Hi Chas, is the wood itself dented, or is the ding just into the finish itself? I found This RG550
Is is it like that but white, with the clear finish?
I'd think you'd have to match the finish, and then lightly sand and clear out the dinged area into a small oval or circular shape, and start putting thin coats of clear over the spot, taking it out just over the edge of the spot. Sand with light sandpaper, very fine grit or something comparable and apply several think coats until it's covered. Then using the fine grit paper, sand and wet with a spray bottle to apply water to the area, keeping it covered with water. Work slowly, repeat until the entire area is back down to the surface height of the surrounding area. Then buff out the body to get a match.
Caveat - I've never done it myself to complete success. I worked on an acoustic top once and got a good result but always felt I could see the difference in the finish, when light reflected directly on it. So.......a visit to Ye Old Guitar Maker Shoppe, or a finishing shop of some type might be the path to go. :) Maybe a local luthier or electric builder could do the trick.
Hi walking and welcome! Bone and plastic nuts - you should be able to tell the difference - try tapping the nut lightly with something solid, like a small screwdriver. The bone will feel and sound more solid, where the plastic will have a slighly softer 'twack' when you tap it. Also, if there's a ding or such in the nut plastic will have more of a 'mooshed' look where the plastic is kind of pushed out or in, and a bone will have a cleaner looking indentation to it.
You might also loosen the strings and see how the slots have been filed - bone will tend to look cleaner and the wear will look smooth, plastic hmmm, less clean. The density check, tapping it, should do the trick though. Less expensive guitars generally don't have a bone nut on the headstock, but that's hard to pin down. Some will, so you never know. If it 'sounds' and feels kind of dead, it's plastic.
Which is a fine material for a nut, I've found. Durable, replaceable without spending an arm and a leg. They do wear more if you use a heavier guage string, but if you're using 009's or 010's in the light range and play off and on, they'll do fine.
I do tend to think a bone or similar material nut sounds better, gives the string a cleaner, solid point of termination there. Any nut will sound bad if the slot isn't filed and set properly to the string guage you're going to use. So if yours is set up for say, an .011 set or heavier and you switch to extra lights the tone will sound weaker and you may even get deadness and rattles. That will require a new nut, likely, or the old one's slots filled and refiled. I've had it done for 40.00 and up, but about 40.00 would be right here in my area. They should advise you of any filling needed in the slot cut in the neck headstock where the nut goes, if that's needed. Normally they just take a stock nut blank and work it to fit the slot you have.
But if it sounds good the way you have it - it sounds good.
It's a voit-ual storehouse of information, Chatty! I'm sure we all share a lot of the same knowledge.
On the nutty nuts, we've hit on that topic before, seems like. I find the headstock nut to be an often neglected but essential part of the guitar's tone and sound. The slot has to be well fitted to the string gauge that goes in it, and that takes time, tools and experience. Once done, you have made a committment to the gauges you're going to use. And depending on the style of playing they'll wear a lot or a little. All the slot needs to do is hold the string firmly in place and at the correct angle. If a person stretches strings a lot the string will move some in that slot, and it needs to be able to set solidly in place. If the width and depth isn't correct it can "catch" and not return to it's original spot. Plus tuning the string moves it up and down the slot, causing some wear over time.
Best thing to do is keep them clean, loosening and removing the string and brushing out the slot carefully with a brush.
Bone or composite material nuts will hold up better than plastic if you're playing a lot. I replaced a graphite nut on a Fernandes Dragonfly I have, and had bone put on it. It made a difference with the new slots filed. My Tele came with a bone nut. I do like the sound a little better. Overall though I don't spend that much time messing with them. I like the intonation to be as close as I can get it, and keep the strings fresh.
Wikipedia has a nice page covering the guitar - and nuts, specifically HERE
talkshoe? Hmmm...are shoes talking now???? I wouldn't be surprised. Dunno, I would, but what would we talk about? satori's videos deserve some company - here's some cool sound from a very cool guitarist - Phil Keaggy....A very nice piece - "Shades of Green"
Talk about me? That'd be a short discussion! I dunno, have to give that some thought. Thanks for the suggestion, friend!
waysider, I remember Ken Mc and Dean E talked about Keaggy a lot. What was he like? I saw some of the early performances on Youtube, and I remember hearing the Glass Harp album way back when. He was definitely a great guitarist, and still is.
Talk about me? That'd be a short discussion! I dunno, have to give that some thought. Thanks for the suggestion, friend!
waysider, I remember Ken Mc and Dean E talked about Keaggy a lot. What was he like? I saw some of the early performances on Youtube, and I remember hearing the Glass Harp album way back when. He was definitely a great guitarist, and still is.
I did not know him personally though I talked to him many times at shows.
He was very much "into" The Jesus Movement.
If you can find lyrics for the early Glass Harp albums, you will get an idea of what he believed.
