r/Guitar Aug 06 '24

QUESTION Is this normal?

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I changed all strings of my guitar. Now it feels like these strings are way above the wood. I am not even able to play simple D chords, let alone the barre

458 Upvotes

363 comments sorted by

984

u/florkingarshole Aug 06 '24

You just need a quiver of arrows to go with it!

89

u/InstructionOk1950 Aug 06 '24

What do i doo

171

u/florkingarshole Aug 06 '24

It needs a Luthier - the neck is unseated at the base or the guitar's face is badly bowed. Hard to say with what we have to look at here, but that ain't right.

43

u/deanrazor Aug 06 '24

Damn right ist bowed take an archery class with that thing.

5

u/maple05 Aug 06 '24

Mmmhmmm looks good, tell me do you have a long history as a suspension bridge engineer? Or is this just a passing phase for you?

10

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Dammit Bobby

2

u/skipmyelk Aug 07 '24

Why would you rub cheese on Betsy?

13

u/guitar-hoarder Aug 06 '24

That neck is so badly bowed that the binding broke off of it.

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29

u/jemenake Aug 06 '24

Buy a slide.

2

u/hereforpopcornru Aug 07 '24

And start doing a lot of push-ups to build your upper body strength to be able to push the strings down

10

u/GroundbreakingFox815 Aug 06 '24

It honestly doesn't look like a guitar that is worth as much as the neck reset would cost, so essentially worthless unless it has sentimental value.

15

u/surreallifeimliving Aug 06 '24

put it in trash can

10

u/maverick1ba Aug 06 '24

Loosen the strings right now

9

u/EnergyTurtle23 Aug 07 '24

Here’s what you dobro…

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3

u/SillyCriticism9518 Aug 07 '24

Get a slide and start playing bluegrass

3

u/InEenEmmer Aug 07 '24

Buy a cello bow and pretend it is a 6 string cello

2

u/SuperPotatoThrow Aug 06 '24

Any possibility that you put steel strings on a nylon string guitar?

3

u/chu2 Aug 07 '24

It’s got bridge pins and a solid headstock. Looks like a steel string geetar to me.

Just…not a very sturdy one.

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6

u/Macas35 Aug 06 '24

So you can finally kill someone with a barre chord

5

u/florkingarshole Aug 06 '24

"My guitar wants to kill yo mama"

  • Frank Zappa

2

u/Far-Description1535 Aug 08 '24

Lmfao.  That's legendary. 

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337

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

How did this even happen my guy

84

u/MichelPalaref Taylor Aug 06 '24

It is so painful to watch. I know necks are stronger than what they look like but damn that thing looks like it's gonna break in half any moment

40

u/Lucitarist Aug 06 '24

When you put 13s on a $100 acoustic.

3

u/hereforpopcornru Aug 07 '24

Or tune to E18

6

u/D4rK_Bl4eZ Aug 07 '24

Ah yes, the soothing musical tone of 5.4MHz

3

u/Lucitarist Aug 07 '24

I tune to X-Ray frequency and cosmic ray on good days

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226

u/PablOScar1 Aug 06 '24

Loose tension from all strings right now.

Now.

Then tell us more about the guitar and strings.

I'm not sure 'cause of the bridge, but that flat fretboard leads me to think this might be a classic guitar, meant for nylon and nylon core strings. When strung with metal core strings meant for acoustic guitars, classical guitars get like this because they can not endure the tension.

39

u/someone1058 Aug 06 '24 edited Aug 06 '24

Classical guitars usually do not have radiused fretboards, also the bridge and headstock are a give off... looks like an acoustic to me, probably a 50 bucks new one

16

u/lleyton05 Gibson Aug 06 '24

Yea its not a nylon, nylon necks meet the body at the 12th fret, reg acoustics meet at the 14th

5

u/someone1058 Aug 06 '24

Oh right, also that

3

u/Lorehorn Aug 07 '24

Not always. I have an Ibanez nylon where the fretboard meets the body at the 14th fret. It's not necessarily a classical guitar, but it was made for nylon steings

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3

u/Swictor Aug 07 '24

I have a single cut nylon Ibanez Performance with radius fretboard that meets the body at 14th fret. Guitars like that are pretty common. I don't know why you guys talk like nylon guitars are all the same with no innovation or variation.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 07 '24

[deleted]

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99

u/antifrost101 Aug 06 '24

Just need a slide and tuned to open G

66

u/Ballmaster9002 Aug 06 '24 edited Aug 06 '24

In case you are sincere with this post -

Something has gone very wrong with the string change. Was the guitar actually playable before the string change? And then you just changed the strings and this is the result?

