help with strings

Ive had a Squire for about half a year now and ive learned that it really

sucks I have 2 questions. My first question is how do i get the stings closer

to the fretboard because i wanna learn how to play fast like steve vai (hes

freaking awesome). My last question is, my friend showed me how to palm

mute the correct way because i have just been putting my hands and the

strings to mute it , I want to learn how do to do it with my palms any

suggestions?

Originally Posted by: LearningGuitarIve had a Squire for about half a year now and ive learned that it really

sucks I have 2 questions. My first question is how do i get the stings closer

to the fretboard because i wanna learn how to play fast like steve vai (hes

freaking awesome). My last question is, my friend showed me how to palm

mute the correct way because i have just been putting my hands and the

strings to mute it , I want to learn how do to do it with my palms any

suggestions?

What up man?
Sounds like you might want to lower the action on your guitar- you can do that by adjusting the height of the saddles on the bridge of the instrument- if you're not comfortable doing that, you could bring it to a shop and ask them to set the instrument up for you- just let them know that you want the action to be lowered.

Palm muting is staple of punk rock guitar (makes the syncopated "chugga-chugga" riffs possible, and it's really easy to do)- just take the edge of your picking hand and rest it on the strings just before the bridge and with a tiny bit of pressure and some pick strokes,it'll happen, or if you're trying to quiet other strings, that'll do it too.

The only other issue I might raise is that if you are playing a squier, it is probably a strat or a tele style instrument- steve vai tends to play ibanez instruments, which tend to get a hotter, brighter sound because of the pickups they use. Hope that helps- any of you seasoned guys, please correct me if anything sounds out in left field.

good luck!

Squires are a really good Fender product. To adjust the string height, take the small allen wrench that came with your guitar ( if you've lost it go the guitar store and get one they should give you one cause they have lots of em) Adjust the string saddels down until the string buzzes. Then raise the saddle until it stops buzzing. Do this with every string. Don't be afraid to work on your guitar. Unless you are very heavy handed or careless. their isn't a lot you can do that will permanatly wreck it. It's not fun to play a guitar that isnt set up properly. Buy a book that shows you how to make the adjustments and your $200 Squire will play as nice as the $1500 SRV strat.

Originally Posted by: akeSquires are a really good Fender product. To adjust the string height, take the small allen wrench that came with your guitar ( if you've lost it go the guitar store and get one they should give you one cause they have lots of em) Adjust the string saddels down until the string buzzes. Then raise the saddle until it stops buzzing. Do this with every string. Don't be afraid to work on your guitar. Unless you are very heavy handed or careless. their isn't a lot you can do that will permanatly wreck it. It's not fun to play a guitar that isnt set up properly. Buy a book that shows you how to make the adjustments and your $200 Squire will play as nice as the $1500 SRV strat.

No doubt- there's an excellent book: the guitar handbook; definitely worth the 20 bucks. It runs the gamut from theory to history, technical stuff- every guitar player should probably have this thing- amazon has it, barnes and noble, borders, they all sell it. Definitely worth the time.