New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

treyhaislip

Well-known member
New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

I bought my first Martin (a CEO-7) and absolutely love the tone, response and sustain of it. However...now I REALLY sound sloppy. Never sounded this sloppy on my previous guitars (Eastman E8D, Gibson AJ & J45.) The action feels great–not too low but not too high either. My Dreads and Jumbos were all a bit lower, so my first thought its that maybe I just need to adjust to the slightly higher action. But I've tried to adjust and it still sounds very sloppy...

I understand that I need to practice–but any tips on how to overcome this? Thanks!
 
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Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

you answered your own question. practice on the new guitar. its always a little bit of an adjustment, some times much more. i was playing a guitar i dont usually play at a show last night and the recording was a little sloppy. i just need to spend more time on it, same as you.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

you answered your own question. practice on the new guitar. its always a little bit of an adjustment, some times much more. i was playing a guitar i dont usually play at a show last night and the recording was a little sloppy. i just need to spend more time on it, same as you.

Thanks!

I haven't been able to put it down, so no trouble with practicing more!
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Generally, it comes from the first few weeks adapting to the new guitar. Once your hands get used to it, you will be fine. Congrats on the new guitar!
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Generally, it comes from the first few weeks adapting to the new guitar. Once your hands get used to it, you will be fine. Congrats on the new guitar!

Thanks! I was hoping that is the case.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

I was feeling like I did a mistake when I got my SoCal in 2014, I had been playing the same Strat for 16 years before that. Just don't play any other guitar for a couple of weeks, that makes your hands to get used to it faster.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

I was feeling like I did a mistake when I got my SoCal in 2014, I had been playing the same Strat for 16 years before that. Just don't play any other guitar for a couple of weeks, that makes your hands to get used to it faster.

Good advice–thanks! Glad I'm not the only one who felt that way after a new purchase!
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Even some slight changes in fretboard radius or string tension can take some time to get adjusted to. A different size or shape of the body makes your right arm placement a little different, too.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

I'm gonna concur with everyone else... just spend more time with it. As a side note, I've always found that it takes me longer to get used to a new acoustic compared to a new electric. I think that, with the added "stiffness" inherent to acoustics, it's just the nature of the beast.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

When I got my seven last year, I really enjoy the way it played and felt, but yeah it took some time to readjust my positioning and such. Just keep playing man. It'll get there.
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Thanks guys! Definitely have NO problem practicing more–can't put it down! lol Thanks again!
 
Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Re: New guitar and now I sound sloppy – advice?

Good advice–thanks! Glad I'm not the only one who felt that way after a new purchase!

Well, it happend to me cause I had not the chance to play it, those are not in stock here really. Spec wise it had all things I want from a 6 string electric guitar and the Charvel SoCal is indeed a great metal machine. I used to play classic guitar before I ever picked electric so I had no problem with using a different neck anyway.
 
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