Two of the major stumbling blocks that put him at odds with The Way were:
1. The Trinity( or as he put it, "denying the Deity of Christ.")
2. The Gathering Together(which they referred to as The Rapture.)
I always liked this line in one of his songs: "Brother Thomas will be there, without a doubt."
I honestly don't recall all the doctrinal differences between the two but there was enough difference that it turned him off.
I honestly think we saw him as some kind of trophy.
"Gosh, if we could get this guy to come over to our camp, wouldn't that be great?"
It wasn't about him, it was about us. :(
You can hear a lot of classical influence in his playing and it's really crisp and clean.
Did you notice in any of his youtubes how he uses that "violin effect" utilizing his finger on the volume knob?
And don't forget, he was only about 20 years old in those Glass Harp clips.
Yah, he's good with the violin effect. He swells it really nicely, a bit differently than most. It serves the notes, rather than serving as an effect. Nice playing.
I am goiung to start playing Banjo again after a 25 year break from it. My style was clawhammer. Anybody know any good websites to help me start again. I haven't even picked up an instrument in 25 years
I am goiung to start playing Banjo again after a 25 year break from it. My style was clawhammer. Anybody know any good websites to help me start again. I haven't even picked up an instrument in 25 years
I love Don Alder and what an interesting guitar that is. As for the youngin'...dang he must have been playing since he was 2...and what speed he has...goodness.
Yeah, that little fiddler is full of energy, I think she is adorable.
I know this isn't musical but those who haven't seen it will enjoy it I suspect.....
Model not included - unless you're ready to pay hourly rates!
p.s.
Hubby is bidding on something very cool - bas case of GAS this summer - pray he gets it! (Cuz then I won't have to get him an anniversary gift for a while!!!)
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ChasUFarley
What if he's just a bee-yatch about how things look??
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satori001
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ChattyKathy
Mark Knopfler :wub:
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socks
Hi Chas, is the wood itself dented, or is the ding just into the finish itself? I found This RG550
Is is it like that but white, with the clear finish?
I'd think you'd have to match the finish, and then lightly sand and clear out the dinged area into a small oval or circular shape, and start putting thin coats of clear over the spot, taking it out just over the edge of the spot. Sand with light sandpaper, very fine grit or something comparable and apply several think coats until it's covered. Then using the fine grit paper, sand and wet with a spray bottle to apply water to the area, keeping it covered with water. Work slowly, repeat until the entire area is back down to the surface height of the surrounding area. Then buff out the body to get a match.
Caveat - I've never done it myself to complete success. I worked on an acoustic top once and got a good result but always felt I could see the difference in the finish, when light reflected directly on it. So.......a visit to Ye Old Guitar Maker Shoppe, or a finishing shop of some type might be the path to go. :) Maybe a local luthier or electric builder could do the trick.
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socks
Hi walking and welcome! Bone and plastic nuts - you should be able to tell the difference - try tapping the nut lightly with something solid, like a small screwdriver. The bone will feel and sound more solid, where the plastic will have a slighly softer 'twack' when you tap it. Also, if there's a ding or such in the nut plastic will have more of a 'mooshed' look where the plastic is kind of pushed out or in, and a bone will have a cleaner looking indentation to it.
You might also loosen the strings and see how the slots have been filed - bone will tend to look cleaner and the wear will look smooth, plastic hmmm, less clean. The density check, tapping it, should do the trick though. Less expensive guitars generally don't have a bone nut on the headstock, but that's hard to pin down. Some will, so you never know. If it 'sounds' and feels kind of dead, it's plastic.
Which is a fine material for a nut, I've found. Durable, replaceable without spending an arm and a leg. They do wear more if you use a heavier guage string, but if you're using 009's or 010's in the light range and play off and on, they'll do fine.
I do tend to think a bone or similar material nut sounds better, gives the string a cleaner, solid point of termination there. Any nut will sound bad if the slot isn't filed and set properly to the string guage you're going to use. So if yours is set up for say, an .011 set or heavier and you switch to extra lights the tone will sound weaker and you may even get deadness and rattles. That will require a new nut, likely, or the old one's slots filled and refiled. I've had it done for 40.00 and up, but about 40.00 would be right here in my area. They should advise you of any filling needed in the slot cut in the neck headstock where the nut goes, if that's needed. Normally they just take a stock nut blank and work it to fit the slot you have.
But if it sounds good the way you have it - it sounds good.
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ChattyKathy
It's so cool how folks know so much stuff here.
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socks
It's a voit-ual storehouse of information, Chatty!
I'm sure we all share a lot of the same knowledge.
On the nutty nuts, we've hit on that topic before, seems like. I find the headstock nut to be an often neglected but essential part of the guitar's tone and sound. The slot has to be well fitted to the string gauge that goes in it, and that takes time, tools and experience. Once done, you have made a committment to the gauges you're going to use. And depending on the style of playing they'll wear a lot or a little. All the slot needs to do is hold the string firmly in place and at the correct angle. If a person stretches strings a lot the string will move some in that slot, and it needs to be able to set solidly in place. If the width and depth isn't correct it can "catch" and not return to it's original spot. Plus tuning the string moves it up and down the slot, causing some wear over time.
