beginners stuff. I Walk the Line is a good simple one to learn bass runs then chords.

Start on the E6 string ... Bass notes G (3rd fret) then A5 string A, B, C or open, 2nd fret then 3rd fret. Then strum a C chord up and down 6 times and then repeat that bass run but starting on the A string 3rd fret. Then strum the F chord six times and then play bass run backwards and strum C chord, then bass run starting on the A string C B A or 3-2-0b then 3 fret E6.

I (E6 3rd fret) walk (A5 open) the (2nd fret) line 3rd) fret then strum C chord diddl-e (up and down) didd-le, didd-le, dit (one stroke down) . I bet this is as clear as the mud that came off Rusty's hooves. I will try to find the tab.
 
That is a beautiful but more complicated version. I taught a simple method to teach the G7, C, F chord switch smoothly and also the bass runs. Much easier than this version. Getting the G7, C, and F chord switch smoothly with minimal left hand finger movement is important. All those chords have a similar shape, so minimal movement is a must to learn. This gal shows the idea but doesn't teach that when the 1st finger comes down the 2nd and 3rd should be moving up. All fingers moving to the strings and frets so they touch at the same time. The F chord is a bit harder, but great to include after playing the C.

 
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Thanks @Faye 2.0. I have to go do some pink spackling now. Will study your posts. I think you overestimate my humble abilities. Eight bars of Deep River, does not a guitar player make. They gave me 5 free picks when I bought the guitar and I've lost all but one. When I lose this one I'll tackle finger-picking. It won't be long.
 
Thanks @Faye 2.0. I have to go do some pink spackling now. Will study your posts. I think you overestimate my humble abilities. Eight bars of Deep River, does not a guitar player make. They gave me 5 free picks when I bought the guitar and I've lost all but one. When I lose this one I'll tackle finger-picking. It won't be long.
That made me think of "Five finger discount"!
 
Last month, while searching for something else, I ran across 2 double rolls of paper left over from the wallpaper job I did in the downstairs bath over 30 years ago. Insulation was blown into the walls in the house much later. This left up to 3 holes between the studs on 1-1/2 walls in that room. I never got around to fixing the holes because they blended in nicely with the wallpaper pattern. ;)

The unused paper doesn't quite match the old after 30 years of wear and tear, but it's enough to do 3 of the 4 walls, stopping at corners, if I don't make any mistakes. So I added this job to an already quite lengthy to-do list. On a test patch I found semigloss paint underneath, and the old paper came off just soaking with warm water. The project was then moved to the front burner.

This was where things stopped for 2 weeks. More on why later. Maybe.

Old wallpaper
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At the beginning of wallpaper removal. :eek: I know it looks bad but was fairly easy to do after I got the hang of it.

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I restarted the job about a week ago, and I'm working on it right now.
 

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