Some Ways to Change Your Guitar Sound

Originally posted on March 24, 2008

Today a few brief ideas about things to do to get a different guitar sound. Do you remember the band DNA? I believe the guitarist sometimes played a guitar that was strung with six high e strings. You could also try it with 6 low e's, but be careful with your nut and neck. Some people, like Derek Bailey, sometimes prepare their guitars by inserting objects into the strings: erasers, paper clips, clothespins, etc. If you have a double neck guitar, what about tuning the 12 string a full step up and alternate back and fourth between the two sequences of tonalities? For another effect Jeff Beck has been known to use a violin bow on his guitar.


Those sustainer kits and/or e-bows are very cool. I know somebody who used a vibrator on his strings (I mean the kind for massaging--no "x" rated material on this site!!) What else? I swear by my 12-string bass. It has the four usual bass strings plus two octave strands next to each. I am not selling it; it's too much a part of my arsenal. Anything else? Write in at admin@gapplegate.com with other ideas and I'll list them.