Best thing to do is keep them clean, loosening and removing the string and brushing out the slot carefully with a brush.
Bone or composite material nuts will hold up better than plastic if you're playing a lot. I replaced a graphite nut on a Fernandes Dragonfly I have, and had bone put on it. It made a difference with the new slots filed. My Tele came with a bone nut. I do like the sound a little better. Overall though I don't spend that much time messing with them. I like the intonation to be as close as I can get it, and keep the strings fresh.
Wikipedia has a nice page covering the guitar - and nuts, specifically HERE
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ChattyKathy
Would you consider being interviewed on talkshoe socksman?
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socks
talkshoe? Hmmm...are shoes talking now???? I wouldn't be surprised. Dunno, I would, but what would we talk about? satori's videos deserve some company - here's some cool sound from a very cool guitarist - Phil Keaggy....A very nice piece - "Shades of Green"
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waysider
Phil Keaggy-----Yep!!!
He worked out of Northeast Ohio.
Back in "the day"we used to go see him play and then hound him to take piffle.
errrrr--- I mean witness to him. <_<
We were a loving sort of fan base, weren't we.
Fine, fine, fine guitarist, indeed.
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ChattyKathy
Nice!
And socksman we would talk about you. :B)
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socks
Talk about me? That'd be a short discussion!
I dunno, have to give that some thought. Thanks for the suggestion, friend!
waysider, I remember Ken Mc and Dean E talked about Keaggy a lot. What was he like? I saw some of the early performances on Youtube, and I remember hearing the Glass Harp album way back when. He was definitely a great guitarist, and still is.
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ChattyKathy
You're welcome guitar man.
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waysider
I did not know him personally though I talked to him many times at shows.
He was very much "into" The Jesus Movement.
If you can find lyrics for the early Glass Harp albums, you will get an idea of what he believed.
Two of the major stumbling blocks that put him at odds with The Way were:
1. The Trinity( or as he put it, "denying the Deity of Christ.")
2. The Gathering Together(which they referred to as The Rapture.)
I always liked this line in one of his songs: "Brother Thomas will be there, without a doubt."
I honestly don't recall all the doctrinal differences between the two but there was enough difference that it turned him off.
I honestly think we saw him as some kind of trophy.
"Gosh, if we could get this guy to come over to our camp, wouldn't that be great?"
It wasn't about him, it was about us. :(
You can hear a lot of classical influence in his playing and it's really crisp and clean.
Did you notice in any of his youtubes how he uses that "violin effect" utilizing his finger on the volume knob?
And don't forget, he was only about 20 years old in those Glass Harp clips.
Favorite Glass Harp tune:
"Can You See Me, Brother?"
Can you see me, brother?
Walkin' down that lonesome road.
Can you see me, brother?
Help me find the way to go.
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socks
Yah, he's good with the violin effect. He swells it really nicely, a bit differently than most. It serves the notes, rather than serving as an effect. Nice playing.
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Out There
I am goiung to start playing Banjo again after a 25 year break from it. My style was clawhammer. Anybody know any good websites to help me start again. I haven't even picked up an instrument in 25 years
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dmiller
BANJO HANG OUT.
When you get to the page -- put your cursor on COMMUNITY (in the left hand menu bar).
Then click on Forum. Lots of advice/ tab/ etc., there to peruse. :)
(Hope this helps!)
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ChattyKathy
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Bluzeman
Wow, she really gets physically into it doesn't she!
I found this and thought it was an interesting instrument. Nice sympathetc drone effect!
Rick
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Bluzeman
This guy has always amazed me.
Rick
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ChattyKathy
Rick,
I love Don Alder and what an interesting guitar that is. As for the youngin'...dang he must have been playing since he was 2...and what speed he has...goodness.
Yeah, that little fiddler is full of energy, I think she is adorable.
I know this isn't musical but those who haven't seen it will enjoy it I suspect.....
math 911
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waysider
Otis Rush----1966He made it look so easy.
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ChasUFarley
...And now a word from our sponsor...
Ladies and Gentlemen!
You may have wondered HOW to list a guitar on eBay...
You may have stayed awake at night wondering how to shoot your axe so that it would sell at a great price and get lots of looks.
Well...
Look no further....
PRESENTING...
THE ONE....
THE ONLY....
CHEESIEST LISTING!
Model not included - unless you're ready to pay hourly rates!
p.s.
Hubby is bidding on something very cool - bas case of GAS this summer - pray he gets it! (Cuz then I won't have to get him an anniversary gift for a while!!!)
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ChattyKathy
Hourly rates. :D
Great guitar waysider!
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