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Thread: Unwanted Resonance

  1. #1
    Mangler of Tunes OneChordTrick's Avatar
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    Default Unwanted Resonance

    When I mute the strings I get an unwanted resonance from the strings. I've narrowed it down to the section between the nut and tuners.

    For the time being I can stop it with a piece of kitchen roll under the strings but is there a better or more elegant solution?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    Hello OneChordTrick,

    I have had a similar (and common) problem between the bridge and the tailpiece. People often use use rubber grommets, which look quite good, or a strip of leather (which is in use on my Shippey A5). These might not work at the head-stock end, but I believe that I have heard people recommend weaving a piece of leather shoelace through the strings.
    Rob

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  4. #3
    Mangler of Tunes OneChordTrick's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    Thanks Rob, I'll give that a try. I've actually got some spare lace that I used to attach the strap that I can dig out

  5. #4
    Registered User Rodney Riley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...07#post1575807

    How others are dealing with the overtones.

  6. #5
    Registered User Tom C's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    I never heard of over tones from up there, but 2 in such a short time? wow

  7. #6

    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    I tried curing this problem with a strip of leather ... something in the leather caused the thin strings to rust and snap (after a few months)

    Now I use strips of high density foam plastic trimmed from water pipe insulation ... no more problems so far

  8. #7
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    A short length of leather bootlace above the nut works well for me.
    Phil

    “Sharps/Flats” “Accidentals”

  9. #8
    Registered User sblock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    Certain types of mandolin tailpieces -- particularly the Gibson stamped metal kind and its many clones -- have a small gap that allows the strings to rattle against against them, producing unwanted noises. Some folks just switch to other types of tailpieces, like the Allen or James style, which don't have this problem! Others place a thin leather strip between the strings and Gibson-style tailpiece body (where they emerge from the tailpiece), so the strings rest on the leather, and not on the metal. Or, they place small rubber grommets in the strings in the region between the tailpiece and bridge, or weave a thing leather strip or shoelace in there, or buy a commercial "harmonic suppressor", like the Weber wood nymph.

    Unwanted harmonics above the nut are another thing, however. These noises should not happen, in principle! Sometimes, they're caused by one or more strings rattling in the back (upper) end of the nut slot. If so, they can often be cured by re-filing the nut groove carefully (with the proper angles towards the headstock), or by filling in the nut slot (using the time-honored bone-dust plus baking soda method) and re-filing it, or by replacing the nut altogether. Some other times, they're caused by strings that rattle against the trussrod cover or trussrod cover screws. In this case, first check to be sure that the trussrod cover is fully seated. If the screw heads are just a bit too high, you might be able to replace these screws with ones that have lower-profile heads.

    More often than not, though, the strings are being wound too low on the tuner posts on the peghead, causing them to come into contact with the trussrod cover or the headstock itself. In that case, an easy fix is to rewind the string higher up on the tuner posts, giving then just a bit more clearance. Problem solved!

    Yes, you can use a bit of string or leather wound into the strings above the nut to suppress these rattles, but this is usually unnecessary if you simply find the root cause of the problem and fix it. Also, the leather or string in this tight spot can introduce drag and interfere with fine tuning, which is why I don't like this solution.

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  11. #9
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    Quote Originally Posted by kypfer View Post
    I tried curing this problem with a strip of leather ... something in the leather caused the thin strings to rust and snap (after a few months)

    Now I use strips of high density foam plastic trimmed from water pipe insulation ... no more problems so far
    Some leather has salt in the tanning process and it will corrode metal. Most leather is OK. A leather shoe lace will often go thru a metal eyelet so they should be good to use.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  12. #10
    Struggle Monkey B381's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    I had the problem between the tail piece and the saddle. A piece of paracord weaved in and fixed.

  13. #11
    Registered User maudlin mandolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Unwanted Resonance

    I recommend Alice brand rubber pick holders which fit over the strings above the nut. Not only will it stop any vibration of the strings there but you will always have two picks available to play the instrument. Available for next to nothing on ebay.

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