I asked this once before, and kind of got an "It's not the guitar, it's you" answer(s), but it keeps happening and every so often it still frustrates me.

I've got a 2009 American Standard, have had it for a year now. I've noticed that if I'm pressing down on the strings too far away from the frets, I can't fret the note - not just buzzing, it's dead. It looks to me that the frets are too low for the string to touch them unless I fret right behind the fret. I notice it when I have chords that require two fingers on the same fret but neighboring strings, and I have to stagger my fingers to fit.

This doesn't happen on my old Squier beginner's model, although both guitars are supposed to have the same size frets. And yes, I've had the Standard set up by a Fender certified tech, about 6 months ago. I had this problem both before and after the setup.

I am a beginning player (2 years), but again, it doesn't happen on one guitar and does on the other. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

hate to say it, but it really is a technique issue. that said different fret heights are probably more forgiving. but you really need to work on your form.

i don't want to condescend to a newer player, so please don't think i am doing that. as a newer player it is pretty important to focus on these fundamentals. it is way easier to learn something the first time than it is to go back and 'relearn' something you have taught your brain and hands to do the wrong way years ago, trust me!!

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Try to 'arch' your fretting hand while playing. See if that makes any difference, even if not, it's good to learn the technique.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Hi rjim: the odd thing is, this makes it sound like the frets are higher on your Squier than your Am Std. I guess that's not impossible, but it is surprising - I'd expect the US Standard to have the bigger frets.

'Fraid I have to echo what the others say: it's a fingering issue, differences between the two guitars not withstanding.

Think of it this way: if you were playing a violin or cello you'd have to place your fingers spot on the the right position to intonate the note correctly. A fretted instrument such as a guitar allows you a margin of error in your finger placement. So that is helpful.

But you've still got to place your fingers reasonably close to the fret - not just somewhere between that and the next one down. More accurate fingering really does seem to be the answer here.

Sorry... But don't worry: it'll come in time. Promise.

Cheers - C

Have you had this guitar to a reputable tech for examination? A bridge that's sitting a hair high, combined with a neck that's set-up with too much relief can do what you're saying, although you'd be likely to observe a high string action. The guys are right; there is no substitute for good technique and you really do want to become adept at noting the string just behind the frets. If you're convinced it's the guitar, take it to a repair man and have him check out the problem as you describe it. Sometimes it is the equipment... Cheers.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Thanks, all - I take the constructive suggestions as just that - constructive. Lord knows I have a ways to go. And I forgot to add that most of the accomplished players who have tried my guitar didn't seem to mind. But it's really mostly an issue when I'm trying to do, say, a D chord (xxO232), and my finger on the A string has to go higher on the G string to make room for the finger on the B string. Then the A doesn't fret all the way down.

I guess what's confusing to me is that I'd kind of expected a better made instrument to be at least as easy to play as the cheaper one - my technique, however bad it is, works just fine on the $150 Squier, but not on the $1000 Am. Standard.

I did have it set up by a Fender certified technician, about 6 months ago.

Back to practicing for me!

Maybe your action is a tad too high for playing away from the fret. Try lowering your action. Just a guess as there are some good suggestions above. Good luck!! What about your neck relief? Bridge problems also makes sense.

Just a little bit more in response to one comment from Ceri - both the Squier and the American Standard are supposed to have Medium Jumbo frets. I suppose I should get my little metal ruler out.... Although, (rhetorical question), if it turned out the fancy guitar's frets were lower than they're supposed to be, I don't know what I could do about it. I sincerely doubt Fender's going to care. Or, maybe the Squier's are too high.

Non rhetorical question - just how high above the fretboard should medium jumbos stick out?

You don't fret the A string in this chord or do you mean the A note?



Do your guitars both have 9's on them?
The general rule is keep just enough pressure on the strings for the note to play (ring out) clearly. Play as close to the right most fret as possible but not on top of it. Are you getting lessons from anyone?

If you have a problem fretting some notes clearly to correct your problem just play the note with your index finger and try different pressures and positioning and then try the chorded finger on just that note and compare.

If you can play that note clearly when you try to deliberately then you should be able to play it all the time like that with practice. If you ever notice your technique develop problems it pays to go and correct that before
moving on. This includes practice changing to that chord over and over slowly to get your finger positioning working.

