I have been watching tons of these vids lately and never comment but I have to for yours. I'm so glad your video popped up, you are so clear with the explanation of each part of the guitar it made it fun to watch. I subscribed right away. Thanks for making such helpful videos for us newbies.
@@snorchill3170 when you tune up you are increasing the tension on the strings and sometimes when you do that strings break, and sometimes when they break they whip you with a sharp end and it hurts and sometimes when it does that it hits an already open cut that you got from sports and makes everything hurt and bleed even worse. Ok the last part was specific to me but fr strings break and hit you with sharp ends like a whip
Tuning that high e can cause some anxiety, specially if yr pluckin it as yr turning the tuner, sounds like a bomb about to explode and sometimes it does lol
Sorry if anyone has pointed this out already, but when adjusting intonation, if you have to move the saddle then you must re-tune the open string before checking the intonation again. Obvious really but could easily catch out a novice. Otherwise a very good lesson.
Darrell...let’s be straight up here... you have way too many nice guitars... I am sending my address to lighten your load !! Love your channel. Greetings from Brisbane Australia.
Thought this was gonna be gimmicky but it's actually really good. Love how the subject is always on screen so anyone can skip around and know exactly what you're talking about
In respect to guitar set ups Darrell is teaching people more than if they went to a music school. It took me years to put all this knowledge together in my notebook. Yet here it is, in one convenient easy to understand, very clear / accurate video. As people say..."Your The Man" Darrell!
Wow! I have own a Squier Strat for 20 years and I had no clue about positions 2 and 4 being hum cancelling. Great to learn new things about my old guitar, thanks!
They aren't always hum-cancelling, it depends on the pickups. If you have vintage-correct pickups (for example, Fender Pure vintage or something similar) then it's exactly like a single pickup position (and yes, i found out the hard way xD). At least even when they re not, you can still use a noise gate and itll be fine.
Darrell this is one of the best video on TH-cam covering basic tips and tricks of guitar.....Most of which are confusing for beginners aswel as intermediate players...The explanation is lucid and dosen't make a beginner feel like a bum....Great job man, Looking forward for more....Thank You...
This is such great information. I've played for years, but mostly acoustic, and this was mostly all new to me. I'd love more detail like why the front pick up is more warm and back is brighter. How the hum cancelling works. So many of the 10 points where I'd like more detail. Thank you so much. These videos are a revelation.
101 on Amps is a great idea! And you could move the series along to Guitar 102 with scale lengths, fret radius, neck shapes etc. and how they impact your sound. Loved this video!
I’ve primarily been a bass player until the last 2 years and I’ve been immersing myself in guitar now and I watch and love so much of your content. I’ve learned a bunch. Thank you so much
Great, thank you so much! I play an Ibanez, with killswitch for over ten years and you saved my next gig! Have a great day, every of your videos teaches me something. Enjoy
I finally bought a guitar. It is almost exactly like your Squier Standard Stratocaster, exactly the same finish, but with maple fingerboard. I been fiddling around with it, learning the ABCs of things like you demonstrate in this video. As for playing it, let's just say I know my D chord now. Actually I learned the D chord back in the days when CCR was around because they use it as the first chord in "Bad Moon Rising"! Moving from D to A (or any other chord) is driving me nuts! I take it that it requires quite some amount of practice to get your hand muscles to finally figure out what they can and can't do. Being 59 in a week means I am starting pretty late in this race! Ha-ha! Of course, citing CCR as an inspiration dated me right away! :) These Indonesian Squier Standard Strats are beautifully made and I got mine (almost brand new) for $230. You just have to be careful about getting one without cheese grater frets sticking out each end. Man, one that I looked at brand new in the store was REALLY rough that way. Ouch!!!
Yes, the playing part will be fun. The learning part is where the misery lies, as far as I can see. My hands are not happy about this--especially my left hand fingers! :(
Todd Sauve I started learning a little over a year ago, at 44yrs. I definitely am not a pro, but I can play a few songs. I absolutely love it, rock on!
Thank you Big Ed and Joy! I appreciate the encouragement. When I was a kid we had an old acoustic guitar that was as far from properly set up as I can imagine. I gave up on that thing and haven't tried much since then. Now that I'm 59 I hope I have more patience and persistence than I did 50 years ago. I put new strings on the Strat about a week ago and have been stretching them and re-tuning to beat the band ever since. This morning I tuned it again and tried to set the pickup height, action and intonation correctly. I hard-tailed the Strat last week. None of what I have done matches the Fender specs perfectly but I am within about 1 or 2 64ths on the action, so I think I will just be content with that until I can afford a professional setup. My greatest difficulty is in trying to form the basic chords. I need to watch some good beginner's videos on this and practice a lot. Thanks again for the encouragement! :)
Brilliant video as always \m/ I bought an American professional strat last week. I played it in the store and it was really well made and set up. Can't play it for a few days as I am waiting for my birthday. I just wanted to thank you for helping me pick my dream guitar with all your comparison videos!!!!