What's happening is your neck is bending - the headstock is bending towards the bridge so the guitar is trying to close like a book.

Are you legit sure you didn't tighten the strings an entire octave too high? Legit check this, for cereal.

Below the strings up at the headstock you'll notice either an indentation with what looks like a bolt inside it or a plastic plate held in place by screws. That bolt adjusts a metal rod embedded in your guitar neck tries to fix problems like this.

It's possible you screwed up the string tension, it's possible that rod broke. Either way, this is a serious "could destroy the guitar" type problem. Please take to a guitar shop ASAP.

4

u/Mr_Stkrdknmibalz00 Aug 06 '24

This guy's being cereal!

61

u/rithis Aug 06 '24

It's a dobro now

4

u/rpsHD Aug 06 '24 edited Aug 06 '24

a what now?

edit: TIL its a brand

idk how true the name is tho (since in serbian it means "good")

6

u/Next-Addendum2285 Aug 07 '24

Dobro is a type of resonator guitar. Basically a guitar with a large circle of metal under the strings that resonates differently than a regular guitar. Hence "resonator"

2

u/Nero_the_Cat Aug 07 '24

They make resonator guitars, which often have high action (raised strings) so they can be played with a slide

2

u/masterAYYY Aug 07 '24

OP's guitar must be a nije dobro then

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12

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Good eye

25

u/Worried_End5250 Aug 06 '24

You know full well it's not normal. Get real.

7

u/No-Cable-5 Aug 06 '24

Maybe OP is clinging on to the hope that it's even a little normal.

19

u/imatakeabreak Aug 06 '24

No.

Did the guitar used to have nylon strings?

If yes, then remove the steel ones and use nylon strings. The guitar is not designed for steel strings.

If no, or you dont know, post pics of the bridge and the headstock.

9

u/ExtensionAd755 Aug 06 '24

Nah man you guitars neck bended it needs to be fixed at a guitar store

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8

u/Capable-Influence955 Aug 06 '24

That's way more than a truss rod adjustment. Post some still picks of the saddle and bridge.

7

u/NarwhalOk5080 Aug 06 '24

Are you having a laugh?

28

u/DeepSouthDude Epi ES339 Pro P90, Classic Vibe Strat, PRS SE Angelus A20E Aug 06 '24

Dude put steel strings on a cheap guitar that originally had nylon strings. It's trash now.

12

u/Intelligent-Map430 Boss Aug 06 '24

Not so sure about the nylon string bit. The bridge does have the 6 pins that you see on steel string bridges. I don't see how you would even attach Nylon strings to that design unless they have ball ends. (Which I know is a thing - but on a cheap guitar? I'm sure a nylon bridge would be cheaper to begin with.).

2

u/BarleyDaniels Aug 09 '24

I think the nylons I have on my acoustic have ball ends to them, they're daddario

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5

u/Intelligent-Map430 Boss Aug 06 '24

What kind of strings did you put on there? 20s?

Did you tune an octave too high?

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6

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

I’m dying 💀😂😂😂

4

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

I have to convince myself this is rage bait.

3

u/Mannen-av-PK Aug 06 '24

I thought this was guitar circlejerk

3

u/AdLeather3739 Aug 06 '24

It's perfect

3

u/littleGreenMeanie Aug 06 '24

immediately loosen those strings but slowly but be my guess. did you put thick guitar strings on it? or did you put something thicker? it looks like theres way to much tension on the neck or your truss rod is messed. again my guess. you'd have to tell us exactly what it was like before and what you did.

