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I'm glad you got there in the end! Thanks for sharing your fix, hopefully it will help somebody else.

I'm so glad it worked for you!

Cheers Matt!

A FR equipped guitar would be the last thing I'd recommend for a beginner - it's too complicated in my opinion. Most beginners would be better off with a hardtail. You don't need to hold the whammy while playing all the time, just grab it when you need it. Do you mean that there is play in the bar (i.e. it moves a bit without changing the sound) or it changes the sound as soon as you touch it? If it's the former, that is a problem on many FR guitars (mine included) - you have to keep tightening the thread by hand. Some people put plumbers tape or something in the thread to make it lock better. I did this and it worked well for a while but has worn off now. You can also look at a replacement arm which requires an allen key or spanner to attach - they are more hassle to put on and off but more secure. Installing the new arm will require removing all the strings and bridge (if you can even find an arm that is compatible). If it's the latter (the pitch changes as soon as you grab the bar) then that is user error - you need to be more careful. If you make the bar stiffer this would be less of a problem as more force would be required to change pitch with the bar. Follow my recommendations in the video to make the bar stiffer. Also are you resting your picking hand on the bridge? If so you may be resting too hard and moving the bridge which will affect the pitch. I hope this helps!

In a 10-52 set, the EAD strings are from a set of 12s and the GBE strings from a set of 10s. I'd set it up for a set of 12s, then you can experiment with adjusting the spring tension screws. You could also try mixing spring tensions, i..e have a lighter spring on the high E string side. But I haven't tested it so that's just my best guess. I do have a Strat with 10-52 strings on it, but I keep the bridge flush to the body with 5x heavy springs. That's just the way I like it on that guitar - I can hit chords really hard, do unison/harmony bends, drop D etc, and it stays in tune well. You just have to experiment and set it up the way you like it. Be prepared to get it wrong and change the screw settings/spring configuration multiple times until you're happy with the result. Let me know how you get on!

I’m glad you found it!

Great! I wanted to know the answers so badly - I figured I wasn't the only one! I looked up the arming adjuster but can't quite get my head around what it does exactly? Watched a couple of videos but they didn't explain much. Seems to serve a similar purpose to the Tremel-No? Let me know how you get on with it!

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons The ESP arming adjuster has an adjustable spring piston that pushes in the opposite direction of the other strings in the cavity. This means that your total force from the string direction grows higher. To counteract this, you need to add tension to the regular springs. The result is that there is more opposing force on the tremolo, which means that the entire system is stabilized. In short, it makes a floating trem more hard-tail like. I JUST installed it on an old PRS CE-22 that was having issues with muddiness in the low-end, and adding the arming adjuster gave it a bit more definition and changed the voice of the guitar a little bit. Conversely, any bending and whammy action is also now harder, but I don't use the whammy so this is OK. One downside is that the spring piston from the adjuster doesn't follow the trem block entirely when you push down the pitch with the whammy. There is a subtle "click" when the spring block touches the adjuster. Doesn't matter to me. Does that make sense?

@@lordgraga I kind of get it. How is this different than just adding more springs? Does it have the same effect, just with more adjustment? Or does the fact that it's a solid bolt of metal rather than thin spring wires give you that tone improvement in addition to the stiffer trem action?

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons It feels like it can make a drastically bigger difference for stiffness than a single spring can. So you can get a tighter trem. I think most tonal change simply comes from the fact that the bridge is more rigid. There may also be some change from having a new semi-rigid resting point for the trem.

@@lordgraga Thanks, I'll have to try one one day!

I hope you found it useful!

Cheers!

It's up to you. The natural minor has all 7 notes of the key. The pentatonic minor is a subset - i.e. it contains 5 out of 7 of the notes from the natural minor scale. The natural minor scale is the same as the major scale apart from three notes - the 3rd, 6th and 7th notes are all flattened by one semitone. C major scale = C D E F G A B C. C natural minor scale = C D Eb F G Ab Bb C.

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons Ahh okay. So could I just learn the 5 major scale caged shapes and then memorize the minor scale by just moving the 3rd 6th and 7th fret one fret up aka one semitone lower?

@@jeremymusic6544 You could try that but moving down one fret is not always the best option. Sometimes you will need to change strings to make it more playable. I would suggest learning the shapes first, then analysing/comparing them afterwards,

Great - I'm happy it worked!

Thank you. I did quite like the Taylor acoustically but the pickup sound was disappointing. I still have the Auden 3 years later!