I learned a lot from this video. As a returning player, I have been researching as much about guitar as I can to improve my playing. This video was so informative and I will be referring to it as i continue my guitar journey. Thank you so much for the tips! I learned a lot!
I have been using the gibson method for my string setup. Basically you string through the tuning machine, then you pull up the slack from the string over the top of the post so that one wind is overlapped as a "top wind", then wind the rest of the string beneath the string as a "bottom wind". so it looks like one top wind, string that goes through, then the rest bottom wind/s.
Love your vids. From my own experience, when I was a new player, I tried quite a few different guitar brands and styles before I found what I loved. If you're like me, buy used. I initially turned up my nose at strats because they were so stereotypical. After trying an Epi Les Paul, Hamer, Taylor electric (yea, they did exist) PRS SE, and a few others, guess where I landed. I bought a used MIM strat to experiment with wiring and such. That strat felt so good and playable that I was hooked. I now have two US Deluxe strats with different pickup configs that have the features I want; one used and one built from parts. I play them 90% of the time. I still have and appreciate some of the others but they don't get nearly as much mileage. I guess the moral of this story is, save your money for your dream guitar but don't buy it until you know what it is.
I've been playing for years, and a tuner is a really great thing. I can set my intonation on my basses or guitars without even having to listen. It's a great invention.
I’ve been playing guitar for 25 years and I’ve always been scared to adjust the truss rod and set my intonation. I always thought it had to be done by trained professionals. After watching this I feel totally comfortable doing this myself. Granted, it will take some trial and error but I feel confident that I can set up my own guitars. Thank you so much!
+strangebirdsir Glad to help! ☺ Buying a straight-edge (aprox $20) will give you some peace of mind when adjusting your truss rod too. It will ensure you get it just the way you prefer every time.
If you have the factory specs available, there are other ways of setting neck relief. My Jackson is set with a capo on the 1st fret, the guitar held in playing position and you have to press the low E string down against the last fret (this turns your low E string into a straight edge running across all the frets). You then use a feeler gauge between the top of the 7th fret and the bottom of the low E string and use the truss rod to set that gap as per the manual (something like 0.20mm for mine). All the strings should be tuned to your normally used pitch before checking the gap and any adjustments you make will alter your strings pitch.
Darrell, you are the ultimate responsible for saving a PRS SE custom 24 for being sold. Your #2 tuning issues solution was the thing!! I've found later that it is a very common problem with these guitars, if you didn't know it. Man, thank you thank you thank you, you save me bucks and keep with me a wonderful guitar.
I really have to say your videos are the best. You are clear, knowledgeable and interesting. Your comparison videos are thorough and well thought out to make the comparison easy. Following your Mexican Tele v American Tele video I've decided to buy the Mexican. Thankyou for taking the time to make these videos.
+Graham Cox Glad to help! Take your time, find one with a good neck and proper fretwork. Tone-wise, I think you'll like the warm bluesy sound of the MIM ☺
I'm a guitar player and a teacher of English from İstanbul, Turkey. I must say that you are one of the few most perfect speakers of English language. It's a real joy to listen to you. Subscribed and following. Thanks for the amazing channel.
I know Rick Lewis. I've worked with some Canadians and you're 100% right. However, there's something extra in Darrel's tone that I like a lot. I don't know what it is but it comes like music to my ears. Maybe being both a musician and a language teacher has something to do with it.😄
I wish I had TH-cam 27 years ago when I started playing guitar. Not that I didn't already know this info, but if I had it back then I think I'd be much further ahead in my playing. Truth be told, I've learned more on/about guitar in the last 15 years than my first 12 years playing.
A little suggestion on the guitar bridge - tremolo: You should also mention the Stets Bar pro. It's quite unique but very functional. Check it out. I'm a big enthusiast end user. No commercial. It's got its disadvantages, but definitely it's worth mentioning.
There is an easy way to get tone control on the bridge pickup of a strat. You need to solder a little wire between the open terminal and the rear tonepot terminal on you 5 way selector switch. You can find plenty of diagrams online.
Hi Darrell. This is in reference to Issue #2 - the Nut. A trick I use to keep the nut lubricated is apply some Vaseline petroleum jelly. No kidding. And this really helps is keeping the guitar in tune longer. I apply some on my finger and then rub it across the entire nut ensuring that I don't get any on the fret board. Then I dive bomb the tremelo bar a couple of times to get the jelly underneath the strings.
Very helpful video. Not that I can do any of this stuff; but it just makes me more aware what to look out for whenever my guitar feels 'off'. Thanks much!
On locking the strings, an extra wrap on top before going under the string is what "locks" the string on the tree. This is usually done manually to take up the slack before you start winding the second wrap, which then goes under for two to three wraps, causing up pressure, locking against the top wrap. Making a fist with your thumb sticking out between index and middle finger is how the wrap should look.
