strings hurt like a *#$&

[Briman]

The e and B strings in the first fret are tight as hell and almost cut into my skin....is this normal and i should just suck it up or is there a way to make em not so damn (tight is the wrong word but you get the picture, I hope). I have a tremolo system if that helps i.e. i could take some springs out of the back and have it float?). This is a real poblem because in order to play a bar chord, the entire side of my finder would have to be calloused. If thats what it takes, thats what it takes, but let me know if there is anything else I can do? Thanks for replying so quickly to my last post cyberfret monitor.

[cyberfret]

I am guessing that the nut is either too high, or the notches for the strings are not cut deep enough. This makes it pretty painful at the 1st fret. I would take it to a guitar shop and have then lower the action at the nut. It should not be too expensive. Playing a barre chord at the first fret is going to be more difficult regardless. And you will develop a little bit of a callus on the side of your first finger. But if the nut is way to high, you could definitely slice your finger on that first string......not a good thing :)

--Shawn