{"id":44282,"date":"2017-05-31T18:33:07","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T16:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/?p=44282"},"modified":"2024-01-23T17:04:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T16:04:17","slug":"shredding-tips-tricks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/learn\/shredding-tips-tricks\/","title":{"rendered":"Shredding – Tips & Tricks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to our #ThomannShredDays<\/strong>. This week it\u2019s all about \u2013 you guessed it, shredding<\/strong>! Not only will you find enriching content and incredible deals on our t.blog, but also on our Facebook page<\/strong><\/a>. Have a look!<\/p>\n

The road to becoming a shredder is a long and rocky one – as you can imagine the amount of countless hours Malmsteen, Vai or Guthrie Govan, have spent practicing their craft until they mastered their instruments as masterfully as we all know. Indeed, such as when learning any technique, shredding takes a lot of discipline and practice and there are no shortcuts!<\/strong><\/p>\n

So here are a few tips on how to reach your shred goals more easily or at least to identify and eliminate the biggest hurdles that might get in the way of your journey.<\/p>\n

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1. Setting up the guitar for shredding<\/h2>\n

\"PLEK<\/a>First and foremost, ensure that your battle-axe is optimally prepared.\u00a0This is often done by a few small adjustments<\/strong>, which can usually be performed by yourself.\u00a0Those who have two left hands or are faced with unexpected obstacles, can simply take advantage of our\u00a0service centre<\/a><\/strong>, so that our experts can take care of your instrument.\u00a0Among our services, there is also the\u00a0PLEK\u00a0service<\/strong><\/a>, a computer-controlled machine that ensures perfect alignment in frets and saddles, while it accordingly adjusts your strings to the desired height.<\/p>\n

Let’s start with the\u00a0guitar neck. <\/strong>The truss rod<\/strong> needs to be re-adjusted from time to time, depending on the string gauge used, but also after long periods of use (we\u2019re talking years).\u00a0The neck must neither be straight or curved upwards (convex), but should have a slight downwards curvature (concave).<\/p>\n

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String action <\/strong>is usually\u00a0determined\u00a0by the distance between the upper edge of the fret and the lower edge of the string at the 12th fret.\u00a0Tried and tested values \u200b\u200bfor the high E-string is approximately 1.8 mm, and approximately 2mm for the deep E-string.\u00a0Starting from these two values you can adjust the action according to your own taste and preference<\/strong> yourself.\u00a0But there are limits to this, because at a certain point the strings are in danger of hitting the frets, producing unwanted fret buzz<\/strong> with every note.\u00a0As long as this is only audible acoustically and not through the amp, it may be tolerable, but if the strings start to buzz, the dynamics will also suffer.\u00a0Here everyone should decide for themselves<\/strong>, as to how low they prefer it. A good tip is to bend your strings in various positions \u2013 if the sound doesn\u2019t buzz and every note is clear and doesn\u2019t die off straight away, you\u2019re action is good.<\/p>\n

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Neck profiles (courtesy of Fender.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Generally speaking, Shredders have more of a preference for flat C-neck shapes with a large radius<\/strong>, and less of a preference for V neck shapes, which are slightly thicker.<\/p>\n

\"Floyd<\/a>Tremolos <\/strong>should also be subjected to closer examination.\u00a0In the case of vintage tremolos, all saddles should be aligned properly with the screws at the right tension, in order to transmit the vibrations<\/strong> optimally.\u00a0How you adjust the springs is your discretion.\u00a0If the Tremolo is only used downwardly then the unit can be tilted backwards, but when used upwards, the springs should be a tad loosened, so that it can tilt a little forward.\u00a0<\/em>This is different with a Floyd Rose Tremolo<\/a><\/strong>!\u00a0This should be as parallel to the body as possible for optimal performance.\u00a0Pay attention, especially when switching to another string gauge as to how it behaves and whether further adjustments are needed.<\/p>\n

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2. Strings and pickups<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s talk about string gauge<\/strong>.\u00a0Here again we have to balance sound for comfort: thin strings<\/a> <\/strong>are easier to bend and play, while thick strings have more volume.\u00a0Most shredders use 009 or even 008 sets (like Malmsteen or Holdsworth), while others use 010 or even 011, which also brings excellent results.<\/p>\n

A good compromise<\/strong> is using “Heavy Bottom – Light Top” strings, which are hybrid sets<\/strong> of two sizes: the bottom strings come from a heavy string set (e.g. 010), whereas the top strings are from a lighter set (e.g. 009),\u00a0Power chords will sound richer, while top string bends will be easier.<\/p>\n\n\t\t