One of the best videos on TH-cam thank you, your explanation is even better what my guitar tutors have been telling me .... I'm keenly looking forward to your other videos
Really like this video. Just bought my first guitar two weeks ago. I bought an Epiphone VE This video helps me out.Instructions eight through 10 more than most useful for me. Thank you
A super easy trick with setting saddle height/action (at least on Strats) is to put a capo on the first fret, and then place a credit card (or subway card for that matter) over the 12th and 13th fret (beneath the strings, of course). The edges of the card will (depending on the card) just rest on the 11th and 14th fret - make sure that it lays flat ON the frets, not on the fingerboard. Put some painters tape on each side of the card, and bend the card so it matches the radius of your neck; then pull the tape onto the back of the neck on both sides, so the card stays in place with the guitar radius. Now lower your saddle by adjusting both alan screws, until you can pluck the string very lightly with a pick without the string buzzing on the card. (Remember to retune your guitar for each adjustment.) If you play in Standard tuning, remember that your tuning will now be one half step up. So E will be F, A will be A#, D will be D#, G will be G#, B will be C, and high E will be F. If you use Eb Tuning like me, you'll just tune it EADGBE like regular. You'll get super-low action adjusted perfectly to your guitar's radius.
Good vid, only thing I would add is that when fitting strings you should have at least three full turns around the peg, Found a lot of guitar players (even a few that have been playing for years) dont have enough turns resulting in the guitar falling out of tune, I always use the next peg down (bit hard to explain in text) to get the length right
What a wonderfully useful vid, man! I wish this video had existed years ago so I didn't have to figure all that stuff out myself. Not only was I mocked as a beginner for not knowing this stuff but also I was given the wrong info oftentimes. I'm adding this to a playlist so I can refer other new players to this. Awesome stuff.
Marty is awesome for his "how to play this" stuff. He's wrong a LOT .. meaning "not actually playing it correctly" but it sounds great and youre playing the song 5 minutes later so screwit :)
For the string locking, that method can actually damage the pegs. It's not really bad, but over time, you'll have to replace them sooner. Whether it's worth it or not is up to the player. The method I was taught involves leaving a good amount of slack in the string and wrapping it OVER the string once or twice, and then going under for the rest of the wraps. It creates a kind of "seat belt" that holds it in place a little better. It's not as good at holding pitch as your method, but I play with a locking nut and I tune by ear pretty well anyways, so on guitars without a locking nut I don't mind tuning up every once in a while.
6:21.. the fine tuners are there to correct the tuning after tightening the locking nuts at the head end as this throws the tuning out slightly as you clamp down.
Another handy tip for intonation. If you can't remember which way to move your saddles, just follow the needle on your chromatic tuner. The direction it moves away from the middle is the direction the saddle must go.
Maybe already suggested, but in the part about locking strings to the tuning pegs, I'd have preferred using the low E string rather than the high one because I'd have actually been able to see what was happening. Thanks!
Great video!!! Good job! Great tips, but you should mention that you need lower the stings just a few ( half a turn), before moving the bridge saddles, I´ve had broken stings when setting the intonation..... Rock On!!
some eccentric tips from a guy who makes guitars and plays, and who is admittedly a bit of a mad scientist. 1:String binding for heavy guage players...get some cheapo needle files and buy yourself a few extra headstock nuts. take a file and GENTLY give each slot a very soft shave with a triange V shaped file, angling slightly back towards the headstock. use a pencil to mark the slot and file just until it almost touches the slot's bottom. that V-shape will allow different string guages to sit down properly, letting your lights seat down all the way and your beefy bastards to sit slightly up in the V. if done right you wont ever have to file the nut for a gauge change, or replace the nut if you go down a smaller guage. the V groove automatically adjusts height based on string diameter so the bigger strings dont sit low and buzz and the highs dont sit too high and become hard to play. the slightly backward angle allows the string to kinda float and only touch at the very edge of the fretboard where it needs to be and keeps the strings pulling smooth and effortlessly. no more slip and twang tuning. 2: buy some truss rod keys with handles. its so easy to fight a truss rod and accidentally strip it, ruining your neck just because you cant get a regular allen wrench in there. those long keys with the t-handle will save your necks...literally.
on the bridge pick up brightness of the strat, maybe just turn the treble down a bit, that's also something guitarists should know, how to play with the raw sound on their amps w.o effects, what mid treble and bass does to the sound.
You do very well! I like watching your videos. I have one of those cheap Squiers (standard) with a floating trem. I use super slinkys without adjusting the intonation from the bullets I bought it with. Also, it has a seymour JB. If I fold the string and get three wraps descending toward the headstock it never loses tuning. In fact any guitar I've played will hold tune with 3 wraps going down
You could totally make a new one of these vids adding the Wire for the tone in bridge mod!! I need a better Iron. But my player series loaded guard I put in my 2015 classic vibe has it and is RAD!
