Buznut string dampener

Chiefbigeasy

Ran across this little device in my collection of pics. I had forgotten I purchased it along time ago. It’s called a Buznut string dampener. Searched the forum to see if anyone had ever used one before and found no entries.

It’s an evolution of a string dampening device originally created by George Van Epps. Some notable guitarist in the 60s who played arch tops such as Herb Ellis and Scotty Moore used the original headstock mounted contraption to dampen strings that were causing ringing and feedback. I mounted this again to check out its properties. It does dampen open strings, and can be adjusted to allow the strings to ring in between the little felt pads by pulling or pushing on the device. It does quiet the guitar down quite a bit and I can see it being useful especially in amplification settings where volume and feedback can be an issue. May give it a try at Friday’s gig.

billyshakes

I wonder if George's was for seven strings? 😁

JasonS

Yes that was my impression. It aids in muting open strings, particularly on extended range guitars. It's the same concept as modern 'Fret Wraps' you commonly see on extended range basses and guitars. https://gruvgear.com/products/fretwraps

pdg

I saw Herb Ellis and Joe Pass play as a duo a long time ago, at McCabe's in Santa Monica, California. They were playing identical ES-335s, and they had identical string dampeners attached to the headstock! My impression was that they wanted the sound of open string notes to match that of fretted notes (maybe less sustain if you don't kill the note while playing a line). But maybe it was for feedback.

Russell Letson

Just for fun, an old thread on the Jazz Guitar Online site:

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guitar-amps-gizmos/35009-van-epps-string-dampeners-anyone-use-own-one.html

delb0y

Spookily enough just yesterday I cut a thin strip of black rubber (from a pushbike computer - the rubber is used to pack out the space around the handlebars to ensure the computer bracket is snug) and slipped it up against the nut on my Gitane D500 which is prone to sympathetic ringing. Worked a treat! Open strings still ring out, but the sympathetic ringing is reduced by about 80%.