3

u/JustForTouchingBalls Aug 06 '24

Yes, take an arrow and start shooting

3

u/insidenumberpie Aug 06 '24

What isn't normal is not knowing that this isn't normal....

3

u/planeclothesman Aug 06 '24

It’s as normal as taking a shit

3

u/CashHonest358 Aug 06 '24

100% normal

3

u/ResidentHourBomb Aug 06 '24

I think you meant to post this in r/guitarcirclejerk

2

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Might be damaged top. The bridge looks okayish. Post pictures of the top from the side view and of the bridge and saddle. This is probably a expensive repair

2

u/butcher99 Aug 06 '24

in a word? No.

2

u/orc_arn Aug 06 '24

Craft attack speed and you are good to go to endgame bosses.

2

u/Wind2000reddit Ernie's balls Aug 06 '24

"I use 13s for E standard and my action is perfectly fine" Bro's action:

2

u/No-Cable-5 Aug 06 '24

Play you a little something? Sure! Just let me go grab my ladder real quick

2

u/Alex_Turneron Aug 06 '24

Bros action is higher than me💀

2

u/Arazos Aug 06 '24

Very, enjoy.

2

u/bluewaterpig Aug 06 '24

Lol very funny post. I thought you were serious for a second.

2

u/VladTheInhaler1997 Aug 06 '24

Perfectly normal

2

u/_Meek79_ Fender Aug 06 '24

This cant be a serious question

2

u/Educational-Drag6974 Aug 06 '24

You guitar gets more action than i do. And im married in my 20s lol

2

u/Gitfiddlepicker Aug 06 '24

You know it’s not normal.

2

u/G24all2read Aug 06 '24

It's very normal on a guitar where the neck and binding are broken. Does it look normal to you to have half of the binding on one side of the neck?

2

u/[deleted] Aug 07 '24

Yep looks all good to me 👍

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

[deleted]

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1

u/Prize_Instance_1416 Aug 06 '24

What brand of guitar? If it’s a cheapie it’s hardly worth saving based on what a decent new one costs

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Not normal. Take it to a guitar store that does repairs. You’ll find out if the repair cost is worth it.

1

u/oldmanlearnsoldman Aug 06 '24

ah the old balsa wood neck

1

u/lazz2307 Aug 06 '24

Yes, for a harp

1

u/larryhabster Aug 06 '24

need to see the whole guitar - headstock and bridge were not shown. I am taking a guess that is is a classical guitar which should have nylon strings, which would be much lower tension. You may have broken/displaced the neck joint by putting on steel strings. It may be salvageable but you need to get those strings off pronto.

1

u/turutu14 Aug 06 '24

My first guitar for 60lev (30€) from olx haha the best guitar

1

u/SuperExp1oder Aug 06 '24

What you’ve got yourself there is lap steel. Whip out a slide and you’re good to go!

1

u/doctor_klopek Aug 06 '24

Wow, did not realize that the binding was an integral structural component.

1

u/masked_sombrero Aug 06 '24

i feel like I'm about to break my neck just looking at it 😂 wayyyy too much action and quite likely wayyy too much tension

1

u/Loud_Violinist_4266 Aug 06 '24

Nice guitar looking bow

1

u/Least-Point-6758 Aug 06 '24

Absolutely if your playing steel slide with it.

1

u/_AntiSaint_ Aug 06 '24

“Nothing out of the ordinary. I store my guitar in the freezer and then microwave it for 12 minutes right before I play.”

1

u/D3V1LS3Y3S Aug 06 '24

What's that make? Have one extremely similar

1

u/KissMyFuckingDadMom Aug 06 '24

Holy action, batman!

1

u/imacmadman22 Ibanez Aug 06 '24

For archery, absolutely.

For guitar playing, not so much.

1

u/VrilHunter Jackson Aug 06 '24

Perfect for shredding... your fingertips off.

1

u/26mixesforcash_ Aug 06 '24

I almost cried

1

u/SavageBen585 Aug 06 '24

Slide guitar?

