Twang killing oil

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

I replaced the 3rd (.11) two times & polished up the barrel & still had the dang twang Evil or Very Mad

Finally I tried the old oil trick & it helped a little Confused

Looks like I need to keep a quart of Castrol 10-w-30 in the gig bag.

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

If it aint got twang it don't mean a thang!! Wink

Larry
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Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Too much twang aint a good thang

Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

Try putting a little strip of "shrink-fit" on the string between the nut and the keys. I think Jay Dee does this or he use to do it.

Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

Twang? Please explain cause I might have the same problem on my old Bud.

Fred Nolen · From: Mohawk, Tennessee, USA

I have yet to play a steel that does not have this problem to some extent, especially on the ol' 017" #4; it tends to worsen when it is raised. I have found that adjusting the height of a pickup helps some. Also, string attack can worsen it if one is heavy handed. I, however, am not sure that we want to completely kill the effect. It's a trade off. Just MO.

Still kickin' & pickin' in TN.

Ol' Fred

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

Have you put any oil on the roller nut or was that what you tried? Try a .012 and see if that makes a difference. I use a .012 and have not had any problem. Have you always had this problem? If not,you may have a bad batch of strings. Another thing to check, how far is the winding from the ball, if it's wound to much it might not be letting the string lay on the finger enough.

Tony

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

I put a drop of oil right where the string lays on the right roll over end. Some say this may even extend string life a little.
It dosent seem to effect string tone any but does cut the twang a little Very Happy

I think pick up height should be somthing else I should look at, but its adjusted to such a sweet spot right now, sustain Etc, I hate to adjust it, but?

Tommy Young · From: Ethelsville Alabama

what i do on my guitars and all the mods i do is wind some extra string on them to really put the string at an angle and this seems to help a great deal because most of the time it is caused by the keyhead roller sorta chattering against the keyhead on each side thanks just what i do thanks HOPE THIS HELPS TOMMY

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

Richard, have you put any oil on the roller nut shaft?

Tony

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Hi Tony
Yea I put some oil on the roller & it did help some Very Happy

I might have some bad strings here since the darn twang is still there a little Mad

Guess I will need to keep digging for the problem.
Thanks anyway there friend

Alan Kirk · From: Scotia, CA, USA

By "twang" are you guys talking about a sitar-like buzz?
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Fred Rushing · From: Odin, IL, USA

I was told by a very knowledgable builder to use 30 wt motor oil on the rollers at the axle on all of them. Fred

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Alan
Yes that is what the darn twang thing is, any ideas ?

Alan Kirk · From: Scotia, CA, USA

Well, in the bridge of a Tamboura, a sitar-like drone, you use a little piece of thread or yarn, looped around the string then pulled tight under it at the bridge. Adjusting the string forward or backward gives you more or less buzz.
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richard burton · From: Britain

I use a thin strip of plastic to subdue the decaying note of the string.

John Roche · From: England

Try replacing the 0.11 with a 0.17 and see if it still twangs, that way you will find out if it's the string or the changer that is causing the problem.

Jimmy Duvall · From: Farmington,New York, USA

I thought that sound was the signiture sound for retro steels . I've had that sound at times on different strings before they break too . Sometimes it is a "good " tone and i'll work it till it breaks . Other times it will tone down on a new string from use . I like to ' work' the different tones but new strings always sound real good and I should change them every six weeks instead of six months . I used old 12's for gaping points in my motorcycles .javascript:emoticon(' Embarassed

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James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

I wind my strings so they angle a little, instead of being dead-on straight. Also take a little Mother's Chrome polish and shine up your fingers. Crud tends to collect there--you will see it when you change strings. That dirt contributes to the problem. Sometimes on older guitars, it's actually a groove that wears into the finger. Polish that finger flat again. If the roller at the keyhead is the actuall culprit--a loose roller, a thin rubber band stretched and pulled next to the roller works--cut the long ends with a nail clipper. It's easy to check the roller. Pick the string, and reach past the roller and pull the string sideways to see if the buzz quits. If it does not quit, your problem is likely cruddy fingers. If you can drag your fingernail accross the finger and feel ANY snag, there's your problem.

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

That's interesting, this is the kind of exchange of ideas that makes the Forum so worthwhile. That's a couple of you who say you wind the strings so they angle, on purpose. I've always taken pains to wind them so they're as straight as possible, on the theory that if they angle it might create drag by the roller being pulled against the side of its slot by the substantial string tension. Then again, I don't feel like I have the "twang" problem being discussed here on any of my guitars.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Brint, I doubt if you will notice much wear on your rollers by angling the strings. Probably not in your lifetime anyways. It' wears out about as fast as glaciers move. Slower yet if you keep a drop of oil applied.

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

James, my concern wasn't wear on the roller, but potential drag on the free movement of the roller, because of its being pressed tight against the side wall of the slot. Probably really not an issue, granted, especially if the roller nut is lubed, but I thought, hey, might as well eliminate that possibility, however small. And, as I mentioned, I've never had an issue with the roller buzzing, or zinging, or whatever, so I haven't had reason to try to solve that one.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Brint, If your rollers are clean and lubed, you shouldn't have an issue. What guitar are you playing? depending on how precision your keyhead is made really is the issue. Some of the older guitars had a little slack in the rollers, thus a buzz problem seems to develope.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

To see if the rollers are causing the problem, strum or pick the strings while using the bar, and then put the palm of your right hand on the nut. If the offending noise stops, you've got some loose rollers!

I'm not a proponent of having angled strings. This solves one problem by creating another - hysteresis, and makes the strings come back inaccurately after a pull. If your rollers are rattling, either replace them, shim them up, or use some heavy oil or grease.

I've seen many changers that have been improperly sanded or polished, and ruined. Once you've screwed up that top radius, you're screwed, it'll buzz forever. Unless you have experience doing this, leave polishing out the fingers to a professional.

Also, it goes without saying that repairs and adjustments should be made after you've tried replacing the strings to see if that corrects the problem.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Well it all depends whether or not a slight angle of the string will cause the string to not come back accurately after a pull. That is a whole different subject for debate. There are those who argue one way, and others who go the other way. As I stated earlier, if your rollers are clean and properly lubed, and not worn out and fitting the axle loose and sloppy, they should work satisfactorly. All my buds work great any ways, so I CAN speak for them. Wink

If you slide out the axle to clean your rollers, make sure those same rollers get back to their original position in the keyhead. Also, when you put the axle back in, rotate it about 180 degress, to compensate prior wear, if your guitar has a lot of time on it.

But not to drift off topic, cleanliness solves a lot of the "buzz"&"twang" problem. Clean the head of those fingers when you change strings. Donny's right, do not use an abrasive polish that could alter the original shape where the string curves over. Non abrasive cleaner / polish is what is safe. If your problem persist, you may want to seek more experienced advice. JMO

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