A quirk of Di Mauro guitars

ChrisMartin

I have collected a few instruments by Antoine Di Mauro (including a mandolin) and was just wondering if anyone knows what that strip of felt behind the nut is for. I have not seen it on any other guitars.

TexasRed

I imagine it is to mute the overtones on the strings between the tuners and the nut.

It's not too commonly used on guitars but not unheard of, and many mandolin players do it

ChrisMartin

That was my only guess, but if so, I wondered why Di Mauro seems to have stuck with it, and few others. Also, surely the overtones from between the bridge and the tailpiece would be more noticeable? That is certainly the case on the mandolin.

Al Watsky

In the couple of instruments I have seen with the headstock felt the felt was not actually in any close contact with the string after length , so its effects are minimal any way. Its not a bad idea though. It the felt is thick enough to touch the strings it works well.

ChrisMartin

Yes, the theory would work, but it is only a very thin strip and even if one allowed for some shrinkage with age, it is still nowhere near touching the string.