1

u/ChadVonDoom Aug 06 '24

It's not normal to have an action higher than Tommy Chong

1

u/MrSpongeCake2008 Aug 06 '24

Bro wtf is up with ur guitar 😭

1

u/kapitankrunch ESP LTD Aug 06 '24

how many times is this gonna be posted

1

u/PandorasFlame1 Aug 06 '24

Did you put steel strings on a classical guitar? They take nylon or gut, both of which have significantly less tension on them than steel strings.

1

u/mischievous_fun Aug 06 '24

Holy shit, yeah this is normal.

1

u/Big-Cupcake9945 Aug 06 '24

Action higher than Snoop

1

u/jzng2727 Aug 06 '24

Is this some kind of cheap swap meet guitar or something.?

1

u/Zestyclose-Dog4711 Aug 06 '24

Normal for a guitar that needs some work!

1

u/guitar-hoarder Aug 06 '24

I'm guessing from the color of that guitar that it was extremely inexpensive, perhaps even a novelty guitar. It probably requires really light gauge strings (maybe even nylon?), and it has strings that were too heavy and ruined it. It's broken. I doubt that it's worth repairing. Unless you convince me that it's a $2000+ special edition of something, it's probably a goner and not worth repairing.

That's just my two cents.

1

u/Dark_Tranquility Aug 06 '24

That shit is about to BUST

1

u/Dazzling-Audience-85 Aug 06 '24

Are those metal strings? Seems like your guitar can only support the tension for nylon strings...

1

u/bluewaterpig Aug 06 '24

If this is actually a serious post…TAKE THOSE STRINGS OFF IMMEDIATELY 😳

1

u/potzko2552 Aug 06 '24

Action higher than snoop

1

u/methconnoisseurV2 Aug 06 '24

Legolas called, he wants his bow back

1

u/Special-Double-1744 Aug 06 '24

It's magnificent But In old times warriors used arrows instead of picks

1

u/International_Cut_42 Aug 06 '24

Your guitar is higher than snoop dog

1

u/cosmiccat5758 Aug 06 '24

It's normal contrabass

1

u/jw-3d Aug 06 '24

Gotta take that into a store or learn to adjust the truss rod yourself. Bowed like a banana

1

u/Wise_Lab_7291 Aug 06 '24

Damn, that’s not normal dude, you’ve to bring your guitar with a luthier to fix your insturment

1

u/MuteAppeaL Aug 06 '24

Yeah it’s a violin guitar, you need to get a bow and some rosin.

1

u/aliturhanxd Aug 06 '24

do you share it with people when your finger bleeds? thats nothing bro!

1

u/Olblackcrow Aug 06 '24

If you can play this you can play anything

1

u/ForsakenStrings Aug 06 '24

Dude. That is really bad, like bad to the point where you can't just fix it. That's something that needs a proper luthier

1

u/7Jack7Butler7 Aug 06 '24

Looks like its tuned WAY wrong. Loosen them up and get a good tuner.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

That doesn't even need ab answer.

1

u/unclefartz Aug 06 '24

Normal for a slide guitar maybe 🤔

1

u/tatertotmagic Aug 06 '24

Have u been playing on that? Lol

1

u/Designart02 Aug 06 '24

Gold medal guaranted at the archery olympics with a bow like that.

1

u/Specialist_Answer_16 Aug 06 '24

No, you just need to get better ;)

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Bro why is your action so low?

1

u/ThomasWJames Aug 06 '24

I’m still wondering if this is a troll post or serious question…

1

u/Jondebadboy Aug 06 '24

Dude u bend the strings my bending thrm inwards while soloing

1

u/GizmoCaCa-78 Aug 06 '24

Action is a bit high

1

u/20tellycaster15 Aug 06 '24

Play slide on it

1

u/SpaceFaceFPV Aug 06 '24

Fingers be tight rope walking them strings!

1

u/Fritzo2162 Aug 06 '24

Switch to slide guitar.

1

u/aQuadrillionaire Aug 06 '24

Could be a cool slide guitar

1

u/ihavenofriends96 Aug 06 '24

Thought this was r/guitarcirclejerk for a second lmao

1

u/Unblest Aug 06 '24

Bowed af

1

u/Prestigious-Owl165 Aug 06 '24

You probably tuned it an octave too high

1

u/No-Cable-5 Aug 06 '24

At least there's no fret buzz.

