Question about my ringing strings.

M

MightyPOOsticK

New member
Hey guys, I have a peavey t-15 (oooold guitar) and when I hit certain notes, other strings ring. For example, when I pluck the open B string, the low E rings. Is there any way to stop this (besides muting them manually)? Is there something wrong with the nut on my guitar?

Thanks for the help!
 
Oh man a T-15??? I haven't seen one of those since the early 80's!
Do you have the "amp in case"?

I don't quite understand... Ringing? you mean like vibrating?
Is the nut loose? The bridge is OK?
 
haha No....I'm thinking the higher end t-15's had the amp in case. I have the case and theres a space for an amp but there isnt an amp in there. It was my dads. He bought an old sears (i think) tube amp. Can't remember the name of it...I looked it up and I'm pretty sure it was one that sears used to sell back in the 80's. I think the guy from White Stripes uses one too. Eventually I'll get that repaired...it gives quite a shock when you plug into it....literally.

Ok back to the problem hehe. Yeah the string rings....like if I have distortion and I hit the B string the E just goes off....almost like I plucked it also...

I'm not sure if the nut is loose....how do I check?
 
Ok, so it only does it distorted?
You sure it isn't just the sustain from the volume level being to high? Or maybe you are hitting the string without noticing?

Loosen the strings, grab the nut and move it side to side. If its lose it'll move.
 
Wow man.... that brings back some memories. A T-15 was my first "real" guitar. I accidentally shot it with a BB gun once and left a perfect little dent in the top.... and later I sold it.

Anway.... what your talking about is called "sympathetic vibration". It is the tendency of things to vibrate at their fundemental frequency when they are acted upon by the soundwaves of something else that is vibrating at the same frequency. Got it? :)

For example: go to a piano and step on the damper pedal so that all the dampers are up and the strings are free to vibrate. Now hit a hard, stacatto "E" and let go. You will hear all kinds of other strings ringing at the same frequency. Let down the damper and start over, but this time hit an "A". Pretty cool, huh?

You can do the same thing just by singing and E or an A into the strings of your guitar. They will begin to vibrate without you even touching them.

Ever pull up next to a car with the stereo playing really loud and hear the car trunk or frame vibrating? Ever wonder why a snare drum's snare rattles only when you play certain notes and not others? Now you know.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
Awesome Aaron! Thanks for the clue in. Yeah I was contemplating buying another guitar because of this...I played some other ones at Sam Ash and noticed they did it too.

Guess I should just stick with this one....save money.

Thanks again guys!
 
Ever wonder why a snare drum's snare rattles only when you play certain notes and not others? Now you know.
Click to expand...


Wow, didn't know that either. Annoys the hell outta me though!

Thanks for that info Aaron.

ELF
 
Hey POO

All guitars, both acoustic and electric are subject to what you described: they are called harmonic overtones and some axes create more than others.

As described before, you can mute with your pick hand.
 
Awesome Aaron! Thanks for the clue in. Yeah I was contemplating buying another guitar because of this...I played some other ones at Sam Ash and noticed they did it too.

Guess I should just stick with this one....save money.

Thanks again guys!
 
doesn't anybody like sympathetic vibrations on a guitar? I do.

it's not like the strings are vibrating at the wrong frequencies. those ringing notes should all be harmonically related, no? it's like playing a chord. these overtones usually add a desirable characteristic. when you dampen all harmonics of any note from any instrument you're left with a fundamental frequency, and that's sterile, like a tone generator.
 
Never said I didn't like 'em....just explained 'em.

I can tell you one thing about I absolutely hate though: when your tremolo springs vibrate at certain pitches! I spend hours trying to find just the right adjustment to keep that from happening!

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
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