Offshoot of the "Chipped my nut" thread for the luthierally inclined

[Armistice]

I've been following that thread and the info about type of material etc for nuts. and also how the nut material plays no part in the sound except on open strings..

Then I think a couple of you said that on a fretted string there is no vibration back past the finger as a means of making that argument. Fair enough.

So riddle me this, if there's no vibration back past the finger on the fretted string, then on that theroy on an open string there's no vibration back past the nut - yet I've had guitars in the past where I swear the tone (on open strings in particular) was improved by me winding a piece of felt in and out of the strings between the nut and the machine heads because I was fairly sure I was getting an audible (and competing) tone of sorts from that section of the string and the felt seemed to dampen any vibration.

Or I guess perhaps the finger does a whole lot more dampening than a taut metal string across a bone / brass / plastic / fossilised moose penie (the serious player's choice of nut material ) nut.

I'm talking acoustic guitar btw. And not cheap ones... all wood.

Was I dreaming? Happy to be told I was, just curious.

Thanks

 

[Milnoque]

I wouldn't expect that outcome if I ran the same experiment.

 

[Victory Pete]

I've been following that thread and the info about type of material etc for nuts. and also how the nut material plays no part in the sound except on open strings..

Then I think a couple of you said that on a fretted string there is no vibration back past the finger as a means of making that argument. Fair enough.

So riddle me this, if there's no vibration back past the finger on the fretted string, then on that theroy on an open string there's no vibration back past the nut - yet I've had guitars in the past where I swear the tone (on open strings in particular) was improved by me winding a piece of felt in and out of the strings between the nut and the machine heads because I was fairly sure I was getting an audible (and competing) tone of sorts from that section of the string and the felt seemed to dampen any vibration.

Or I guess perhaps the finger does a whole lot more dampening than a taut metal string across a bone / brass / plastic / fossilised moose penie (the serious player's choice of nut material ) nut.

I'm talking acoustic guitar btw. And not cheap ones... all wood.

Was I dreaming? Happy to be told I was, just curious.

Thanks

That would be expected, The string length from the machine head to the nut is simply vibrating on its own, with its own frequency.
VP

 

[slowmotion]

It's a fairly common thing to do especially when recording, it cuts down on rouge vibrations. Some go as far to mute all the strings in front of the nut too so solos (assuming they don't use open strings and only consist of fretted notes) are cleaner, with less chance of players accidentally hitting the adjacent strings (or having them vibrate on their own adding unwanted overtones) etc etc.

I guess to each their own - I know many people go to great lengths to dampen all those little squeaks etc, but I come from the position that you want the whole guitar to sing, and not be muffled in any way at all, with the extra tones forming part of the character of the instrument. It would very much be down to the way you play and the style you're going for too. IMO!

 

[Dani Pace]

As a plucked string causes the guitar body to resonate, it seems to me that a resonating body would also cause a non-plucked string to viberate. Maybe this explains some of those "ghost notes" we all hear from time to time.

 

[Light]

Yes, there is some vibration behind your finger, and behind the nut. No, it does not make a perceptible difference in the sound of the guitar.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[muttley600]

Yes, there is some vibration behind your finger, and behind the nut. No, it does not make a perceptible difference in the sound of the guitar.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

Unless of course it's one of Linda Manzers guitars.