Slightly muted E string/?

Ehwmatt · July 16th, 2008, 05:54 PM

Hey guys,

I see a lot of talk about G-strings here :D but haven't seen a problem like mine. My high E string is just slightly dead (and maybe my B a bit too). Has anybody experienced this? It's a beautiful MIA Strat that otherwise plays and sounds great. It's just a bit annoying when playing clean arpeggios or open position chords where the string rings out. I suspect the summer weather has affected my set-up a bit, but are there generally any other causes of this kinda thing?

dan P · July 16th, 2008, 07:31 PM

Hello Ehwmatt, first question is ..does she sound the same fretted ? Have you changed string size? If first answer is no, look at the nut, if second answer is yes, look at the nut...

Doug Ferguson · July 26th, 2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan P

Hello Ehwmatt, first question is ..does she sound the same fretted ? Have you changed string size? If first answer is no, look at the nut, if second answer is yes, look at the nut...

+1, and check the break over the saddle, too, just to make sure the end windings aren't coming up over it. Hardtails (don't know if your's is or not) are very prone to this and it will deaden a string fretted or not.

dan P · July 26th, 2008, 05:49 PM

Boy did I hurry through this post, usually if she sounds good fretted, you have a nut problem, once in a while, the breakangle on the nut to tuner will cause problems too, and that can be determined by pushing down on the string back of the nut, then strumming...I just had the nut replaced on the av57ri cause of the dull sound on the g and although it ran me 100 bucks to get her straighten out, that is a job I will not do on a 1200 guitar...just did not want to take the chance of messing the neck up... The luthier did a beautiful job on her but still a 100 bucks! ( He installed a nice bone nut in her) And she rings loud and clear...

thaus · July 30th, 2008, 10:34 AM

I also recommend a bone nut but also make sure that the angle of the string at the bridge is correct. A lot of dead string symptoms can be corrected by slightly altering the position of the string as it leaves the bridge hole. I have read that a lot of blues players will even put tubing at this point.........

xfsl0001 · July 31st, 2008, 02:50 AM

Agree Thaus!
File the G nut slot a bit in order to accentuate le angle. The slot must be higher in the fretboard side and lower in the headstock side, this way it cuts the sound, if on the contrary the slot is horizontal the string sounds dead.
This has happenened to me sometimes, it was always the angle.
In case you don't want to do it yourself or do not have the proper tools, a tech cannot ask you much for this simple operation.

jmasin · July 31st, 2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

I have read that a lot of blues players will even put tubing at this point.........

That's 'cause SRV did it

but he did it to reduce breakage.

thaus · August 5th, 2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmasin

That's 'cause SRV did it

but he did it to reduce breakage.

Who's SRV?