This may be a dumb question because I don't know much about guitars... but why wouldn't all the pick up selections be "hum cancelling"? Is there some reason why you would ever want that sound?
Superb video, a lot of information in such a condesed form. Although I feel that you jumped through a few topics to quickly, for instance you should mention at least basic disadvantages of a floyd bridge. A few other parts would benefit from mentioning pros and cons of a particular designs you present. Also part when you show hum cancelling begs for a mention of what humbucker pickup is - you are just a one or two sentences from a perfect explanaition of differences between single and humbucker. Still, superb job!
very informative! I've been looking at getting a Telecaster but I didn't even realize it was a single cutaway. Never even paid attention to that. But really it seems like a single cutaway is all you need
I've always heard people say to take caution with the truss rod because you could crack the neck. I have a bass that needs it adjusted, and I'm trying to save up money to get it done. I've been playing guitar/bass for a solid decade now (with bass as my main), and have set up most of my instruments myself in the past (minus the truss rod). Should I go ahead and try to fix it or let somebody who knows what they're doing do it?
+Kenton Park Like any bolt or screw, just don't turn it past the point of excessive resistance. Having a straight edge will help, but eye-balling it should be good enough to get you close :)
I have been watching tons of these vids lately and never comment but I have to for yours. I'm so glad your video popped up, you are so clear with the explanation of each part of the guitar it made it fun to watch. I subscribed right away. Thanks for making such helpful videos for us newbies.
+J. K. Thanks for the kind words!
Welcome to the channel 😀
I was gonna make my own comment ,but this one says it all for me ! Thumbs way up for this channel 👍👍👍
I third this comment. Thank you!
Easily one of the coolest guitartuberz or whatever, this guy is dope
Get sleep
there is no fear in this mans voice while he tunes up his guitar, legend
Wait why would he be scared? Srry I'm new to guitars and have no idea
Snorchill it has never happened to me nor am I worried about it but sometimes the string can snap and go into your face/eye
@@snorchill3170 when you tune up you are increasing the tension on the strings and sometimes when you do that strings break, and sometimes when they break they whip you with a sharp end and it hurts and sometimes when it does that it hits an already open cut that you got from sports and makes everything hurt and bleed even worse. Ok the last part was specific to me but fr strings break and hit you with sharp ends like a whip
Tuning that high e can cause some anxiety, specially if yr pluckin it as yr turning the tuner, sounds like a bomb about to explode and sometimes it does lol
@@jacobgeist6580 can you play
Where are the adds? This man definitely deserves monetization. Helped me out a shit ton
he has a digital shop setup, you can help him out there.
Has a Patreon page, donate if you feel so strongly
I let one play though and I was rewarded with another ad.
Theres more now, he's got 5 in this video
Dont worry I had enough for the both of us!
You're a one-man encyclopedia, buyer's guide, user manual and tutor! Grateful thanks, Darrell.
+promerops 😄 Thanks!
Sorry if anyone has pointed this out already, but when adjusting intonation, if you have to move the saddle then you must re-tune the open string before checking the intonation again. Obvious really but could easily catch out a novice. Otherwise a very good lesson.
+Aiden Wrenn 👍 😀
Darrell...let’s be straight up here... you have way too many nice guitars... I am sending my address to lighten your load !! Love your channel. Greetings from Brisbane Australia.
Arguably one of the best guitar channels on TH-cam, thanks yet again, Mr. Braun. Keep up the great work!
How can 12 people dislike this? The info is accurate and well presented!
Thank you Darrell!
+Glenn Gardin Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Thought this was gonna be gimmicky but it's actually really good. Love how the subject is always on screen so anyone can skip around and know exactly what you're talking about
Been playing for 45 years and I still learn new stuff all the time!
Can you make a video like this for guitar pedals?
+The Golden Badger I'll add it to the list :)
@@DarrellBraunGuitar im gonna love that :)
Darrell Braun Guitar is this ever coming? I really need this rn lmao
@@natesenft5376 lmao, still none even a month later
In respect to guitar set ups Darrell is teaching people more than if they went to a music school. It took me years to put all this knowledge together in my notebook. Yet here it is, in one convenient easy to understand, very clear / accurate video.
As people say..."Your The Man" Darrell!
Thanks for the kind words Peter!
Wow! I have own a Squier Strat for 20 years and I had no clue about positions 2 and 4 being hum cancelling. Great to learn new things about my old guitar, thanks!
2 and 4 have the best tones too
They aren't always hum-cancelling, it depends on the pickups. If you have vintage-correct pickups (for example, Fender Pure vintage or something similar) then it's exactly like a single pickup position
(and yes, i found out the hard way xD).
At least even when they re not, you can still use a noise gate and itll be fine.
