Rubber dampers - what do they do?

[gretsch6120]

Got my first mandolin yesterday, having a blast exploring it! What do the little rubber dampers do that are on the strings, behind the bridge? What "shape" should they be in?

[Terry Braund]

There will probably be a number of opinions on this - and more knowledgeable than me. They damp any vibration of the short lengths of string between the bridge and the tailpiece. Sometimes the vibration can be heard as an unpleasant high harmonic when the string is played. I don't think they are always needed. Take them off and see if you can hear a difference that you don't like. If not, leave them off. If you can, use them. I wouldn't think shape of the arrangement of them makes any difference as long as they damp the string.

[minnedolin]

The rubber dampers- the grommets, if you will are harmonic suppressors implemented to supress the 'ghostly' sound (technical term is sympathetic vibrations, I am told) that are common to newer, bright instruments. I bought some rubber grommets for my newer Eastman to do the same job- they fit very snug and were oval shaped as they were pinched between the strings. I eventually (out of nervousness and uncertainty) sprang for Weber's 'Wood Nymph'. It does the same job in theory but I got to pay $20.00 + shipping. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Is that a Michael Kelly mando? I noticed that they come with those dampers.

[Steven Stone]

If you play with a nice dry chop (no ring or sustain) you will notice on some mandos the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece, and sometimes the nut and the tuners will ring in sympathetic resonance. Rubber grommets placed between the string courses damp the strings and prevent this from happening.

To see if your mandolin needs damping just run your fingers or your pick across the strings - if they go "thud" no damping is needed - The Price and Gilchrist tailpieces are well damped. But if the strings go "zing" additional damping would help. The original vintage style stamped metal Gibson tailpiece is especially lively.

As to whether rubber grommets are superior to leather or deerskin strips, velcro, wooden bars with rubber spacers, etc - different folks prefer different solutions. They all work.

I'm biased since I make and sell "Steve's SIlencers" which are circular rubber grommets which are soft enough and sized so they remain circular instead of being squeezed into an oval shape.

Here's a pic of my beauties...

[MikeEdgerton]

What "shape" should they be in?

They must make a perfect "S" shape while you are looking at the front of the mandolin with the bass side up.

Ok, I'm pulling your leg on that one.

[Dave Hanson]

I tried them on all my mandolins, couldn't notice any difference at all.

Dave H

[MikeEdgerton]

I tried them on all my mandolins, couldn't notice any difference at all.

You only need harmonic suppressors if you have a problem with harmonics.

I had two Strad-O-Lins that were pretty similar. One required a piece of felt under the tailpiece cover, the other was find and dandy without them. My Gibson has a piece of leather under the strings, my Flatiron doesn't and sounds fine. Adding them won't hurt but if there isn't a problem to solve they certainly won't help anything.

[mandopete]

You only need harmonic suppressors if you have a problem with harmonics.
Here's something that I have noticed with respect to dampening the strings behind the bridge. #If you use a tuner with a transducer and you clip it to the bridge it's a good idea to dampen the strings and remove the unwanted sympathetic vibrations. #This is very helpful if you use an analog tuner as you'll find the needle will jump around a lot less.

I think the same might be said for dampening the strings behind the nut if you use a clip-on type tuner attached to the headstock. #I suspect that since these string lengths are relatively short (compared to the length behind the bridge) it's not as noticeable, but every little bit helps, eh?

[BlueMountain]

In general they're about as useful as fuzzy dice hanging from a rearview mirror or dingle balls hanging from the windshield. As the Pennsylvania Dutch say where I live, they're "Chust for nice." They're cute. Sometimes they're useful. So are fuzzy dice.

[mandopete]

I disagree.

[TomTyrrell]

In general, generalizations are seldom accurate.

I have the grommets on two mandos. Not on two others.

[Mr. Loar]

Where do you get these grommets?

[mandopete]

I guess my point is that you buy some of these grommets for like two bucks at Radio Shack and stick 'em on your mando. What's the harm...nothing I say. I took a little strip of leather and wove it into the strings behind the nut on my guitar as I use a clip on tuner for that beast and found the same results with respect to the tuner.

Pretty good deal if I do say so myself (and I do).

[mandroid]

Original and clone Gibby TP can dampen if the strip of leather is under the strings at the lip,

Last thing that the string touches is, then, not the metal lip of the lower part of the tailpiece.

and the cover gets a piece of thin felt glued inside.

Anything you stick in between the strings will dampen them spare picks , perhaps?

Mr. Stone may have pictures of himself at the rubber molding machinery , if Make still has its original definition.

[MikeEdgerton]

I have suggested that people fold up a hundred dollar bill and weave it through the strings. Then, if it doesn't work you can just send the hundred to me.

[Jonathan Peck]

I used to just take a piece of felt and lay it on top of the strings under the bridge cover plate. Then I got a mandolin with an Allen tailpiece. Since there is no coverplate on an Allen, and a small piece of leather that wasn't really effective, it had those little rubber grommets. I found them to be a PITA when changing strings...which is a general PITA with the Allen tailpiece to begin with. While bending over to find one that I had dropped on the floor, I noticed that the shoes I was wearing had a nice soft leather lace. I took it off and threaded it three times around the strings right in front of the tailpiece. What followed was one of those...oh, that's what it sounds like when the strings are damped...moments. I got up to throw those rubber grommets in the garbage and forgot that I had removed my shoelaces, but that's another story all together

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[RichM]

I can't say it as colorfully as Jonathan did, but I did find that a $3 investment in leather shoelaces provided me with enough string dampening material for the rest of my life. And yes, it DOES make a difference.

[mandopete]

I used to use the ol' shoelace technique, but I found that winding it in the strings was just too tricky. What I like about the grommets is they're easy to pop in and out. If you lose one, no big deal, just buy a package and pop in another (they're cheap).

[seano]

I'm not sure what my peeve is w/ these things.
While I've never really had a need to use them... seems like alot of people put them on when they aren't really needed. Seems kind of "showy"... whatever.









'

[Steven Stone]

In general they're about as useful as fuzzy dice hanging from a rearview mirror or dingle balls hanging from the windshield. As the Pennsylvania Dutch say where I live, they're "Chust for nice." They're cute. Sometimes they're useful. So are fuzzy dice]

Quite a few pro players use "Silencers" when doing recording, especially those who use vintage Gibsons. I could list the names, but since they are not "endorsers" I won't. Suffice to say I suspect that almost every reader has heard some recordings by them and if the recording was done during the last five years, they had silencers on.

Here's a pic of Silencers used behind the nut. Yes, you could do this with shoe laces or buckskin strips,(picks? uh...no) but it wouldn't be as neat or easy.

[MikeEdgerton]

Call me crazy but I was in the electronics world too long http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I call it an innovative use of an existing item but sexy?

[TomTyrrell]

So an instrument with a high-gloss sunburst finish isn't "showy" enough and needs some black rubber grommets to flash things up a bit?

[45ACP-GDLF5]

Where do you get these grommets?
Your local Radio Shack has them, and there is a Cafe member here, "smyrnagc" that sells them in different colors! I've bought several from him. Great to deal with! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[des mando]

well, ive bought some from steve and wouldnt have tried them at all but a friend went to a workshop with bobby clark and after his expanation and before and after presentation he tried themand swore by the difference i was skeptical but definatly noticed improved tone and realy notice if i dont put them on after a string change no baby naugas are used in steves silencers