Low String Ringing!

[big_teee]

I have a guitar that has a strange condition.
When you play the high strings the big wound strings start ringing.
It is worse when played with an amplifier, but is still there if when playing unplugged.
It is worse if you tune the guitar and tighten the big strings first(the normal way).
It is better if you tighten the high strings first.
There are no other known problems.
It seems to be worse when the strings are well stretched.
Has anyone else ever had this problem.
Because of this I don't play this guitar much.
Terry

[tedmich]

the fact that its different if you tune (low to high) vs (high to low) suggests (to me) that the neck may be loose, can you tighten it down? what kind of bridge is it? Many floating trems have odd stuff like this...
you could always loop yer thumb up over the top of the neck...

[jrfrond]

Please be more specific as to the exact guitar, how it's set up, string gauge, etc.

This is not unusual, perhaps just pronounced in that particular guitar. String energy always has to go somewhere. The more solid the platform is, the more it gets reflected back into the strings. On Strats, trem springs can vibrate in sympathy and cause the guitar to have a bit of natural reverb when played acoustically.

[big_teee]

It is this guitar have another one that does this too.
But not as bad.
It's a copy of an Ibanez reverse head with through string bridge, and 16-1 Gotoh Tuners.
It's a set Neck, StopTail Guitar.
I'm using 10-46 Slinky's.
It's actually the guitar I use to Test my Humbuckers, when I make changes to a design.
It sounds Great except for the ringing, and occasionally when I change pickups while I'm testing them, it doesn't do it as bad when I put it back together.
What else.
B_T

[jrfrond]

A set neck and stop tail solidbody guitar is a recipe for a lot of reflected string energy. You said you have another one that does it, but not as bad. Could just be the particular piece of wood that emphasizes this.

Your main platform for energy reflection is the bridge. You might want to upgrade the Ibanez Tune-O-Matic to something better than the pot metal they use. Another possibility is GraphTech saddles instead of metal, to decouple the strings from the bridge a bit. Just a couple of possibilities.

[big_teee]

A set neck and stop tail solidbody guitar is a recipe for a lot of reflected string energy. You said you have another one that does it, but not as bad. Could just be the particular piece of wood that emphasizes this.

Your main platform for energy reflection is the bridge. You might want to upgrade the Ibanez Tune-O-Matic to something better than the pot metal they use. Another possibility is GraphTech saddles instead of metal, to decouple the strings from the bridge a bit. Just a couple of possibilities.

It's not as high dollar as a Ibanez, its a douglas Rondo Clone.
It seems to have more to do with the tuning end.
It has no string trees, would that make it better or worse?
It's this Guitar, have a look at the pictures.
Douglas Spad Metallic Red Left Handed at RondoMusic.com
Thanks,
Terry

[David Schwab]

This is fairly normal and why you have to mute the strings you are not playing.

[big_teee]

This is fairly normal and why you have to mute the strings you are not playing.

I'm not that good of a player.
My Les Paul Guitar doesn't do that. Any other ideas.
B_T

[Ronsonic]

Muting unplayed strings is a fundamental part of electric guitar technique.

All guitars have sympathetic resonances between strings. On an electric they can reinforce themselves.

I seriously doubt that your tuning sequence is making a difference, rather it is an aspect of a different approach or outlook at that time.

Just my opinion, examine your playing technique with a microscope, learn what you need to do to control this guitar and then forget about it.

[big_teee]

Muting unplayed strings is a fundamental part of electric guitar technique.

All guitars have sympathetic resonances between strings. On an electric they can reinforce themselves.

I seriously doubt that your tuning sequence is making a difference, rather it is an aspect of a different approach or outlook at that time.

Just my opinion, examine your playing technique with a microscope, learn what you need to do to control this guitar and then forget about it.

I don't really have a playing technique.
I just pick around mostly and I play with a pick and I don't have enough hands to do lots of muting of the big strings, but thanks just the same.
Rather than analyzing my playing style(Or Lack of), I was trying to figure out why this guitar rings so bad, and others don't.
Like I said earlier it's so bad that I end up putting it back in the corner.
It might help with some different saddles perhaps.
They make some nylon Saddles.
If I Can't fix it, I can put it back in the corner.
Keep Rockin,
Terry

[tedmich]

its also common to dampen open strings if you are hammering on and don't want open notes, some use a damper built into the peghead (Stanley Jordan, Jennifer Batten, Michael Anthony Batio) or just a hair scrunchy, like Victor Wooten, which u can even put over a harmonic node to get their harmonics.

[big_teee]

its also common to dampen open strings if you are hammering on and don't want open notes, some use a damper built into the peghead (Stanley Jordan, Jennifer Batten, Michael Anthony Batio) or just a hair scrunchy, like Victor Wooten, which u can even put over a harmonic node to get their harmonics.

Tell me More?
It seems to be from the Nut end of the string.
I mainly pick little simple melodies up high, So If I could dampen the open 3 big strings just a bit I think that would do it.
Thanks,
Terry

[kilphody]

I don't know if this will help, but try the Stevie Ray thing putting small pieces of wire insulation on the strings where they bend over the top thru-bushings.
-PC

[big_teee]

I don't know if this will help, but try the Stevie Ray thing putting small pieces of wire insulation on the strings where they bend over the top thru-bushings.
-PC

Sorry I don't think I understand where to put the insulation?
Is This behind the Bridge?
Or is this somewhere at the neck?
B_T

[JoeM]

I think the insulation SRV had on the guitar was to help minimize string breakage at the trem.

You might do what I once saw on a teacher's guitar, he placed a thin piece of felt, about 1/4" wide (or less) right under the strings at the nut to dampen them. It was more for feedback problems on an archtop guitar, but it might help. (Kind of like a Van Eps string damper) Of course open strings will sound muted.