Darrell this is one of the best video on TH-cam covering basic tips and tricks of guitar.....Most of which are confusing for beginners aswel as intermediate players...The explanation is lucid and dosen't make a beginner feel like a bum....Great job man, Looking forward for more....Thank You...
This is such great information.
I've played for years, but mostly acoustic, and this was mostly all new to me. I'd love more detail like why the front pick up is more warm and back is brighter. How the hum cancelling works. So many of the 10 points where I'd like more detail.
Thank you so much. These videos are a revelation.
Great video
Can you make a guitar 101 on amps?
+Henry Velasco Thanks!
Il add it to my list :)
101 on Amps is a great idea! And you could move the series along to Guitar 102 with scale lengths, fret radius, neck shapes etc. and how they impact your sound. Loved this video!
+Puneet Wagh 😀👍
I’ve primarily been a bass player until the last 2 years and I’ve been immersing myself in guitar now and I watch and love so much of your content. I’ve learned a bunch. Thank you so much
Great, thank you so much! I play an Ibanez, with killswitch for over ten years and you saved my next gig!
Have a great day, every of your videos teaches me something.
Enjoy
+Martin Hepler Glad you hear it!
This is fantastic. I feel like you just bundled 10 random videos I've had to watch around TH-cam into one. I'll be passing this one along. Thanks!
I finally bought a guitar. It is almost exactly like your Squier Standard Stratocaster, exactly the same finish, but with maple fingerboard. I been fiddling around with it, learning the ABCs of things like you demonstrate in this video.
As for playing it, let's just say I know my D chord now. Actually I learned the D chord back in the days when CCR was around because they use it as the first chord in "Bad Moon Rising"!
Moving from D to A (or any other chord) is driving me nuts! I take it that it requires quite some amount of practice to get your hand muscles to finally figure out what they can and can't do. Being 59 in a week means I am starting pretty late in this race! Ha-ha! Of course, citing CCR as an inspiration dated me right away! :)
These Indonesian Squier Standard Strats are beautifully made and I got mine (almost brand new) for $230. You just have to be careful about getting one without cheese grater frets sticking out each end. Man, one that I looked at brand new in the store was REALLY rough that way. Ouch!!!
+Todd Sauve Nice! Congrats on the new guitar. I hope you really enjoy playing it 😀
Yes, the playing part will be fun. The learning part is where the misery lies, as far as I can see. My hands are not happy about this--especially my left hand fingers! :(
you need to practice 10 minutes a day for 2 weeks. then you will become good enough to play the ccr song.
Todd Sauve I started learning a little over a year ago, at 44yrs. I definitely am not a pro, but I can play a few songs. I absolutely love it, rock on!
Thank you Big Ed and Joy! I appreciate the encouragement.
When I was a kid we had an old acoustic guitar that was as far from properly set up as I can imagine. I gave up on that thing and haven't tried much since then. Now that I'm 59 I hope I have more patience and persistence than I did 50 years ago.
I put new strings on the Strat about a week ago and have been stretching them and re-tuning to beat the band ever since. This morning I tuned it again and tried to set the pickup height, action and intonation correctly. I hard-tailed the Strat last week.
None of what I have done matches the Fender specs perfectly but I am within about 1 or 2 64ths on the action, so I think I will just be content with that until I can afford a professional setup.
My greatest difficulty is in trying to form the basic chords. I need to watch some good beginner's videos on this and practice a lot.
Thanks again for the encouragement! :)
"There are two main electric guitar body styles, the double cut, and the single cut"
Laughs in Flying V
*Laughs in dean*
Brilliant video as always \m/ I bought an American professional strat last week. I played it in the store and it was really well made and set up. Can't play it for a few days as I am waiting for my birthday. I just wanted to thank you for helping me pick my dream guitar with all your comparison videos!!!!
+Fluro Flash Man, I'm sure that is going to be such a sweet guitar! Congratulations!
I usually don't comment to the producer. I'm getting back into guitars after 25 years. This is a super helpful refresher. So thank you.
Every time I watch one of your videos, I am more impressed than I was the last time. Great videos, very well done!
This video would of been nice 40+ years ago when I was just learning about guitars. Nice video.
5:39 Perfect guitar transition doesn't exi....
I just started out playing guitar so it's useful to hear these tips😄 thank you!
+Schnitzel I hope you really enjoy playing guitar :)
I definitely will👍
this video is for everyone who doesn't work at a guitar repair center... this helps a ton
Definitely, this channel is the most useful one I've ever found about guitars.
Thanks.
Darrell, man! Guitars in the front, AT-AT in the back. Guitars and Star Wars on the same channel. My hero 😁
+tylerrose2891 😄👍👍👍
Nothing new for me here but I watched the video until the end. Absolutely appreciating your tight fiddeling-free presentation style
I learned a lot from this video. As a returning player, I have been researching as much about guitar as I can to improve my playing. This video was so informative and I will be referring to it as i continue my guitar journey. Thank you so much for the tips! I learned a lot!
Glad to help!
