Open Strings Not Reading

[BlueCollarFurry]

So

I'm having this issue where fretted notes are picked up fine but it only detects an open string when it feels like it. I can play one of the parts on Paint it Black that's 0-5-0-5 ect and it will detect every single fretted note while missing all the open strings.

I'm playing with the actual real tone cable on a Les Paul Special II with dual-coil pick-ups that registers as in-tune just fine

Also a smaller one: is there a way to lock your custom tone so I don't have to keep hitting the hot key for my tone at the start of every song to override the default for it?

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

I'm having this issue where fretted notes are picked up fine but it only detects an open string when it feels like it.

It looks like the action should be a bit higher, or you hit the string too hard. Open strings vibrate at the maximum amplitude, and they might hit some frets and buzz.

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

Also a smaller one: is there a way to lock your custom tone so I don't have to keep hitting the hot key for my tone at the start of every song to override the default for it?

This pack has the Change Default Tones mode. I haven't tried this mode, but it should work fine. https://github.com/Lovrom8/RSMods

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

I'm having this issue where fretted notes are picked up fine but it only detects an open string when it feels like it.

It looks like the action should be a bit higher, or you hit the string too hard. Open strings vibrate at the maximum amplitude, and they might hit some frets and buzz.

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

Also a smaller one: is there a way to lock your custom tone so I don't have to keep hitting the hot key for my tone at the start of every song to override the default for it?

This pack has the Change Default Tones mode. I haven't tried this mode, but it should work fine. https://github.com/Lovrom8/RSMods

Hard to take a picture but this is the action height on the top fret bar where it's lowest

https://i.imgur.com/Mcp0sx3.jpg


Thanks for the mod, I'll have to try it out since it's driving me nuts having the game constant reset to the stock tone instead of the more distinctive one I made to actually hear myself play

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

Hard to take a picture but this is the action height on the top fret bar where it's lowest

The action is the gap above the 14th fret. It's usually 1.5mm on the treble side and 2.0mm on the bass side. The gap above the 1st fret is also matters, but it's more about playability. It defines how much pressure is required to fret chords. To measure it, you should fret the string at the 3rd fret, and the gap should be as less as possible, but the string still should not touch the first fret. BTW, it looks like the frets are in bad condition. Maybe it's good to level or replace them.

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

Hard to take a picture but this is the action height on the top fret bar where it's lowest

The action is the gap above the 14th fret.

The gap is actually fairly high down there, and even when I fret the 3rd fret remains pretty high

https://i.imgur.com/j40qg8g.jpg

Originally posted by alexcustos:

BTW, it looks like the frets are in bad condition. Maybe it's good to level or replace them.

While that may be a fantastic suggestion, If I had the money or the training and tools to do that kind of work to an instrument I wouldn't be leaning on a guitar with an MSRP of $200 that I found in a pawnshop for half that.

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

The gap is actually fairly high down there, and even when I fret the 3rd fret remains pretty high

But does the open string buzz when you hit it? If not, that's mean my initial guess was wrong. And the setup is not an issue, except maybe that intimidating crack around the headstock. BTW, tools don't cost a lot, here's my set to level frets (and sandpaper, of course), works fine for like $20 https://i.imgur.com/Qaf0uNl.jpg And to fix the headstock, it would be enough some thin cyanoacrylate and a clamp.

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

The gap is actually fairly high down there, and even when I fret the 3rd fret remains pretty high

But does the open string buzz when you hit it? If not, that's mean my initial guess was wrong. And the setup is not an issue, except maybe that intimidating crack around the headstock. BTW, tools don't cost a lot, here's my set to level frets (and sandpaper, of course), works fine for like $20 https://i.imgur.com/Qaf0uNl.jpg And to fix the headstock, it would be enough some thin cyanoacrylate and a clamp.

No buzz at all, it all plays really well and sounds great completely clean through an amp. The game also detects the opens to tune them fine. It's just acting up in actual songs.

While I know you're trying to help, I am not trained to work on instruments and can't afford to risk screwing my guitar my up

As for the crack: that's actually just a really messy seam where the factory didn't do a great job pressing the fretboard to the neck when they glued it, not an actual crack. Least as far as I can tell.

[alexcustos]

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

It's just acting up in actual songs.

