A while back we asked you to send in your guitar-related questions for Acey of The Murderdolls. An online guitar clinic of sorts, if you will. Acey kindly took some time out to answer a whole bunch of your questions, and here is part THREE of Acey’s Guitar Clinic. 8. I need some help finger tapping and I was wondering if you have any pointers on how to? – Brian Brian, You know what…I’m not a big finger tap guy. So I would be the wrong person to ask. I would suggest going to a music store that sells music video tapes, the instuctional kind and look for one in the style of Eddie Van Halen. 9. My name is Eva. I heard about this from the Murderdolls website and thought it would be pretty cool, mostly because I live in Tennessee and my parents probably wouldn’t dream of taking me to the U.K. I actually wanted a little bit of help on the song “White Wedding.” When I play it, it sounds out of tune and too high pitched. I looked online at like, 50 different tab sites but no one says anything about tuning. So I’ll ask someone who know’s best, do you do some tuning down or something special (other than distortion)? I’ve tried retuning over and over so I know my guitar is in tune. If you could help me out, it would be cool. Thanks so much, you rock! ~your friend~Eva Eva, The stuff on our albums is tuned to E. So if your tuned to E you should be cool. The ‘effect’ on the album is a Electro Harmonics ‘Micro Synth’ and this an sure change the sound a ton! Joey loves those things…. but they can be kind of expensive. Try a Auto Wha or a flanger and that should do it. If that doesn’t do it, you should have the intonation on the guitar checked. This can make your guitar sound out of tune even tough your tunner says you are. 10. Could you tell me how to get the action as low as possible on my guitar please? – Billy Billy, Is this Billy Idol? Ask Steve Stevens… if not…. I would say again, to take it to a repair shop. There can be many things you could dot that would, in the long run, fuck your guitar up. It’s not as easy as just doing one thing. It depends on the kind of bridge you have on your guitar, your string gauge, ect. ect. 11. Whats your main guitar rig consist of – pedals, rackmounted effects, amp settings etc…? – Guy Guy, I use mostly Gibson Les Pauls. I also play BC Rich and mabe Gretsch guitars with a Sure Wireless system. This is important as I have used a TON of wireless systems and the Sure ones just agree with me the most. I run that and on the front end of the amp I have my Dunlop Wha…I believe it’s the 550 with the different settings on the side. Out of my effects loop I run a DigiTech Auto Wha and Flanger a Electro Harmonics Micro Synth and Poly Chorus. One they all go into a Huges and Kettner Tri Amp head (sometimes 2….) though either 2 4×10″ or 4 depending how big the gig is. I like to have 30 watt speakers in one and 75 watt in the other so this way my sound guy gets a DI out of the head and 2 different mic’ed signals. My settings on the head are normaly Bass at around 2 O’clock, Mid at 3 or 4 and highs about the same. It depends on the stage. I try to sound check everyday to accomodate the room. I put my gain all the way up and believe it or not, I don’t like to be louder than I have to be. But remember, the Ghoul-our drummer is the LOUDEST human on the planet….so it’s always damn loud. I used to keep the presence low but as I get more confidence in my playing, the more I increase it and the tighter it sounds. NOW-keep in mind that we are a 2 guitar player band. Joey has active pickups in his guitar I have passive, he has more of the ‘scoop’ metal sound. That means very little mids, so we try to compliment each other…. you know… if he wears white I wear red… if he wears black I wear black. Ha,ha… just kidding…. Part 4 coming soon.