Great video. I finally understand the procedure for string locking without locking tuners thanks to you!
+Eyeconoklast 👍Glad to help ☺
2:38 Hehe I'm so childish Lmao
😂🤘
Hahahahahahhagag
aren't we all
Get out of my lubricated nut slot.
I tried putting graphite in my nuts but got arrested
Nehemiah Zo 🤣
I have been using the gibson method for my string setup. Basically you string through the tuning machine, then you pull up the slack from the string over the top of the post so that one wind is overlapped as a "top wind", then wind the rest of the string beneath the string as a "bottom wind". so it looks like one top wind, string that goes through, then the rest bottom wind/s.
Love your vids.
From my own experience, when I was a new player, I tried quite a few different guitar brands and styles before I found what I loved. If you're like me, buy used. I initially turned up my nose at strats because they were so stereotypical. After trying an Epi Les Paul, Hamer, Taylor electric (yea, they did exist) PRS SE, and a few others, guess where I landed.
I bought a used MIM strat to experiment with wiring and such. That strat felt so good and playable that I was hooked. I now have two US Deluxe strats with different pickup configs that have the features I want; one used and one built from parts. I play them 90% of the time. I still have and appreciate some of the others but they don't get nearly as much mileage.
I guess the moral of this story is, save your money for your dream guitar but don't buy it until you know what it is.
I've been playing for years, and a tuner is a really great thing. I can set my intonation on my basses or guitars without even having to listen. It's a great invention.
Short and sweet as always, Darrell, love it!Cheers Alex
FFF - If the Fretted note is Flat; move the saddle Forward. I'll NEVER forget that! :)
I’ve been playing guitar for 25 years and I’ve always been scared to adjust the truss rod and set my intonation. I always thought it had to be done by trained professionals. After watching this I feel totally comfortable doing this myself. Granted, it will take some trial and error but I feel confident that I can set up my own guitars. Thank you so much!
+strangebirdsir Glad to help! ☺
Buying a straight-edge (aprox $20) will give you some peace of mind when adjusting your truss rod too. It will ensure you get it just the way you prefer every time.
If you have the factory specs available, there are other ways of setting neck relief. My Jackson is set with a capo on the 1st fret, the guitar held in playing position and you have to press the low E string down against the last fret (this turns your low E string into a straight edge running across all the frets). You then use a feeler gauge between the top of the 7th fret and the bottom of the low E string and use the truss rod to set that gap as per the manual (something like 0.20mm for mine). All the strings should be tuned to your normally used pitch before checking the gap and any adjustments you make will alter your strings pitch.
You're like the dad of every beginner guitarist! Love your videos man!
I can say I learned things about the guitar I did not know today. Thank you Darrell Braun Guitar!
Thank you so much for this! I've been playing for 15 years and learned some really important things I didn't know I should know.
Darrell, you are the ultimate responsible for saving a PRS SE custom 24 for being sold. Your #2 tuning issues solution was the thing!! I've found later that it is a very common problem with these guitars, if you didn't know it. Man, thank you thank you thank you, you save me bucks and keep with me a wonderful guitar.
+Juan Jimenez So glad to hear it!
I have a custom 24 SE too, and absolutely love mine as well :)
I have exactly the same one you show in the video Lol. You have a fan here forever
+Juan Jimenez Sweet! Trans-Black is a nice understated look for PRS in my opinion :)
I really have to say your videos are the best. You are clear, knowledgeable and interesting. Your comparison videos are thorough and well thought out to make the comparison easy. Following your Mexican Tele v American Tele video I've decided to buy the Mexican. Thankyou for taking the time to make these videos.
+Graham Cox Glad to help!
Take your time, find one with a good neck and proper fretwork. Tone-wise, I think you'll like the warm bluesy sound of the MIM ☺
I'm a guitar player and a teacher of English from İstanbul, Turkey. I must say that you are one of the few most perfect speakers of English language. It's a real joy to listen to you. Subscribed and following. Thanks for the amazing channel.
Kubilay Derinoğlu
Darrell is Canadian they speak the most perfect form of the English language.
I know Rick Lewis. I've worked with some Canadians and you're 100% right. However, there's something extra in Darrel's tone that I like a lot. I don't know what it is but it comes like music to my ears. Maybe being both a musician and a language teacher has something to do with it.😄
I wish I had TH-cam 27 years ago when I started playing guitar. Not that I didn't already know this info, but if I had it back then I think I'd be much further ahead in my playing. Truth be told, I've learned more on/about guitar in the last 15 years than my first 12 years playing.
I know you said this video was for beginners, but I've been playing for 13 years, and never knew anything about steps 8, 9, and 10. Thanks for this!
Glad to help!
A little suggestion on the guitar bridge - tremolo: You should also mention the Stets Bar pro. It's quite unique but very functional. Check it out. I'm a big enthusiast end user. No commercial. It's got its disadvantages, but definitely it's worth mentioning.
