What is this metal thing?


bunmiadefisayo
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bunmiadefisayo
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05/01/2006 8:58 pm
I jsut bought my second guitar today and it came with a hooked metal bar just like ,my first one? What is it supposed to be, some kind of hammer? What do i sue it for? I threw the first one away. Thanks.
# 1
suicidalmoose
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suicidalmoose
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05/01/2006 9:20 pm
talking about the whammi bar? u screw that into the bridge and then u pull it towards the strings when ure hitting a note and it will drop the entire guitar half a step down ( i think, not sure on the specifics ). Personally don't use one, but they good if ure into soloing.
# 2
elklandercc
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elklandercc
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05/01/2006 9:24 pm
Or if its smaller it could be an allan key for adjusting the truss rod.

Whammy bar:

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Jolly McJollyson
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Jolly McJollyson
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05/01/2006 9:26 pm
I'm sorry, I know it's mean, but I sort of laughed when I read this (mainly because the first one was just thrown away, and I just pictured someone looking at it, going "what the hell?" and tossing it in the garbage). The whammy bar, when screwed into the bridge, is used to change string tension. When Eddie Van Halen makes his guitar go bwoooooooooooow really really low, he's using a whammy bar. Suicidalmoose is right in that it can be used to loosen the strings, but it can also tighten and raise pitch. Not only that, but the lowered pitch does not always have to be just a half-step lower. When you depress the whammy bar with control, you can dive as many steps as you want, the strings will continue to loosen.
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Jolly McJollyson
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05/01/2006 9:27 pm
Originally Posted by: elklanderccOr if its smaller it could be an allan key for adjusting the truss rod.

Whammy bar:

Ohh, good call. Could be an allan wrench.
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# 5
jiujitsu_jesus
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05/01/2006 9:29 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollyson but the lowered bitch does not always have to be just a half-step lower.


Eh? :eek:...
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bunmiadefisayo
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bunmiadefisayo
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05/01/2006 9:39 pm
Yes its the Allen Wrench!!! But what is it for though?
# 7
Kevin Taylor
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05/01/2006 10:23 pm
It's probably for the truss rod.
# 8
Jolly McJollyson
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05/01/2006 11:49 pm
Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusEh? :eek:...

HA, I meant "pitch"
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Cryptic Excretions
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Cryptic Excretions
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05/02/2006 12:25 am
As said, most likely it's for the truss rod, but if you've got a guitar with a locking nut then it'll also be used to loosen that when changing strings.
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R. Shackleferd
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05/02/2006 1:44 am
Heh...from the title I thought he was talking about the music genre.
But to further clarify:
If it's a little one, then it's to adjust the height of the bridge saddles in order to set the action.

This shouldn't be messed with just to see what happens...prolly only an experienced tech should mess with that, thus I don't think you'll get much use out of it. Although I've found some cheap Wal-mart furniture is put together with one. :)
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pure
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05/02/2006 2:02 am
This is just the reason why i believe guitars should come with manuals!
Originally Posted by: schmangeugly fat chicks
# 12
z0s0_jp
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z0s0_jp
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05/02/2006 5:18 am
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonHA, I meant "pitch"

yea i do that too jolly since the b & p are so close together on the keyboard :rolleyes:
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suicidalmoose
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05/02/2006 9:13 am
Originally Posted by: pureThis is just the reason why i believe guitars should come with manuals!


my guitar came with a manual! tho its an ESP LTD and they tend to be techy about things.

with the whole truss rodd thing, keep the allen key just in case u eva have a friend who knows heaps about guitars come ova and fix your guitar or something, its one of those things that you could throw away, but why not keep it?
# 14
Hardrive
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05/02/2006 11:06 am
I wouldnt say the truss rod souldnt be messed with only adjust it if you have to and if you cant afford for a pro to look at it.. I had to do mine and im a compleate novice but had no choice. But one thing i will say about the neck if its starting to warp think about this is the guitar stored in a diffrent place have you turned up your heating the chances are if you store the guitar where it was before and keep a constant temp and humidity you will never need to adjust it. But im a novice so im going to get slated now lol.
If anyone does ever try to adjust the truss rod do your reaserch first and only make tiny adjustment and wait till the next day to see if the neck has moved futher. Mine wasnt spot on when I did it but the anoying buzz had gone and the neak was almost true. when I checked it the next day it was spot on. So small adjustments.
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bunmiadefisayo
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bunmiadefisayo
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05/02/2006 12:03 pm
Once again Guitartricks has done its magic. Thanks a lot, now i know what it is and what to do with the thing.
# 16
Jolly McJollyson
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05/02/2006 12:13 pm
Originally Posted by: z0s0_jpyea i do that to jolly since the b & p are so close together on the keyboard :rolleyes:

More a freudian slip than a typo, Mr. Sarcasm.
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# 17
Cryptic Excretions
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05/02/2006 3:21 pm
Originally Posted by: HardriveI wouldnt say the truss rod souldnt be messed with only adjust it if you have to and if you cant afford for a pro to look at it.. I had to do mine and im a compleate novice but had no choice. But one thing i will say about the neck if its starting to warp think about this is the guitar stored in a diffrent place have you turned up your heating the chances are if you store the guitar where it was before and keep a constant temp and humidity you will never need to adjust it. But im a novice so im going to get slated now lol.
If anyone does ever try to adjust the truss rod do your reaserch first and only make tiny adjustment and wait till the next day to see if the neck has moved futher. Mine wasnt spot on when I did it but the anoying buzz had gone and the neak was almost true. when I checked it the next day it was spot on. So small adjustments.

That kinda makes me think. I've never had to deal with any of my truss rods before. Is the process that complicated?
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They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would

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# 18
z0s0_jp
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05/02/2006 6:16 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonMore a freudian slip than a typo, Mr. Sarcasm.

;) ..............
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elklandercc
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05/03/2006 9:57 pm
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonMore a freudian slip than a typo, Mr. Sarcasm.

I had one of them the other day. I was in lunch and wanted to ask a girl for some napkins but what really came out was "Jesus your ugly!" :rolleyes:
"During this line, the kid acted like he was pushing buttons on a calculator in the air. The kid played ******* air-calculator!"

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# 20

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