JS Users!!! Hit volume knob with pick hand???

[satchmo72]

So I'm noticing a flaw in the JS that i have, not a cosmetic flaw but a design flaw.

Anyone notice how close the volume knob is to the pick hand position? It does not fail that while I am playing, I turn the volume down. I tried switching the volume and tone knobs but then I just do the same thing to the tone knob. My playing style just does not jive with the JS.

I really like the distance of the knobs on the JPM guitars.

Any ideas without getting crazy with drilling/cutting?

Jeff

[Mufaza]

Originally Posted by satchmo72

So I'm noticing a flaw in the JS that i have, not a cosmetic flaw but a design flaw.

Anyone notice how close the volume knob is to the pick hand position? It does not fail that while I am playing, I turn the volume down. I tried switching the volume and tone knobs but then I just do the same thing to the tone knob. My playing style just does not jive with the JS.

I really like the distance of the knobs on the JPM guitars.

Any ideas without getting crazy with drilling/cutting?

Jeff

I have had this issue occassionally, but it usually is when I get really into and I am not paying attention to what I am doing. This is usually when I playing starts sounding pretty sloppy. I am not saying that is what your doing, but to answer what you are questioning, I would just recommend trying to get in a habit of strumming where you are not running into this issue and still getting the tone and sound you want. It will take some focus at first but over some time you can start doing it without thinking. I have been working on this for me, and I have found that it is working well, and I am not having as much issue anymore.

On a second note, as I am usually fine tuning the volume and tone as I play to get the desired sound, I prefer having them that close. It really helps with volume swells having the volume that close. But then again I am trying to diversify my playing instead of playing metal where is either on or off kind of sound.

I hope that helps.

[satchmo72]

Mufaza, yeah now that you say that, thats when I hit it too, takes me a sec to figure out that I have changed the volume even.

I have been wanting to change up my pick hand position anyway because something within it is slowing me down. I tried playing on my right leg instead of my left which I would imagine would have to change the palm angle, might help when playing the JS. I do not do it as often on my RG's.

I am really thinking about trading my JS for JSX head. The volume thing makes recording with the JS difficult unless I can figure out a better playing position.

Thanks,

Jeff

[dccomputersa]

I never had this problem with my JS, but I do with my Jem. Not always, just when I am beating it hard you know?

[smooth55]

I've had the problem with most of my guitars and I'll agree with Mufaza that it usually happens most when my playing gets a little sloppy. Still, I haven't found it to be debilitating or to cause serious interference and to second what someone else said, having it close it nice on volume swells, etc. For me, it's just one of those things you have to be aware of as you're noodling away and to try and limit the play between your hand and the knob while you shred.
One design flaw I do notice about the volume knob is how the bar hits it when I engage the high pass filter, but I usually don't whammy too much when I have the volume low (ie. need the filter on).

[satchmo72]

Smooth, yep, noticed that one too. Because of how I sit the guitar on my leg, the bar actually gets caught on my leg as I bring it up. I think I need to readjust everything.

Controls are just too compact on the JS for me. I used to anchor my pinky, I dont do it as much anymore and I think it is flying around because I have never had to control it but as I start to learn more Paul Gilbert and Frank Gambale stuff, picking has become a priority, most of the things I have done previosly have been a lot of legato.

Jeff

[guitarnoize]

Yep I have this problem, not when I'm sitting, but when I'm playing with my band. It is actually pretty annoying.

[Xavier 7]

Yeah, I have this problem too. Although not when I'm sitting.

[satchmo72]

So I was recording last night with my RG's and I noticed I was anchoring my pinky again but on the RG's, when I do that it puts the pinky right at the volume switch but in a spot where I could adjust the volume with the pinky, not turn it down accidently.

Didn't turn it down once and I was picking and strumming intermittently.

Anyone want to buy a JS?

Jeff

[GLG421]

Originally Posted by dccomputersa

I never had this problem with my JS, but I do with my Jem. Not always, just when I am beating it hard you know?

Yep, Me too. The JS has been an improvement for me in this area. I think it's the knob type on the JEM, and it's also closer to the bridge pickup.

I used to be in the habit of constantly using my pinky to "check" the volume by turning it all the way up in any break.

I noticed this mostly on songs with very fast rythym.


Improving my picking and using more economy of motion has also helped me i this area.

[Dino]

You could just eliminate the tone knob... All it does on the JS is just muffle anyway, you could get that by turning the volume down slightly(without the high pass.)

[satchmo72]

Originally Posted by Dino

You could just eliminate the tone knob... All it does on the JS is just muffle anyway, you could get that by turning the volume down slightly(without the high pass.)

Well, the wife had some of the same thoughts, why dont I just take the knob off? Well... I love this guitar, it's comfortable, the tone is different but amazing and it is versatile so...I'm just gonna take the volume knob off when I am recording and just not look down!!!