This is the most useful vid about guitars I have ever seen
There is an easy way to get tone control on the bridge pickup of a strat. You need to solder a little wire between the open terminal and the rear tonepot terminal on you 5 way selector switch. You can find plenty of diagrams online.
Your videos helped me through a really dark time a few years ago, thank you so much 😊
Hi Darrell. This is in reference to Issue #2 - the Nut. A trick I use to keep the nut lubricated is apply some Vaseline petroleum jelly. No kidding. And this really helps is keeping the guitar in tune longer. I apply some on my finger and then rub it across the entire nut ensuring that I don't get any on the fret board. Then I dive bomb the tremelo bar a couple of times to get the jelly underneath the strings.
Very helpful video.
Not that I can do any of this stuff; but it just makes me more aware what to look out for whenever my guitar feels 'off'. Thanks much!
Excellent refresher course for me Darrell! Thank you.
Great video Darrell. Should be mandatory for all new guitarists.
+Mark Bornais Thanks!
On locking the strings, an extra wrap on top before going under the string is what "locks" the string on the tree. This is usually done manually to take up the slack before you start winding the second wrap, which then goes under for two to three wraps, causing up pressure, locking against the top wrap.
Making a fist with your thumb sticking out between index and middle finger is how the wrap should look.
Fantastic video. So helpful. Man you have some gorgeous looking guitars.
+Jerry W Thanks!
I'm glad you found the video helpful 👍
Imo you are the best youtuber when it comes to guitar tech.
One of the best videos on TH-cam thank you, your explanation is even better what my guitar tutors have been telling me .... I'm keenly looking forward to your other videos
+Dhiraj Shetty Thanks man! I'm glad to help ☺
Really like this video. Just bought my first guitar two weeks ago. I bought an Epiphone VE This video helps me out.Instructions eight through 10 more than most useful for me. Thank you
+Tim Moran Glad to help!
Congrats on the new Guitar 👍
A super easy trick with setting saddle height/action (at least on Strats) is to put a capo on the first fret, and then place a credit card (or subway card for that matter) over the 12th and 13th fret (beneath the strings, of course). The edges of the card will (depending on the card) just rest on the 11th and 14th fret - make sure that it lays flat ON the frets, not on the fingerboard. Put some painters tape on each side of the card, and bend the card so it matches the radius of your neck; then pull the tape onto the back of the neck on both sides, so the card stays in place with the guitar radius. Now lower your saddle by adjusting both alan screws, until you can pluck the string very lightly with a pick without the string buzzing on the card. (Remember to retune your guitar for each adjustment.) If you play in Standard tuning, remember that your tuning will now be one half step up. So E will be F, A will be A#, D will be D#, G will be G#, B will be C, and high E will be F. If you use Eb Tuning like me, you'll just tune it EADGBE like regular. You'll get super-low action adjusted perfectly to your guitar's radius.
Good vid, only thing I would add is that when fitting strings you should have at least three full turns around the peg, Found a lot of guitar players (even a few that have been playing for years) dont have enough turns resulting in the guitar falling out of tune, I always use the next peg down (bit hard to explain in text) to get the length right
7:01 thts his angriest id propably ever see from him
You're such a great teacher.😊😊 Thank you for showing what are the basics to know about a guitar or electric guitar.
And I finally understand intonation. Thanks Darrell
What a wonderfully useful vid, man! I wish this video had existed years ago so I didn't have to figure all that stuff out myself. Not only was I mocked as a beginner for not knowing this stuff but also I was given the wrong info oftentimes.
I'm adding this to a playlist so I can refer other new players to this. Awesome stuff.
+arcanics1971 Happy to share! 😀
great overview for new players for sure. Should help out a lot of people getting started. :)
Great video Darrell. My PRS guitars are all 24 fret, because that’s the only way you can get the owl on the fretboard! 🦉
You and marty schwartz are my favorite guitar channels on you tube.
Marty is awesome for his "how to play this" stuff. He's wrong a LOT .. meaning "not actually playing it correctly" but it sounds great and youre playing the song 5 minutes later so screwit :)
jerrygsheldon
Rick Beato is very interesting too. Check out his channel .
For the string locking, that method can actually damage the pegs. It's not really bad, but over time, you'll have to replace them sooner. Whether it's worth it or not is up to the player. The method I was taught involves leaving a good amount of slack in the string and wrapping it OVER the string once or twice, and then going under for the rest of the wraps. It creates a kind of "seat belt" that holds it in place a little better. It's not as good at holding pitch as your method, but I play with a locking nut and I tune by ear pretty well anyways, so on guitars without a locking nut I don't mind tuning up every once in a while.
6:21.. the fine tuners are there to correct the tuning after tightening the locking nuts at the head end as this throws the tuning out slightly as you clamp down.
Outstanding video, such a concise summary of all the essentials!