Heres the D chord.

Yes, I meant the A note on the G string. I was trying to show off.

In what is probably the eternal answer of the beginner, I think that picture is how I finger the D chord - but I don't think I get my index finger as low as the picture - it knocks up against the next finger.

I do take lessons - I'll hit my teacher up with questions on my D chord fingering tomorrow.

Both guitars have 9's on 'em.

So, while I'm prepared to accept full responsibility on the basis of my poor form for the problems I'm experiencing, I guess I still have my one basic question:

Should a more expensive instrument be more difficult to play than a cheaper one?

My two cents:

1. You never had this problem with your Squier. As the frets are indeed bigger on your Fender, fretting notes or chords on the Fender SHOULD be significantly easier.

2. You've been playing two years which in my book says you are no longer a beginner, per se. So, coupled by my point #1, I take for granted you have adequate finger strength along with adequate technique for at least, forming the open voiced chord(s) you've cited.

3. Others who have played your guitar are apparently more experienced and therefore, can adapt to your guitar's malady. So, I dismiss this particular aspect of they can while you can't.

4. NEVER, EVER, EVER presume that just because a given store is an authorized Fender 'whatever', that the 'tech' is competent. Further, in spite of the title, "Certified Tech", last I checked, Fender still does NOT evaluate any tech's skills/competence prior to appointing a dealership as a warranty center. Sure, some techs in some facilities are, "top drawer" but again, in the real world, they run the gamut all the way down to world class hacks.

5. I'd be willing to bet that your guitar has a bow warp in the neck, your action is too high, including the tremolo block and then there's the tension of the block as another probable issue. Also, certain strings are inappropriately higher than others. Lastly, but this you haven't mentioned this one way or the other, if you predominantly play at those first four frets, they may have become inordinately worn which will exacerbate the aforementioned. As you can surmise, any and all can culminate in what is most likely throwing your fingering leverage off.

6. Regardless of whether that tech you've mentioned set your guitar EXACTLY to Fender specs or not, I truly believe they are far from the best for a Strat as they tend to exhibit the deficiencies (minus the possible fret wear issue) listed in my point #5.

7. This is IMO, YMMV.

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You dig?

Martian: Spot-on with the tech comments. Certification means nothing, reputation means everything. I always recommend a reputable repairman over any certified tinkerer any day. Setups and repair are a learned art, not something picked up in a classroom, but more of an apprenticeship.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Exactly! I've said this a million times: "One size does NOT fit all." NO book, guide or whatever is going to facilitate the casual reader or tinkerer to set up his or her particular guitar, especially a Stratocaster of all models, to the best it can possibly be. Each guitar must be dealt with on an individual basis and within this, superlatively setting up Strats is a separate, learned art unto itself. Reinforcing all this, I firmly believe that this has been the root cause of rjim's Strat problem(s) since he bought it.

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You dig?

Well there you go.

I will defer to Martian's superior knowledge. everything he says is true.

It's actually the reason i do all my own set up work, a mixture of having a guitar nearly ruined by a poor tech, and needing the work done to suit me.

Look around for a good tech. Ask around, get a few opinions. lots of stores are 'certified' but that doesn't mean anything about the individual 'techs'

if you know any people in bands, find out who they like in your area.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Hi again: well, it so happens that my "luthier's" digital calipers have a special notch in them just for measuring fret height. So I just went and measured the frets on my 2005 American Strat and they come out as:

1.1mm / 0.043" high

I would set little store by that. One set of "medium jumbo" frets are not the same as another - it is a very subjective description. And I have never heard which maker's (or makers') fret wire Fender use, so medium-jumbo could mean different things at different times.

And of course if the guy doing fret levelling at the factory was heavy handed one day then those frets will end up lower than on another guitar with the same wire.

But for the record, the numbers above are what medium-jumbo means in the case of one particular US Strat...

Cheers - C

PS That is precisely the second time I've ever had occasion to use that notch feature of my digital calipers. A feature which causes Stew-Mac to charge double for them than otherwise identical calipers cost at a hardware shop. How glad am I that I spent all that extra money...?