9 replies to this topic

[n19htmare]

Not sure if this is normal but it doesn't seem normal.

Guitar is about a week old, I bought it new. I did not notice this till about today, but when I strum the high E open and mute it, I keep hearing a hummmmmmmmm. Its quite loud. And if I mute the a and d string then the humming stops. It seems that some sort of a resonance causes the two strings (A & D ) to humm...

If I loosen the low E, A, & D and then strum the E note open on 1st string there is no humming.

I don't think its normal. Why are 4th and 5th strings humming?

Attached Files

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[OldG]

Sounds like some kind of sympathetic vibration. Is it coming from the neck or body end of the 'humming' strings?

If it is the neck end ( which is my guess), try loosening the strings out of the nut grooves and adding either pencil lead (graphite) or plumbers tape (PTFE) to the slot. this should remove any gap between the string and nut groove and kill the hum... If that doesn't fix it, then look at the way the string is wound around the tuning peg. take off the string and rewind onto the peg making sure the string never winds on itself but always against the tuner. Bear in mind it will probably cure itself when a new set of strings is fitted...

HTH
Mick

[n19htmare]

OldG, on 30 March 2012 - 03:36 AM, said:

Sounds like some kind of sympathetic vibration. Is it coming from the neck or body end of the 'humming' strings?

If it is the neck end ( which is my guess), try loosening the strings out of the nut grooves and adding either pencil lead (graphite) or plumbers tape (PTFE) to the slot. this should remove any gap between the string and nut groove and kill the hum... If that doesn't fix it, then look at the way the string is wound around the tuning peg. take off the string and rewind onto the peg making sure the string never winds on itself but always against the tuner. Bear in mind it will probably cure itself when a new set of strings is fitted...

HTH
Mick

appeara to be coming from the body, like from the sound hole. tapping anywhere on the body also causes all the strings to hum quite loudly, which stopped as soon as you put your hands on the strings. Its the worst when plucking high E or B open.

I will still try your suggestion.

Edit: after reading a little bit it's definitely sympathetic vibration. But it's very prominent. Is the suggestion you stated above the best method tot reduce the vibration?

[OldG]

Ok, virbration at the body end... try detuning then pulling the bridge pins - refit, but hold the string back against the body when pushing in the pins. this will ensure the ball end of the string will be snug against the body and not vibrating around.

On second listen to the soundbite you recorded it seems that you might be playing a harmonic instead of muting - try muting until the string isn't moving anymore, and dont mute on the 12th,7th or 5th fret.

[n19htmare]

OldG, on 30 March 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

Ok, virbration at the body end... try detuning then pulling the bridge pins - refit, but hold the string back against the body when pushing in the pins. this will ensure the ball end of the string will be snug against the body and not vibrating around.

On second listen to the soundbite you recorded it seems that you might be playing a harmonic instead of muting - try muting until the string isn't moving anymore, and dont mute on the 12th,7th or 5th fret.

I'll give this a go when I get home tonight.

As for the soundbite, All i did was pluck the high E open, put my finger on it by the sound hole to mute it, and plucked again and so on. Everytime I muted it, the E string did stop vibrating but the humm persisted from the A and D string.

From what I've read it's normal to have some sympathetic vibration but on mine it seems unbearable, to the point where It doesn't sound right. And I'm a beginner, started a week ago, so still figuring out what's normal and whats not.

[karcey]

Some guitars are very sensitive to outside sound. I have a couple that vibrate to the sound of people talking in the room, they sing along if I'm playing. Not the whole scale, just some frequencies. I don't think it's really a fault. Mostly we don't hear the strings though, we more often hear the soundboards moving. Try this. If you pluck a string and then mute it, the hum of the soundboard continues. Some strings are more obvious than others.
Whatever that attachment was on you first post, I can't get it to play so I'm in the dark a bit.
As OldG suggests, it may be as much to do with the construction of the strings as the construction of the guitar. I'm certainly no expert ... I regard guitars as a mystery, especially mine. Even after years of training mine still refuse to remember any songs.
You could always take a quick trip back to the shop and let someone there have a listen.

[Stu74]

I had a similar problem with my yamaha f310 when i 1st bought it brand new.It didnt stay in tune for long either i was re-tuning it all the time.I put it down to being new.
After a few weeks of playing it everyday it settled down and the vibration problem went away without me noticing.

[n19htmare]

I was able to return the guitar. I was also able to snatch a Washburn WD20SCE at a pretty good price.

So far I'm liking the slightly warmer tone of the Washburn. There is still some sympathetic vibration but definitely not to the level of the FG700S.

[mset3]

N19htmare,

Looks like you found the perfect fix. Enjoy your new Washburn.

Mike

[eddiez152]

karcey, on 30 March 2012 - 04:55 PM, said:

Even after years of training mine still refuse to remember any songs.

Gotta Love that!