Another handy tip for intonation. If you can't remember which way to move your saddles, just follow the needle on your chromatic tuner. The direction it moves away from the middle is the direction the saddle must go.
+Emiel Kollof Great tip!
Really enjoy the channel. Great video. I also like your bright, positive delivery.
+Laurence Anthony Thanks Laurence!
Maybe already suggested, but in the part about locking strings to the tuning pegs, I'd have preferred using the low E string rather than the high one because I'd have actually been able to see what was happening.
Thanks!
Great video!!! Good job! Great tips, but you should mention that you need lower the stings just a few ( half a turn), before moving the bridge saddles, I´ve had broken stings when setting the intonation..... Rock On!!
Darrells videos always make my Monday 😄👍
some eccentric tips from a guy who makes guitars and plays, and who is admittedly a bit of a mad scientist.
1:String binding for heavy guage players...get some cheapo needle files and buy yourself a few extra headstock nuts. take a file and GENTLY give each slot a very soft shave with a triange V shaped file, angling slightly back towards the headstock. use a pencil to mark the slot and file just until it almost touches the slot's bottom. that V-shape will allow different string guages to sit down properly, letting your lights seat down all the way and your beefy bastards to sit slightly up in the V. if done right you wont ever have to file the nut for a gauge change, or replace the nut if you go down a smaller guage. the V groove automatically adjusts height based on string diameter so the bigger strings dont sit low and buzz and the highs dont sit too high and become hard to play. the slightly backward angle allows the string to kinda float and only touch at the very edge of the fretboard where it needs to be and keeps the strings pulling smooth and effortlessly. no more slip and twang tuning.
2: buy some truss rod keys with handles. its so easy to fight a truss rod and accidentally strip it, ruining your neck just because you cant get a regular allen wrench in there. those long keys with the t-handle will save your necks...literally.
playing the guitar since i was 9 and all of this just blew my mind
Quick thing, on say a les paul the screws for intonation are in front of the saddles. So there under the strings.
Thanks for comments on Les Paul volume/tone control settings...
Great info for any beginner and even intermediate for sure.
on the bridge pick up brightness of the strat, maybe just turn the treble down a bit, that's also something guitarists should know, how to play with the raw sound on their amps w.o effects, what mid treble and bass does to the sound.
I was always curious about intonation. Thank you very much for the clear and to the point explanation.
I just bought my first electric guitar and was wondering how the pickup selector worked. Thank you for a great informative video!
The explanation for that will depend on your guitar? What are you playing? My strat has 5 variations and my LP has 3, so obviously it differs.
You do very well! I like watching your videos. I have one of those cheap Squiers (standard) with a floating trem. I use super slinkys without adjusting the intonation from the bullets I bought it with. Also, it has a seymour JB. If I fold the string and get three wraps descending toward the headstock it never loses tuning. In fact any guitar I've played will hold tune with 3 wraps going down
You could totally make a new one of these vids adding the Wire for the tone in bridge mod!! I need a better Iron. But my player series loaded guard I put in my 2015 classic vibe has it and is RAD!
Holy crap your voice is so unnaturally welcoming, You're like the mister rogers of the guitar world.
I got a spontaneous nervous breakdown from seeing that floyd rose bridge. Learned so much though, even though I teach guitar lol. Thank you.
This may be a dumb question because I don't know much about guitars... but why wouldn't all the pick up selections be "hum cancelling"? Is there some reason why you would ever want that sound?
The solo at the first is quite good, loved it
+Silvanus clifford Thanks man!
needed this. thank you!
+Bhushan Pradhan Anytime! 👍😀
Superb video, a lot of information in such a condesed form. Although I feel that you jumped through a few topics to quickly, for instance you should mention at least basic disadvantages of a floyd bridge. A few other parts would benefit from mentioning pros and cons of a particular designs you present. Also part when you show hum cancelling begs for a mention of what humbucker pickup is - you are just a one or two sentences from a perfect explanaition of differences between single and humbucker.
Still, superb job!
very informative! I've been looking at getting a Telecaster but I didn't even realize it was a single cutaway. Never even paid attention to that. But really it seems like a single cutaway is all you need
I've always heard people say to take caution with the truss rod because you could crack the neck. I have a bass that needs it adjusted, and I'm trying to save up money to get it done. I've been playing guitar/bass for a solid decade now (with bass as my main), and have set up most of my instruments myself in the past (minus the truss rod). Should I go ahead and try to fix it or let somebody who knows what they're doing do it?
+Kenton Park Like any bolt or screw, just don't turn it past the point of excessive resistance. Having a straight edge will help, but eye-balling it should be good enough to get you close :)
A must watch video for us beginners, thank you.
Awesome video!! I think you deserve more credit for each and every one of your videos. Possibly the best GuitarChannel on TH-cam!
Time flies when watching your videos.
Ok. I knew all this but it sure was fun to watch. Well made and I think any of my beginning students should see this.