Some guitar questions..

[ForHerDeadEyes]

Hey, guys and gals.. Got some Q's for you!
Who is your daddy and what does he do?

But seriously, would be interesting to hear your input on this..
I know some stuff depends on genre, and people use different stuff, but do tell!

1. Restringing guitar:
Everybody likes different sounds, some people change strings alot it seems.
I usually use my strings for 4 - 5 songs (or maximum 2 days of recording), since I don't have a lot of money to spend.. but what I'm wondering isn't how often to change them.. but:
Do you restring the whole guitar? Or just the strings that are played?
I mean, if your just doing rythm on the 1 or 3 top strings, do you get a bulk set of just these strings/gauges?

2. Do you mute the strings that aren't played, when recording, with some fabric or foam or what have you..

3. Any of you guys actually mic the electric guitar?
I'll be running some tests with this, next week, been reading that "it's a technique used" but never read about anyone doing it.

4. Have any of you guys shielded your guitar/bass/other gear?
I'm thinking of doing this, but I've read (and heard, maybe it was a bad example) that it deafens the tone, cuts some highs.. but it does kill ALOT of noise..
Also something I'm about to try out.. especially with my cheap-ass bass..
And switch the wires..

5. Ever done a custom mod to your guitar or bass?
Maybe moving the mics or drilling a hole or whatever it may be..
And the result = Good, bad or the ugly?

I am waiting for you Obi-Wan..

 

[Audiosprite]

2. yeah, sometimes i'll fold a napkin over the unused strings if i'm having a hard time with a part.

3. i read about that in a special on electric guitar recording by Computer Music magazine. never done it myself, supposedly it adds attack.

 

[Skinny Viking]

Hej

My dad abandoned us when I was 8 ... kinda sad

Onto the telling:

1. Restring the whole guitar

2. Yes

3. No? Never heard of doing this and don't really see the point especially if you're talking about recording heavy guitars but thats not to say it a "bad" or "wrong" thing to do .. experiment and see if you get any benefit from it

4. No. Its a guitar and you're playing heavy music I'm guessing ... you don't want it to be THAT sterile. It should have some noise, thats part of the charm

5. N/A

others will chime in soon I'm sure

 

[ForHerDeadEyes]

Well, Skinny Viking.. I didn't have it better!

Anywho..
I had hoped more people would've answered..
Son, I am disappiont

So I said I was going to be doing some tests..
Today I shielded my bass-guitar..

I bought some aluminumfoil (20:- = ~3$ for 15 meters)..
I've read that copper is supposedly 40% better at shielding, than aluminum..
But I've also read about aluminum being better in the long run..
All I know is copper costs ass..
So.. Aluminumfoil it is..

I only shielded the electronic apartment in the back of the bass.. not wher the pups sit..

The plastic cover hade aluminum on it.. but that's not good enough.. since it doesn't cover the whole compartment..
Since one can't use copper and aluminum togheter.. and you can't solder to aluminum.. I use silicone for glass (since it's easy to work with) and glued the aluminum together..
And the aluminum was connected to ground via the input..

First I think I overdid it.. since I got no sound out of it.. so the aluminum must've touched the wires and shit..
So I removed the bottom layer of foil..
Tried again..
And it worked..

It's a cheap 4-stringed Harley Benton.. (1200:- ~200$)

The wiring isn't that good.. too long cables and not good quality..
So I bought some shielded audiocable and I WAS going to switch to the new cables.. but I'm not sure I can do a good job soldering that shit now.. although I've done some simple stuff in the past..

Here are the clips:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2383166/Shielding bass.rar
(24/48)

There is a difference.. I'll let you make you dissect them your self..
But if you choose the last 20s or so.. and maximise.. you'll hear it..
And the shielded bass could hold the note longer without since the noise was lower..

Conclusion:
I didn't remove the pups or the knobs inside the compartment..
that made it harder, of course.. and also using double layers of foil..
There's a online electronics-store here in Sweden that has an aluminumspray for 20$.. I think that would be alot easier working with.. and give a better end result.. since I couldn't shield the entire inside..
I'll order it.. and shield the entire compartment.. and where the pups sit.. also remove the knobs and maybe wires too.. and try to solder the better cables to it..

Another idea would be to protect all the exposed ends and knobs with silicone.. and then spray some more aluminum in there so the wiring gets even more shielded..

Meh.. who knows..

____
Edit:
And oh, I recorded directly to Line-in.. Didn't use my DI-box..

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

2. I dampen (sp?) the strings all the time with some kind of loose capo with a cotton cloth, very effective (build it myself).
I even put a sock or a ragleft of the nut, and right of the bridge, under the strings (if you're right-handed, that is)

5. I once installed a killswitch on a guitar, and I also removed the frets from a bass with good results.

 

[RedDog]

1. Player Dependant. If you don't have good right hand technique, make that sucker practice. Or stop recording him.

2. See above.

3. wtf. Mic what, exactly?

4. Good gear is good gear, cramming aluminum foil into anything electrical doesn't sound like too bright of an idea.

5. Circumstance dependant. You wanna killswitch, get a killswitch. You want stainless steel frets, get em. Nothing's stopping ya.