string dampeners?

[mandokismet]

I was watching my early release (for donors) of this week's MandoLesson video and noticed some rubber (?) string dampeners (?) on the headstock strings on Baron's mandolin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTKKldpKlF8

What are they for? Are they common? Etc etc.

[Roger Moss]

I would suspect they are for the same reason as dampeners on strings behind the bridge - that is to inhibit ringing of strings (aka harmonic overtones). I thought the string length above the nut would be too short and the tension too high for there to be a problem there, but I guess it happens.

[mandroid]

recurring FAQ..

No, not necessary separately , if the damping in the bridge takes care of that..

James Bridges solve that , with the O rings, that also secure the cover..

Leather strips under the strings and a bit of felt inside ,

under the traditional Gibson style Tailpiece cover, also cures that..


Or your right hand palm ...



...

[Roger Moss]

recurring FAQ..

No, not necessary separately , if the damping in the bridge takes care of that..

James Bridges solve that , with the O rings, that also secure the cover..

Leather strips under the strings and a bit of felt inside ,

under the traditional Gibson style Tailpiece cover, also cures that..


Or your right hand palm ...



...

The OP is asking about string dampening on the headstock. That inplies that the strings in question are running from the nut to the posts. Or am I misinterpreting something here?

[Don Grieser]

If you run your pick across the strings between the nut and the tuners, you'll hear plenty of sound up there. I use a small piece of leather under the strings (thick enough to touch the strings) right behind the nut to dampen those overtones.

The James tailpiece (and a few others) will dampen most of the ringing between the bridge and the tailpiece. Most times you see the grommets used between the bridge and tailpiece because the overtones are louder back there.

[EdHanrahan]

I hate to be the old fogey in the room (at 71!), but ...

- "Dampen" means making something wet.
- "Damp", or "damping", is the act of stopping or reducing a motion, often a vibration or oscillation. Doesn't have to be a string; cars' shock absorbers are sometimes referred to a "dampers", stopping the rebound motion of bouncing over a bump. On occasion, the more eloquent automotive writers refer to brakes as dampers as well, stopping the car's forward motion.

And yes, the "damper" in your fireplace is there to control the movement of air up the chimney. Unless you're doing that by means of a garden hose, in which case "dampen" is probably accurate.

I'll go sit in my corner now!

[Skydog6653]

I hate to be the old fogey in the room (at 71!), but ...

- "Dampen" means making something wet.
- "Damp", or "damping", is the act of stopping or reducing a motion, often a vibration or oscillation. Doesn't have to be a string; cars' shock absorbers are sometimes referred to a "dampers", stopping the rebound motion of bouncing over a bump. On occasion, the more eloquent automotive writers refer to brakes as dampers as well, stopping the car's forward motion.

And yes, the "damper" in your fireplace is there to control the movement of air up the chimney. Unless you're doing that by means of a garden hose, in which case "dampen" is probably accurate.

I'll go sit in my corner now!

I hate to be the even bigger old fogey, but:

dampen /dăm′pən/
intransitive verb
To make damp.
To deaden, restrain, or depress.
To soundproof.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition • More at Wordnik

[Mandobart]

I was at a 4 hour workshop with Mike Marshall a few years back at Wintergrass. He had dampers on his headstock (as well as at the tailpiece). He told me he felt they were important at both ends.

I use rubber grommets or a leather lace on all my mandolin and guitar headstocks. I also use them at the tailpiece (where applicable - no need or benefit IMO on a flatop guitar with a fixed bridge).

[TheMandoKit]

I hate to be the even bigger old fogey, but:

dampen /dăm′pən/
intransitive verb
To make damp.
To deaden, restrain, or depress.
To soundproof.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition • More at Wordnik

And to be even fogey-er, I believe that what the devices are attempting to stop is the sympathetic vibration of strings above the nut/below the bridge, rather than harmonics or overtones.

[Jeff Mando]

Love it, keep going, how did we survive not knowing?!

I accept grammar mistakes, spelling mistakes, BUT have to draw the line at being wrong. Please fact check before posting.

[DocMontana]

I have those rubber thingies (I won't call them dampers) on my new Eastman OM..And they're spaced in different spots on the strings behind the bridge, rather than lined up in a row.

I've had the OM less than a week, so I haven't messed with them. But do they need to be in a certain spot on the strings?

I've been thinking about taking them off and seeing what it sounds like without them, sometimes overtones can be cool! And of course they will have to come off when I change the strings, so I'm thinking of taking pics and measurements before I do anything with them, but at the same time wondering if it matters.

[sgosnell]

The positioning of the grommets (or whatever is being used to damp the strings) doesn't matter significantly, but if you're reluctant to take the word of a stranger on an internet forum (and you should be) you can move them around and see if anything changes. It's not that hard to get them back to near the original position.

[Richard500]

And to be even fogey-er, I believe that what the devices are attempting to stop is the sympathetic vibration of strings above the nut/below the bridge, rather than harmonics or overtones.

Sympathetic vibration will consist primarily of harmonics. Other possible modes will be very much less. It’s resonance.

[Eric Oliver]

My '32 Webster says

[Bob Gochfeld]

My '32 Webster says

My mandocello has just begun to chatter on the A and D strings. To damp the chatter I have placed grommets at both ends of both strings, above the nut and below the bridge AND put a piece of rubber tubing between the strings and the top, touching both, below the bridge....AND I AM STILL GETTING THAT CHATTER. Any ideas? The instrument has a floating pick guard and I put some rubber tubing under that just in case that was the source of vibration. I'm hoping that I don't have a loose interior brace south of the center hole. Could it be the strings themselves showing signs of wear? (They are D'addario and have been on the instrument since August 2022.)

[Bill McCall]

Two years on strings is at least 18 months too long, assuming you actually play the instrument regularly, imho.

Advice worth the price

[Bob Gochfeld]

Thanks for the advice on chaning strings; however, would the strings cause chatter (by the way it seems to be only on the open strings and it just began to happen.) So, if the nut is the likely problem, what has happened to make it suddenly occur?