[ruger9]

So, my solid Ti Compton is showing some ringing of the strings behind the bridge. They occur when I play single notes, chords, or all 6 strings, they do not go away if I palm mute all the strings.... they only stop if I palm mute the strings behind the bridge. (not while playing. I mean, strum a chord, mute the strings behind the bridge to stop the ringing.)

Are these the "overtones" spoken of with some of these bridges? I never noticed it before, so I'm not sure if it has been happening the whole time or not, and to be honest, I'm not sure if it was happening with my old TOM bridge or not either (the rattle & buzz from the TOM was so annoying, I don't remember any ringing?). But it's annoying. Maybe they are "overtones" or "harmonics", and maybe they are in key, but they are annoying.

So... any thoughts? I L-O-V-E my Compton, but the ringing has to stop. I'm not looking for a way to mute the strings behind the bridge (the obvious fix), I'm more looking for other users to confirm if this is normal or not? With ANY bridge, but especially Comptons? Is it the bridge or the guitar causing it?

Ya know, I wanted to get rid of my TOM because it rattled/buzzed, and now I get a Compton and it's ringing.... (it may not be the Compton)


OH.... this is playing unplugged, a Setzer Hot Rod with 10's.

[workknot]

This is very normal for many solid bar bridges. It can be cured by putting 3 rubber grommets between the strings behind the bridge. Many members here use them and it stops the harmonics from behind the bridge. You can find them at most hardware stores.
Pop's

[ruger9]

Interesting... not quite sure I follow... anybody got a picture to explain?

Here's one... ugly imo. Don't want to do that. Anybody got any other solutions they have found? Do the chambered bridges do this "ringing" any more or less?

[Thunderball]

This ringing is common on all guitars that have a tailpiece, that have strings behind the bridge.

I have five guitars with strings behind the bridge and they ALL ring. When I didn't know what it was it scared the hell out of me. I thought my pickups went microphonic, my tubes were blown, my tailpiece was busted... Then I learned it is just normal ringing behind the bridge.

On my Rickenbacker I run a thin piece of felt in and out of the strings and I hide the felt under the R tailpiece. My Gretsches and other guitars you can't hide the felt, so if I want no ringing at all I just stuff a guitar polishing cloth under those strings behind the bridge. A cool-looking old school way of stopping this ringing is to thread a dollar bill through the strings.

Just know that it is normal. Nothing wrong with your bridge at all. No matter what bridge you put on a guitar with a tailpiece you will get ringing. And on some guitars the ringing is louder than on others.

[ruger9]

A thin strip of felt sounds good...

I wonder if you could put the felt right under the strings where they wrap around the bar w/o hurting the sound? Since the sound comes from the strings vibration thru the bridge, I would think some damping back at the string bar (the one the strings ATTACH to, my B6 doesn't have the tensioning bar) would have no effect on tone?

[Henrytwang]

I use grommets. They look a bit strange at first but you soon get used to them and, most importantly, they work.

[TV the Wired Turtle]

wolf tones! Doesnt happen as much on the alum ones. I have rubber feet I have shaved
down resting under my bigsby on both sides.. helped on my SSU as I wasnt about to have wolf tone suppressors on my guitar they belong on classical instruments like my kids cello

[54Memphis]

I love that characteristic ringing as it is, although I don´t hear it that much. It is even not there once I play amplified. These ghost overtones belong to the construction.

It´s not a bug, it´s a feature.

[LATS]

Originally Posted by 54Memphis

... It´s not a bug, it´s a feature.

I enjoy your attitude!

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by 54Memphis

It is even not there once I play amplified.

It´s not a bug, it´s a feature.

I don't usually play unplugged, but I did tonight, right before bed when the house was quiet, and the wolf tones were annoying the crap out of me- couldn't stand it. I almost always play amplified, which explains why I only now noticed this.

I have played unamplified before, of course, but since I went to the Compton (bar bridge vs TOM) it's gotten ALOT more pronounced.

I loved the "feature" my strat had- the tremolo made it go out of tune! Nice! (NOT)

[tartanphantom]

Although I've been using the rubber grommets for many years, there are alternative solutions. A thin strip of soft leather, mousepad or felt, a shoestring, a dollar bill (as previously mentioned), even a strip of clear packing tape, just about anything to weave between the strings behind the bridge. You can put it close to the Bigsby bar, but don't put it so close that it would interfere with the return action of the Bigsby.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by tartanphantom

mousepad or

You can put it close to the Bigsby bar, but don't put it so close that it would interfere with the return action of the Bigsby.

aahh... didn't think of that. Thanks. I was thinking of having the strings wrap around the foam (or whatever) buy putting it ON the string bar... but you bring up a great point. Can't interfere with the return action of the Bigsby. Mousepad... not a bad idea!

[Jack Knife]

Sympathetic vibrations, common on long string lengths behind the bridge.

I used the tension bar on my B70 to mount a piece of foam I cut from a pickup box. I string over the bar anyway for the more supple feel.

Works great as a string mute and you can roll it out of the way if you want to hear the vibrations.

[Rowland1]

I installed my Stainless Steel Compton today and have been trying to figure out what that sound is. I kept thinking it was mild fret buzz at first. Then I realized it was ringing behind the bridge. So I did a quick search and found this thread.

Thanks ruger9 et al for the help!!