String Ring Behind The Bridge

[FireFly]

You know when you play a strings through body guitar, with a TOM bridge, and you palm mute but you still hear this sort of breathing ringing sound? I have several solutions to this problem including tape, cloth, string braids, wolf note dampers (the professional solution lol), heat shrink tube, etc.

Care to share your solutions?

[westhemann]

I don't ever hear that because I adjust the tailpiece to be low enough to create a sharp break over the bridge.

[Crusader]

With my guitars, even my recent build which is copied straight off an LP the sound comes from the nut-to-peg end

On a previous guitar I used a big paper-clip. Lol not very "proffessional" but was effective

[guitar2005]

I've never had that problem. I would think that its a setup issue.

[FireFly]

The problem on this particular v is the string space between the bridge and the ferrule. Because of the angle of the strings over the bridge (as Wes mentioned), vibration is able to easily travel down the length of the string and sustain itself behind the bridge, causing unwanted ringing.

That said, another solution is to raise the bridge and use various methods of neck angle adjustment to compensate for the added height

Thank you for the help!

[westhemann]

You know,on Kahlers you solder the wound end of the string next to the ball before installing.I wonder if that might help?

[FireFly]

On a kahler, the strings are hooked onto the bridge using the string ball end. So adding mass to the wound part would solve that problem. On this guitar, there are several points of contact that eliminate vibration before you get to the ball end, including the bridge saddle, the back of the bridge where the string wraps over, the front ferrule, and the rear ferrule.

[westhemann]

I did have that on a headstock once or twice,and I remember using some foam to isolate it and then I added a string retainer...unfortunately I don't think that helps at all on the bridge.

But here is what I am thinking..on ferrules the string rings because it is breaking over the metal of the ferrule itself..so if you padd just that little part inside the ferrule,it should stop it and be mostly invisible

[westhemann]

So adding mass to the wound part would solve that problem.

On a kahler it is not to add mass,it is to keep the wraps from slipping under heavy trem use...but there is a little vibration amongst the wraps that may be lessened by soldering...possibly.

[FireFly]

That's basically what i meant. You said it better though.

For this guitar, i ended up giving the customer some sleeves to put over the strings before he installs them. It's a cheap easy solution that doesn't involve me modifying the actual guitar, it doesn't ruin any aesthetic value that the instrument has...

I'd say more about the guitar itself, but it's hand made and i don't know if the luthier participates in this forum.

[guitar2005]

That's basically what i meant. You said it better though.

For this guitar, i ended up giving the customer some sleeves to put over the strings before he installs them. It's a cheap easy solution that doesn't involve me modifying the actual guitar, it doesn't ruin any aesthetic value that the instrument has...

I'd say more about the guitar itself, but it's hand made and i don't know if the luthier participates in this forum.

Do you have any pics of the bridge/tailpiece?

[FireFly]

Looks like THIS

But the guitar is back with the customer, so what's done is done. I'm still open to other solutions for future use!

[westhemann]

The break angle seems fine..I think the string wraps were a good solution...lighter gauge strings would help though.

[theodoropoulos]

I think you must check all parts to be well tightened....i dont think it's an issue of resonance....

[guitar2005]

I think you must check all parts to be well tightened....i dont think it's an issue of resonance....

+1 on that.

The break angle almost looks too steep. My guess is that the strings are touching or almost touching the TOM bridge on their way to the ferrules on the back and this is probably causing the buzzing. The strings must not touch the bridge body.

[WezV]

i have had it on baritone headstocks and never solved it without some kind of muting device

[FireFly]

I think you must check all parts to be well tightened....i dont think it's an issue of resonance....

+1 on that.

The break angle almost looks too steep. My guess is that the strings are touching or almost touching the TOM bridge on their way to the ferrules on the back and this is probably causing the buzzing. The strings must not touch the bridge body.

Muting the area behind the bridge fixed the problem. Not much to tighten on a guitar aside from the nuts under the control knobs and the one on the jack

Also, the guitar pictured isn't the one in question, that was one i found on google to use as an example, as the guitar has been fixed and returned to the customer.