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It seems like guitarists are on a neverending quest for more sustain. Avoid Floyd Roses, lower your pickups, graphite string saddles... so on and so forth.

My question is... how much freakin' sustain do we really need? Even a Tele can hold a note for at least 4 or 5 seconds, and that's not even taking overdrive, controlled feedback, or just shaking the hell out of your fretting hand into account. Even if 5 seconds was the limit to the duration of any note, how often would that prove inadequate?

People need to talk about **** like sustain, etc, in order to keep skirting the issues of why they suck at playing gtr amp; writing music.

The only time I really need a lot of sustain is long, held bends. It's no fun feeling like you have to rush them.

But I agree, some people probably get a bit carried away with it. Then again, maybe it's no different than the quest for quot;perfectquot; tone.

When I play my Teles or my Les Paul or my Hamer Monoco I get the sustain I'm looking for. When I play a guitar with less sustain than that it feels like something's wrong and that the note is dying off earlier than I'd like. That's when I get concerned about sustain or the lack of it: when I play a guitar that simply doesn't give me the tone and sustain I'm used to. Lew

[Nigel Tufnel is showing Marty DiBergi one of his favorite guitars]
Nigel Tufnel: The sustain, listen to it.
Marty DiBergi: I don't hear anything.
Nigel Tufnel: Well you would though, if it were playing.
The only time I notice sustain is when I'm playing a guitar that doesn't have any. As long as a guitar has decent sustain, I really don't care to measure it 'cause I have more important things to think about....such as how the guitar actually sounds.

It's no fun having to throw in more picking just to get a note to ring. It can ruin the mood.


Originally Posted by GuitaristIt's no fun having to throw in more picking just to get a note to ring. It can ruin the mood.

My whole point is, how many guitars don't ring long enough?

One with a floyd rose, basswood body, poorly bolted on neck, action too low, and an invader about 2 mm away from the strings


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellMy whole point is, how many guitars don't ring long enough?

Quite a few, actually, at least in my opinion....

We actually have a track where a muted chord rings out into feedback for a total of 31 seconds, of which at least 15 are the chord preparing to start quot;feeding on itselfquot;..... Can´t do that with most cheaply built axes


Originally Posted by seafoamerPeople need to talk about **** like sustain, etc, in order to keep skirting the issues of why they suck at playing gtr amp; writing music.

that could actually apply to a lot of other popular topics on this forum too!


Originally Posted by shredaholicthat could actually apply to a lot of other popular topics on this forum too!

That could apply to life to. Some people are always whinging about bad things that happen to them instead of just admitting that they plain fail at life That's what my... best... friend is always telling me.

quot;Brett, you just fail at life.quot;
quot;No I don't.quot;
quot;Yes you do.quot;
quot;At least I have a life to fail at.quot;

quot;increase your sustainquot; = quot;natural male enhancementquot;

two words:

Parisienne Walkways


Originally Posted by LewguitarWhen I play my Teles or my Les Paul or my Hamer Monoco I get the sustain I'm looking for. When I play a guitar with less sustain than that it feels like something's wrong and that the note is dying off earlier than I'd like. That's when I get concerned about sustain or the lack of it: when I play a guitar that simply doesn't give me the tone and sustain I'm used to. Lew

Just say JAG lew!

slade

I built my own sustain fortified axe. . . I didn't really KNOW anything, I just wanted to build one for giggles. . . and through the experience I decided I'd never do it again! There's a reason those guys get the money they do for custom axes.

ANYWAY! . . . . this sucker would hold notes for like ten or twelve seconds. . . the body was solid ash, (closer pattern than oak even) it weighed at least 13 friggin pounds!
I drilled one inch holes all over the back of it to lighten it up, it still kills your neck and I refuse to play it standing.. . . you guys gripe about a LP being heavy HA HA HA Haaa I got heavy!

It still sustains forever! And I play quick palm muted crap all the time. . . . I only play Gary Moore once in awhile. . .

Anyone here is a sustain junkie gimme a jingle, I'll sell you some serious sustain . . real cheap too.


Originally Posted by The Golden Boyquot;increase your sustainquot; = quot;natural male enhancementquot;

something that you dont notice untill you need it lol... banana... hahahaha

5 seconds is enough for me. I have never played a guitar that doesn't have enough sustain apart from acoustics.

To an extent, I do think that it's the guitar. I also think it has to do with the player, as well, and has more to do with the wood of the guitar and how solid it is.

I just got back from seeing Yngwie Malmsteen... that guy gets INCREDIBLE sustain out of vintage strats.


Originally Posted by DeadSkinSlayer3To an extent, I do think that it's the guitar. I also think it has to do with the player, as well, and has more to do with the wood of the guitar and how solid it is.

I just got back from seeing Yngwie Malmsteen... that guy gets INCREDIBLE sustain out of vintage strats.

I don't get how the player can do that much to help it. The parameter of raw sustain excludes vibrato, and things like violently shaking the guitar, so apart from fretting firmly, what can the player really do?


Originally Posted by SpiderVenomI don't get how the player can do that much to help it. The parameter of raw sustain excludes vibrato, and things like violently shaking the guitar, so apart from fretting firmly, what can the player really do?That's exactly what I meant... how well a player controls his vibrato and fretting technique can and will dictate how much sustain you can squeeze out of the instrument.