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Post subject: Just a strat players question - palm muting + Volume knob
Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:13 pm
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Alright, i currently own a Squier strat.
and this is a question i would have no matter what strat i would be playing.

When palm muting i tend to bump the volume knob and mute my guitar. this can be rather irritating for pretty obvious reasons.
Just wondering how you guys deal with this.

i'm not quite sure if any other people have this same problem, or if its just me.
Maybe a strat isn't my ideal guitar.

Any input is much appreciated.

thanks in advance


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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:42 pm
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Actually, it is an extremely common problem and not just when palm muting. In my case, I found myself unconsciously turning the volume down whenever I push picked.

The plain truth is, if you love playing a Stratocaster, you have to adapt. Again, in my case, I slightly changed the angle I held/played the guitar at. It was a minor adjustment where that few change in degrees cleared my fingers off the volume knob to right next to it. I didn't have to rearrange my picking hand nor change my picking/strumming technique in any way. 40+ years later, I'm still playing Stratocasters as my #1.

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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:54 pm
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alright. i'l try that out.
Like i love the strat body style, its just. the knobs dont work for me.

thanks for your help


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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:18 pm
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Trukis wrote:
alright. i'l try that out.
Like i love the strat body style, its just. the knobs dont work for me.

thanks for your help


Anytime!

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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:24 pm
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I have same problem since I am used to palm mute a LOT for anything I would be playing..... one way I fixed this is I made a custom pickguard with only two pot holes and then modded the wiring for one volume pot and one for a tone pot so theres only two knobs on my strat .... its much more comfortable .... I also own a MIM and I didnt do that mod to it ... :)


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:33 am
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Would it help to move your hand forward slightly ? I find myself hitting the pick up selection switch at times and have to make adjustments accordingly.

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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:47 am
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I did the same as Synkronized, customizing a pickguard, and I also rewired and used only the back 2 holes of the pickguard and used 1 volume and 1 master tone. You could also experiment with different pickup configurations, like 2 Humbuckers with 1 vol and 1 tone. The knobs are out of the way for palm muting. Have fun and make it your own, the more comfortable you are playing, the more fun you can have.

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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:02 am
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I pick closer to the neck because of this. Just something to get used to.


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:21 am
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You can play a guitar, but a guitar also plays you. You always need to adapt to different guitars. I have a bunch, but I only have one of different models. Strat, Ibanez Artcore, Supro, Tele, Dano. I have no allegiance to one brand or another, I guess I just consider them tools or brushes for the job I need to do. Anyway, I'm just aware of the different configurations and adapt accordingly. It's not easy at first, but it kind of comes on its own sub-consciously after a while.

The hard part is not to get frustrated and just keep at it. I never had a problem with the volume control on my Strat, but my picking technique is probably a little more conservative than yours.


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:24 pm
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I palm mute a lot, and even half-palm mute entire songs and solos, to get that tight Eddie sound. I don't think this knob issue has ever been a problem for me. But when I play, even fast, I don't move my pick hand a lot. It's kept pretty loose and it's a combo of wrist and finger-thumb movements holding the pick. If I'm strumming hard to where it "might" move the knob, I'm not muting at all so that part of my hand is nowhere near the knob.


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:35 pm
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I too usually pick fairly far up on the neck, often within an inch of the neck. But in case that's a bit radical for you, one other suggestion is to angle up perhaps in a semi-circle so that your hand ends up moving up and away from the volume/switch just after clearing the strings.

I had a similar problem with the switch position on SGs back in the 70s. I'd hit the switch almost every time. Just recently, I was talking with another SG owner who had the same problem and he had the switch moved to the upper body. Something similar could be the answer for you though of course there's a cost and you've permanently modified the guitar.


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:02 pm
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I learned on a Strat copy ( and I mean copy right down to the control knobs). I had more problems re-learning when I got my 1st guitar with a Floyd Rose. BTW I did not have any problems when I purchaced my newest Fender HWY 1...It was like riding a bike.

I am not sure how to tell you to correct what you are doing, except try not to play so wildly. It is something that will come to you with a little practice. Have fun anf keep playing.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:29 pm
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I have had a similar problem due to where a rest my pinky finger. I've owned 3 strat's. I think a developed the problem from playing a tele early on. I play one now. One thing a did was to put a felt washer under the volume knob to add a little resistence. The first strat was the worst but it had speed knobs. I don't think it was a problem on my last one but by then I had got used to it and became aware to keep my finger off the knob. I plan on getting another one because a strat and a tele are the best guitars in the world. and each has there place in music history.


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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 9:06 am
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I used to play a les paul as my main guitar, but switched over to a strat about a year ago. I had the same problem to start with. I used to hit the pick up selector occasionally as well. I have learnt to control my strumming better to stop hitting the pick up selector. And I sorted out the palm muting volume problem in the most lazy way possible. I took off the volume knob, now I never have that problem!


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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:48 pm
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"Dime" the volume knob and super glue it in place!
Guitars are meant to be LOUD

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