Hi all, I am new at this, built my first guitar and I am trying to sort out some issues. The first one is that when I pluck one string I hear a ringing coming from the other strings. Seems they get excited and ring out when played acoustically. Right now I have a rod piezo on a block of cedar for the bridge, not ideal I guess, just first thing I had the right height. I am thinking of using some dense wood or even some brass as a bridge. I would also like to get some more sustain if I could and tame down the attack if I could.
The neck is a straight through and the soundboard is not touching it. I do like how loud it is but think the soundboard may be contributing to my string ringing problem. I would rather have it so I could play it acoustically but an option would be to glue the top to the neck and go electric, Speaking of, using the piezo I find the hum is reduced when I finger the strings even though the piezo and the strings are grounded. I still have to make a preamp for it, right now just going into a practice amp. Not sure if there is more I can do about it other than go to magnetic pickups.
Otherwise I am thrilled at how well it turned out.
Replies
Henry Lowman said:
oilyfool said:
Sympathetic strings! You happened upon them by accident! SWEEEEEEEET! I've tried various ways to do it!
See? "undocumented feature" = new DarkVerb(tm)!
Seriously, though, this is an unusual response. Most builders would LOVE to have strings ring out like this. Any way you can work the "double jangle" into your playing technique?
Yep, I looked at your second pic. My personal pref, from an aesthetical standpoint, would be closer to the nut so that you have room on the headstock for your new "Now with DarkVerb(tm)!" logo :-). But from a playing standpoint, you may want to consider putting it further from the nut; it'll give you the ability to go lower on string value for a darker tone, and still have high enough sounding strings for a broader range of tones.
Hi all, wow more response than I was expecting, thanks a lot. No, not something you can live with. I will try to get a recording of it but not really set up for it right now. I find the biggest problem is with the two strings tuned to the same note (go figure). Hit the D and little off the other strings. Hit a G and muffle the string you hit you end up with the other one sounding. And not just a little, hit the high G and dampen it, the low G rings almost at the level the high G was at. Pick the low G and mute it, the high G rings but at a little lower level.
I have no problem not having a perfect instrument my first time out, done too many things to expect everything to be right. I may have to go to four strings and tune it to something like a Tenor guitar. It would be nice to get this one straightened out because it does look good with three strings.
Speaking of, has anyone looked at my second picture? I was wondering which arrangement of tuners looked least objectionable. I am having a hard time deciding.
Nope, I've just used a LOT of software over the last 30 years, and been a beta tester for complex geophysical software during that time. I even admit to having programmers as friends ;-).
So now, any mistakes I make automatically become "undocumented features," "previously unknown workflows," or "SEP (Somebody Else's Problem)" :-).
oilyfool said:
You're not a slacker! I'm just on vacation, so have a lot of time to think of this stuff while the family is waking up / getting breakfast / figuring out the plans for the day. Like you, I was ultimately gonna recommend the "just live with it" approach, but that doesn't satisfy my scientific busybody soul ;-).
Unless Printer2 is willing to reframe the ringing problem as an "undocumented feature" of his very nice looking first build (I especially like the bass and treble clef sound holes placed in their "appropriate" locations)? :-)
Whew, all this information is making me feel like a slacker!! :-)
Part of me wants to suggest you just leave the ringing issue for the time being. I suppose it depends on just how bad the sympathetic ringing is. Is it that bad that you really need to resolve it? I realize that the problem is most likely magnified when you have it plugged into an amp as opposed to plucking the strings acoustically.
Maybe as a test, make a couple of really small bridge pieces, and slip them under the strings so that all three strings are not supported by the same bridge material. Then see if that reduces the problem at all. That might help identify if it is a lateral vibration that is causing the problem.
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