In this edition of TECH TIPS we will discuss the difference in fret sizes and terminology.

While guitar shopping, either outside in the real world or inside in the virtual one, you will often run across mention of the size of a guitar's frets––“jumbo frets” or “medium jumbo frets” and so forth.

What's the difference? Why have different fret sizes?

First, let's get our terminology down. When we say "frets," we're talking about the thin wire strips spaced at very precise intervals along the entire length of the fingerboard; not the spaces in between the thin wire strips where your fingers actually go when you're pressing down on (or "fretting") the strings.

Frets are cut from fret wire (Fig. 1), which is manufactured in lengthy rolls and is usually made of nickel silver, an alloy that, naturally, doesn't actually contain any silver. Anatomically, frets consist of a rounded "crown" (or "bead") atop a thinner "tang" with barbs on either side as seen in cross-section (Fig. 2). Individual frets are snipped to match the width of a guitar's neck and hammered (lovingly tapped, more accurately) into slots pre-cut into the fingerboard. The crown runs the width of the slot; the tang runs a bit shorter than the width of the slot. The barbs on either side of the tang help hold the fret in place in the slot, although glue is often used, too.

We just explained fret anatomy because when we talk about fret sizes, we're talking only about the width and height of the crown.

The main fret wire maker, California-based Dunlop Manufacturing Inc., produces five main fret sizes (Fig. 3). Listed by part number, name (where applicable), crown width and crown height, they are, from smallest to largest:

• 6230: The smallest fret wire found on older Fender necks (.078" x .043").
• 6150: Vintage jumbo. Much wider but not as tall as 6230 (.102" x .042").
• 6105: Modern narrow and tall; currently very popular (.090" x .055").
• 6100: Jumbo. The largest fret wire available (.110" x .055").
• 6130: Medium jumbo (.106" x .036").

Which size you like is purely a matter of preference, although it can affect your playing style. If you like your fingers to actually touch the fingerboard when fretting the strings, frets that aren't very tall like the 6130, 6150 or 6230 are for you. On the other hand, jumbo 6100 fret wire can provide easier playability with better sustain, tone and bending because you don't have to press as hard to fret the strings, but your fingers probably won't even touch the fingerboard, which could take some getting used to if you're accustomed to smaller frets.

Jamming is a big part of just about every player’s growth — it’s almost like training and a good part of a practice regime. Normally this happens behind closed doors in the rehearsal room or with a small group of friends. Anything goes, and the main point of the jam is to experiment and have fun.

Sometimes jam sessions occur outside in the real world. In fact, I cut my teeth in New York and built most of my musical reputation and network through playing a regular hip hop jam session. To begin with I’d simply attend, listen, and observe what other players were doing and how the session ran in general. Finally I was asked to sit in and play. Now I wouldn’t call it a disaster, but I wouldn’t say it was great either. I was way too funky for a start, overplaying, and not really paying attention to the MCs or the other players. I was so excited to be performing and having the opportunity to show what I could do, that I forgot what was important — listening.

Ultimately this is why so many jam sessions simply deteriorate into a mess of sound — we get so far into our own space and indulgence that we don’t listen or react to what’s going on around us. In some cases it’s because of ego, but most commonly because of inexperience. Thanks to the advice from other players at this particular session, I quickly discovered what I was doing wrong. I went home and studied the genre, and absorbed as much of the music as I could. I learned the nuances of feel, timing and tone, and how simplicity and space could establish a groove anyone could get down to. Sitting in the next time was a different story. I really had to discipline myself to lay back, play less and leave more space. Needless to say the reaction from my bandmates, the crowd, and the MCs we were supporting was far more positive than before.

Eventually I would take over the gig from the house bassist for a period of a year, allowing other bass players to sit in. I would see many of the same mistakes I made, but later the self-awareness and restraint required to improve. As I said before: great training. Jams are a great way to enter the music ‘scene’, and can quickly establish you as a player around town. Just remember to take your time before you sit in, learn and respect the genre you’re performing and always put the greater sound first — it’s not all about showing off your chops.

You can check out more about Lex HERE.

In this edition of TECH TIPS we will discuss the difference between Gain and Volume.

Guitarists and bassists use gain all the time, yet many would be hard-pressed to tell you clearly and correctly what gain is, exactly, and how it relates to volume. Granted, you needn’t be able to define “gain” in order to use it—you just know you turn that knob and something cool happens to your sound; usually something to do with distortion.

That’s perfectly OK, but if you’re new to amps—more specifically, new to buying an amp—it might help to know what gain is and how it’s related to volume, as the two are closely related.

Some amp basics are in order first. A guitar amp can be thought of as a device that has two stages. A relatively weak signal goes from your instrument into the first stage, where it is processed and handed to the second stage, which boosts it into a strong signal—the sound that then comes out of the speakers and rocks the Casbah.

That first stage is the preamp stage. On some amps, you can control the level or strength of the signal sent through this first stage; this control is called “gain” (also often labeled as “drive”). Gain can be thought of as the input volume to the preamp stage (gain adjustments can produce changes in overall volume, which might account for some of the confusion between the terms), although it’s more of a tone control than a volume control. Your gain setting determines how hard you’re driving the preamp section of your amp. Setting the gain control sets the level of distortion in your tone, regardless of how loud the final volume is set.

What this means is that your gain setting determines how clean or dirty your sound is regardless of the master volume setting. You can set the gain high for a dirty tone, but set the overall volume of that dirty tone from near silent to near deafening using the master volume control.

Master volume is an entirely separate entity that lives in the second stage of your amp, the power amp section. It provides the muscle. Think of it this way: the preamp (and gain control) provides the shape of the sound; the power amp provides the overall strength of the sound.

In amps with only a single volume control (and no gain control), that volume control is usually placed early in the signal path—in the preamp stage—thus controlling both volume and gain.

Posting on his Facebook page yesterday, Adams wrote, "11 new solo tunes came out of nowhere. Day after Dio's funeral they just fell out. Soft mellow acoustic jams – lots of New Orleans scenery and vibe from the trip."

He added: "I am officially very excited again."

In an earlier Facebook posting on 30 May, Adams wrote that "the Dio memorial service today was epic, beautiful and heartwarming even if all that was just outside of a good bit of sadness. What a light and a treasure this man was. Bless ya RJD.

Known primarily for penning alt-country, pop and rock material, Adams has recently become enamored of heavy metal. Recently he released the sci-fi metal concept album titled Orion. Check out one of its tracks, Electro Snake, below:

The two tracks are from the celebrated Canadians’ new album Clockwork Angels, which is being produced by Nick Raskulinecz. And you can hear them below