Hmm, Paint it Black was the first song I tried to memorize in the game, and I don't remember any problem with it. Frankly, I can recall just a few open strings in the intro (at least on the Lead). But, the game tends to register wrong notes if they sound along with the correct one. So all unused strings must be muted. Another possible issue is timing. The game is very forgiving on this part. But if it's a fast phrase, it's easy not to fit into the scope.

[Cataleya22 (⁠ᵔ⁠ᴥ⁠ᵔ)]

You might try gruvgears fret wraps or their fret wedge to minimize the vibrations.
https://youtu.be/0PldTGYkbGg

[𝙿𝚘́𝚕]

How high are your pickups? - I had lots of issues with note detection when I first got Rocksmith. Intonation (poorly adjusted bridge) and pickup height were the primary culprits.

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by MyLittleEye:

How high are your pickups? - I had lots of issues with note detection when I first got Rocksmith. Intonation (poorly adjusted bridge) and pickup height were the primary culprits.

About 1/4 an inch or so between the pick-ups and strings

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by alexcustos:

Originally posted by BlueCollarFurry:

It's just acting up in actual songs.

Hmm, Paint it Black was the first song I tried to memorize in the game, and I don't remember any problem with it. Frankly, I can recall just a few open strings in the intro (at least on the Lead). But, the game tends to register wrong notes if they sound along with the correct one. So all unused strings must be muted. Another possible issue is timing. The game is very forgiving on this part. But if it's a fast phrase, it's easy not to fit into the scope.

There's actually a quite a few spots that are charted 0-5-0-5 ect, especially on the second to last string (the green one on the game chart).

I don't think timing is the issue because it hits every single 5 fret fine while missing all the opens and only the opens

[𝙿𝚘́𝚕]

My pickups are around 1/8" from strings unfretted or 2-3 mm from the covers with each string fretted at the top/highest note fret.

Your action also looks high to me . This could explain why the notes register when fretted but not when open, especially if the pickups are low as well.

Here's a a couple of sites on how set pickup height; optimum height depends on all sorts of factors but a good starting point is a US nickel/uk5p under the high E and two under the low E with the string pressed down at fret 21 or 22. You'll want to set the action at the bridge before doing pickup height.

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2019/02/17/how-to-properly-set-pickup-height/
https://www.guitarplayerworld.com/setup/modifying-the-bridge/

[BlueCollarFurry]

Originally posted by MyLittleEye:

My pickups are around 1/8" from strings unfretted or 2-3 mm from the covers with each string fretted at the top/highest note fret.

Your action also looks high to me . This could explain why the notes register when fretted but not when open, especially if the pickups are low as well.

Here's a a couple of sites on how set pickup height; optimum height depends on all sorts of factors but a good starting point is a US nickel/uk5p under the high E and two under the low E with the string pressed down at fret 21 or 22. You'll want to set the action at the bridge before doing pickup height.

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2019/02/17/how-to-properly-set-pickup-height/
https://www.guitarplayerworld.com/setup/modifying-the-bridge/

So the TLDR is adjust each string to be 3/64 above fret bar 12 and then adjust the side screws on the pick-ups so I have one nickle under the smallest string and two under the biggest?

Is there a shortcut for measuring 3/64ths?

[BlueCollarFurry]

I haven't tried in-game yet but I adjusted the pick-ups with the nickle trick and seems to sound clearer and louder through my amp?

[𝙿𝚘́𝚕]

The other TLDR is there is no "standard" pickup height - it all depends on pickup type, string gauge, playing style and personal preference.

I did make the mistake of over-enthusiastically raising my pickups too high.
The consequence was that the magnets pulled too strongly on the strings causing the pitch to waver - it's really apparent when you use the little tuner (the more accurate one) in the pause screen; the pitch bar wobbles all over the place. Once I eased the pickups back down a little my string pitches became a lot more consistent and it showed in my scores.

For example, an early issue I had in the Star Chords guitarcade game was missing the simple G chord when I was certain I had it right. This was because the pups were too low.

The subsequent issue was odd chord misses in the middle of long strum sequences where my fingers weren't even moving (Knocking on Heaven's Door drove me nuts!) This was because the pups were too high!

Both my guitars play consistently now - all sorted! (although I'm still tinkering)