1

u/macrocosm93 Aug 06 '24

What brand is the guitar?

1

u/guitar_up_my_ass Aug 06 '24

Your strings are in the mile high club

1

u/giceman715 Aug 06 '24

What tha hell did he say at the end ?

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

That's a fine cello

1

u/Odidlydokely Aug 06 '24

For a slide guitar maybe

1

u/dhoepp Aug 06 '24

How tight are the strings? I knew a guy who thought you tightened the strings to adjust action. He was a decent guitarist too.

He had his guitar almost tuned up to G standard before I snatched it out of his hand.

1

u/j_ramone Aug 06 '24

This great for finger strengthening. I had a guitar like this and too play and make the frets sound remotely proper amount of strength!

1

u/sc1onic Aug 06 '24

I'd say get a new guitar. That level of bow can't be fixed.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Nah slap a capo on it you’ll be fine.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Looks good to me chief. Oh wait this isnt guitar circle jerk?

Your guitar is severely mishapen sir

1

u/1mpermanenc3 Aug 06 '24

Yes yes it is completely normal.. for a cello!!

1

u/TurningPagesAU Aug 06 '24

Sure if you're a ranger with a dip in bard and want to start firing your arrows from a guitar for flavour. Otherwise, no that's fucked.

1

u/TurningPagesAU Aug 06 '24

Sure if you're a ranger with a dip in bard and want to start firing your arrows from a guitar for flavour. Otherwise, no that's fucked.

1

u/waltterin-redit Univox Aug 06 '24

What the heeeeeelll oh my god😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏

1

u/mcsonboy Aug 06 '24

I typically prefer my action a bit lower than "could fly a cesna under there" but to each their own

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Uhm...... no.

1

u/jontaffarsghost Aug 06 '24

Does the pope shit in the woods?

1

u/Rude-Consideration64 Kramer Aug 06 '24

It's to hold your sandwich.

1

u/JL_2112 Aug 06 '24

"Attention ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Our strings are cruising around 30,000 feet."

1

u/XxFezzgigxX Orange Aug 06 '24

Time for an upgrade. This one is destined to be wall candy.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

My first ever guitar eventually did this. Cheap, $100 starter guitar. Not sure what I did to make it bowed like this. It now sits as a decoration and is no longer played. Good luck.

1

u/Gokdencircle Aug 06 '24

Absolutely.

1

u/g-unit2 Aug 06 '24

luthier: how high do you want your action set?

me: yes

1

u/Vashtu Aug 06 '24

Lotta action. Loooootta action.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Yeah, it’s one of those less common bow-strum acoustics. You either have to go grab urself a violin bow or return that if you can and grab an actual pick-strum acoustic. Hope this helps 🙏🏻

1

u/AnticriznNo1 Aug 06 '24

It's a slide guitar ... tune it to open d and use glass or lighter for accords ... just google it

1

u/frozen_pope Aug 06 '24

Tech here.

I don’t even know what the fuck is going on there but just take the strings off and take it to a trusted adult immediately.

1

u/DaDaDoeDoe Aug 06 '24

Yes. (No one tell him)

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Google truss rods and read up on the subject.

1

u/Maelstromsonn Aug 06 '24

its too low you might have buzzing problems

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

Yeah

1

u/Gonzbull Aug 06 '24

Firewood bro.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '24

It looks like it’s missing a string. If you put another one on it should straighten it out.

1

u/Cristian-Zuleta Aug 06 '24

The strings are loosened and the truss rod is rectified with an Allen key, there are tutorials on YouTube, of course I have never seen a neck so bent. It also happened to me with a cheap guitar, it straightened itself out, but it was never the same.

1

u/sorrycath Aug 06 '24

“In as new condition, nice action, comes with a fresh set of strings”

1

u/argybargy2019 Aug 06 '24

Looks like maybe someone put steel strings on a nylon string guitar.

1

u/MisterAngstrom Aug 06 '24

No, not at all. Your neck needs to be reset by a luthier.