Takamine G-Series Help!

[bdp612]

Hey everyone, cool forums here, I'm betting you can all help me with my beginner problems quickly. I have a Takamine G-Series EG363SC, which (now that I'm developing an ear for it) I'm finding has some issues.

My terminology might be off, but it seems like it's having some resonance issues on the low E and A strings which are overpowering everything else. Also, I realized after playing with two other quieter Takamine guitars this weekend, the thing is just loud! I can't even play with a pick if anyone else is in my home. I'm wondering if something like this could solve both issues:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/The-Lute...GP&cagpspn=pla

I even see there in the reviews that someone with a G-Series used it to help them out.

My other issue is how inconsistent the string tension is. It's not even like a highs or lows kind of thing. I don't want to up to a higher gauge unless I have to. Some days certain strings will feel tight and sound nice, other days they will feel slacky or sound dull. I'd say I was just stringing it poorly, but my friend stringed these strings for me and they are still presenting the same problems (he has been playing for years and years, and his strings always play great), while again another friend's Takamine's (one whose strings are 3 years old) are snappy and wonderful to play.

Current strings are Dean Markley Blue Steel LT 11-46, recommended to help brighten/sharpen the sound (they did not help).

Any advice you all have would be so much help. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

P.S. I put this in the guitar repair forum because I'm afraid that something is structurally wrong with the guitar and that is what is causing the problems. I hope that's not the case!

[marioed]

Hi,
Welcome to the forum. I'd suggest that you take the guitar to a good guitar tech or luthier to be checked out and perhaps have a setup done. Ask your guitar playing friends if there is someone they'd recommend. It is very hard to diagnose any structural issues without actually looking at a guitar in person. If your friends can't recommend someone let the forum know where you're located and ask for recommendations.

I believe your guitar is a dreadnaught, the string gauges you have (11-46) seem a bit light for a dred, I'd call them extra light rather than lights. You might want to try some lights (12-54) or mediums (13-57). D'Addario & Martin both make 80/20's and PhosporBronze strings. They're widely available and not too expensive. Going with a heavier non treated string may address the slack/tight issue you're having.

Dred's tend to be bass heavy so the low E & A overpowering the other strings may in part be related to your guitar being a dred. Technique & pick choice can also be factors. You don't mention the thickness of the pick you're using or what material it's made of, that can have an effect. You might want to try going with a pick that's around 1.00 mm. Try some made of different materials to see what you like. The Clayton Ultem 1.07 mm is a nice pick and can be found in most music stores. Unless you're playing a run try to not dig in too much on the bass strings. Sometimes when strumming there is a tendency to hit the bass strings harder than the other strings this can make the E & A sound too boomy and overpower the other strings. Try to hit all the strings with the same amount of pick & the same pressure.

For your volume issue a mute can help but working on your technique, in the long run, may be better. It is possible to play more quietly and having the ability to adjust the volume when you play can be an effective performance technique. When you practice work on right hand control, especially with scales. Try to get the same volume on each note on every string. Once you get that down then try playing softer and louder by adjusting how hard your pick hits the string.

Best of luck to you and Happy Holidays.
Regards,
Ed

[bdp612]

Thanks for taking the time to respond! That all seems like good advice. I would hope that a string change would do the trick, but I was using those light (12-54) Martin 80/20s before the Blue Steels and I had the same dull slacky response. I'll try some mediums next time I switch, I'm just afraid of hurting the holes on the bridge that the strings enter (I read this could happen).

In any case I agree I will have to take it to a tech so someone can really tell what's going on. I wish I could describe the difference between my guitar and my friends guitars more clearly. Can you give me advice on what I should be looking for / asking about after I find a good tech? I feel like I would receive the product of the setup and initially feel satisfied only to find different problems with it a few months down the line that I did not realize.

Reading about dreadnoughts I can see that the volume should indeed be louder from them, and I could see how that relates to a higher perceived bass response, and that makes me feel better about the whole thing. Part of the problem is definitely my playing, but the sound and feel all seem off even if I focus on a single note with multiple picks of different thickness (or fingerpicking, which is how I primarily play and how I played when comparing to the other guitars I'm referencing). I hope the slackiness is not just a part of the dreadnought style. I never had it setup when I purchased it FYI.

If all else fails, could an improvement in the saddle and nut material make any difference? I'll throw the tuning knobs in there as well. All three are a plastic material that came with the guitar.

Thanks again!

[marioed]

I looked at the specs for your guitar on the Tak website. They don't recommend a specific string gauge so you should be ok with mediums but I'd hold off on those until after you have a guitar tech look at it, just in case you do have some structural issues. Dreds are generally braced to handle medium gauge strings. Since you didn't like the Martin 80/20's you might try D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Lights (12-53) as a temporary step.

You might check the humidity where you store your guitar. Flucuations in the humidity level can be a factor in the playability. The ideal humidity range is 40-55%. You haven't mentioned what the action at the 12th fret is. On my dred I like to have it a shade under 5/64" on the low E.

Replacing the saddle and nut with bone may improve the sound. The saddle would be the first thing I'd try. Replacing the nut will be more costly but if it is within your budget having it replaced at the same time as the saddle is easiest.

Ok, advice on taking your guitar to the guitar tech. When you meet with the tech describe all the issues you're having with your guitar and try to demonstrate them on the guitar. If you want to replace the nut and/or saddle let them know that. The tech will go over the guitar checking for any structural issues such loose bracing. They will probably take some measurements such as neck relief, nut action, 12th fret action and fret height. They should ask you to play it for them so they can see how you interact with your guitar. The tech will tell you if they found any structural issues and probably give you some options for work they can do. If there are structural issues those have to be fixed before doing any other work. One of the options they suggest will most likely be a setup. The setup can be as simple as adjusting the neck relief and setting the action at the nut and saddle to also leveling and dressing the frets and replacing the nut & saddle. If you have uneven frets then you'll need to have them leveled. The more work the tech has to do the more expensive it gets. This is why finding a good, reliable tech is so important. You should have some idea of the action you want. Check out the action on your friend's guitars, if you like it that may be the target action to tell the tech. The words every tech hates hearing from a new customer is to "just set it as low as possible". Have some idea of what you want.

Now, some other things to consider. When you compare your guitar to your friend's guitars you seem to find your guitar coming up short. What do they think of the sound and playability of your guitar? Are their guitars also drednaughts? Do you like the sound of your guitar? Unless there are structural issues to be repaired, the fundemental sound will not change. It may be that the guitar you currently have is just not a good match for you. If you want to concentrate on fingerstyle a smaller bodied guitar may be a better match. They tend to be more balanced across the strings and are more accomadating of lower actions. If you like the drednaught sound, one by a different maker may be more along the lines of what you want. Before you put a lot of money into having work done on your current guitar you might want to decide if it is a guitar you really want to keep. In general, except for repairing structural issues, you will not get the money you spend back if you decide to sell it later on.

Regards,
Ed

[kevWI]

I have a Takamine G51CE. These items need to be changed: replace the nut, replace the tuners, replace the proprietary saddle/piezo pup. if you dont know how, i saw someone mention a luthier. At least a guitar tech.
This is an old thread, no doubt you have sold the guitar. but the design issues with the G series Taks need to be addressed.