Benjamin Jayne
From:
Orange County California, USA
|
Posted 16 May 2011 6:28 pm |
|
Today I noticed that when I play my 6th string at the 9th fret (or on the 8th fret with the B pedal) I hear a quiet (although annoying) high pitch buzz/ring. This is the smallest wound string on my guitar, and it's possible that it occurs at other places on lower strings, but I have just never noticed. Is this just an unwanted harmonic? I'm guessing I need to adjust my left hand and be sure my fingers are touching the 6th string behind the bar, which I thought I was doing. When I try to put more downward pressure to be sure I am stopping the extra vibration, the notes sound "muted" so maybe I'm doing something entirely wrong with my left hand. I'm pretty sure this is just a technique issue that needs to be perfected with practice, but I just wanted to be sure.
I hear it best through my amp with a strong "pluck" of the 6 string alone on the 9th fret (or 8th with the B pedal), but it is also there when I play multiple strings, it's just harder to notice. I don't hear it when plucking the open 6th string or with the bar on any other fret, as far as I can tell.
When I play without the amp, it's more of a buzz sound, but with the amp, it sounds somewhat like a harmonic (definitely high pitched). I noticed when playing without the amp, the sound seems to be coming from in or around the changer (at least the right side of the guitar, it does not seem to originate from the bar position, but it's hard to be sure). Hopefully that makes diagnosing it easier.
Am I correct that the cause is my left hand technique? I know you can get a harmonic on the 9th string, but it's strange that I only hear it on the 6th string there, and that I can't seem to get the note to sound alone without some audible harmonic. Any other things to check to rule out rods buzzing or some other issue? Any suggestions to try and make it go away? I tried using only the tip of the bar vs the back, and the sound is still there, regardless.
_________________
Lamar S-10, Goodrich L10K VP, Carvin Vintage 16 all-tube amp, John Pearse Cryogenic steel tone bar, John Pearse strings. |
|
Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
|
Posted 16 May 2011 11:30 pm
|
|
Ben,
I have a similar issue with my Fessy U12. It seems that the roller at the nut causes this vibration, and I havent quite figured out the remedy yet. Perhaps the axle isnt quite true anymore, but more likely its just that the downward tension across the roller isnt strong enough. When I hear it on an open string, I know it's not my poor bar technique!  This is often the case with string 6 since it is the lowest tuned plain string and has the farthest distance from the machine head to the roller (even more on a U12). This wide angle over the roller, and the length of string behind the nut provide the least resistance to sympathetic vibration. A harmonic can cause this unwanted rattle just as playing the string open might.
You might try loosening the strings, rotating the rollers and axle halfway or so and retuning. I also thought about using some sort of string tree, or perhaps winding the string from the bottom of the post to increase the angle. Last on my options list is replacing the rollers and axle. 
Clete |
|
Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
|
Posted 17 May 2011 5:01 am
|
|
Ben, you may find that a new string may solve that probem.
I was having a problem occasionally with strings 1-3 or 6
getting a very twangy sound, (worse above the 7th fret) and
I guess the George-L sets I bought were from a bad batch. 
Since I changed to Curt Mangan and Emmons I've never had a
problem with that again, and the tone seems to be better too.
_________________
aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal |
|