I made this video during UK COVID-19 lockdown and there wasn't much available. I did want to try a Guild but couldn't get one (Taylor and Guild were my first choices). The Martin and Gibson you mention are beyond my budget - they cost more than double the most expensive guitar in this test (although I'm sure they are both amazing). And as for Ovation, I just don't like them!

I must admit I didn't think of those - what do you mean by tinning issues? Tuning?

@@cliffsmithbackingtracks With Carbon Fibre Guitars, especially from Emerald, they are so strong that nothing moves to alter the tuning as soon as the strings have settled. The Carbon strength means the extreme loads of a 12 string are easily handled and managed. The constant tuning that I see from musicians between songs at gigs is a thing of the past with an Emerald. I own three, an X20 and X7 with Hyvibe and a Virtuo… a 12 string is next on my list, I wouldn’t even look at anything else now.

@@Chrislayeruk1 sounds great! How is the tone compared to some nice solid rosewood and spruce/cedar?

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons The tone and is lovely

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons They have an ambassador program where you can find owners in your area will to let you asses their instruments for yourself. No sales pitch, just sharing the love. Check out their website and CZcams etc You'll find all you need

Thank you for your constructive feedback 🤣

Yes I was very surprised by the Auden! I was playing a riff based on the loud bit of Stairway to Heaven as I recall. I hope you're enjoying your Guild!

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons thanks for the info! I should have it in the next day or two so I'm looking forward to it!

I certainly hope so!

I'm happy to hear that!

Yes! 7th fret on the G string, 2 step bend - magic!

You can if you want to. The voicing I give here is a common jazz voicing. It just contains the notes you need for Dm7: R b3 5 b7. If you include the high E string you repeat the root note which is unnecessary. Generally in jazz chord voicings you just play the notes you need with no duplicates. I find this voicing the most useful day to day which is why I included it. Most of the shapes have variations.

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons Ah ok thanks Cliff

Cheers, I hope you enjoyed the video!

I'm sure they are great guitars, but I have one question... how did you get your 12 string back from the motorcycle gang?!

I'm glad you found it useful - I just had to know the answer after years of guessing!

Last time I checked, Auden didn't have a US distributor but you can order from their website and they ship to the US. audenguitars.com/

If you're telling me that I made that Breedlove sing, I'll take it! Thank you very much ☺

Well if you like it , that's all that matters!

Nice! My brother has an old EKO 12 string - it's a beast. Still going strong!

I wanted to, but there wasn't much available during UK lockdown 2021! I bet your '69 is a beast!

Thanks Bill!

I based it on the arrangement in this book and added a few details. It's a great book www.halleonard.com/product/696570/from-lute-to-uke

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I haven't tried a Smokehouse. I kept the Auden Colton 12 string from this video and it is still awesome. You can switch the strings around but you will probably need a new nut at least, maybe a new saddle. This is pretty basic work for a good guitar tech. Intonation on 12 strings can only be adjusted so much - pick your strings and set up and then adjust the intonation. The intonation can only be adjusted by adding or removing material from the saddle so it's good to get everything else set up first or you may end up getting an extra saddle made. Be prepared to take it back to the tech a couple of times until it's just how you like it. Playing it for 5 minutes in the workshop often isn't enough to really know if the setup is exactly what you want or not. Let us know how you get on!

@@cliffsmithbackingtracks That is all super helpful. Thanks so much. Have a great weekend. 👍

Cheers, good luck! @@dr_lulz

I'm glad you survived the string change! 😁

Cheers Keith!

The 2 step bend is commonly used on both Fender and Gibson scale guitars. I used a 10-52 set on my Gibson SG in this video.

Yes that was a nice surprise - from a brand I'd previously never heard of!

Do you mean the bridge plate is angled up (i.e. not level with the body), or you angle the springs? I have been wondering about what difference angling the springs actually makes, but I haven’t tested it myself.

Standard tuning with low B? Let me know what happens!

@@cliffsmithguitarlessons drop A 26.5" scale, and another 26.5" guitar in drop G with 11s, but in my case I think it is the heavy gauge AEA strings under too much tension to allow my Floyd Rose to flutter.

There are a lot of variables there, I’d set up the guitar so it plays how you want it then experiment with the springs. You may find you need an extra spring on the bass side (or one fewer on the treble side) if there is a lot more tension on one side than the other. I don’t have a 7 string so I’m just guessing!