Strange overtones (maybe buzzes) in DG-250

vince

Hey All,

I've searched around and seen Michael and others mention the strange overtones that cheaper Sagas make on certain strings/frets. What is the origin of these sounds? Bad bracing? Loose tailpiece? Is there anything that can be done? Now that ear training is start to pay off, I'm hearing things I've never heard before, and it's downright annoying! I'd like to minimize these sounds since it's going to be a while before I can afford that DG-370 I have my eye on.

Vince

Bones

This helps with reducing the sypathetic ringing on the bass strings and doesn't hurt the fundamental tone of the strings too much. Sorry the pic is not too clear. It's a trick violin players use. They are little rubber o-rings or like 1/16th inch thick slices of rubber tubing that go under the string right where it goes over the bridge. The string still rides on the wood of the bridge. The o-ring touches the bottom of the string in front of and behind the bridge.

McQ

Interesting stuff.

I just searched google and saw that violin players have used a rubber tube or parchment (or even super glue) in order to prevent the e string from digging into the bridge, but I wasn't able to find anything on it cutting down on vibrations. That said, I didn't look very hard, and I also don't know any violinists (and haven't played since I was a wee lad--and when I did it was viola).

Says here viewtopic.php?t=6103&highlight=reducing+wetness that neck angle, bridge, and string gauge can affect reverb/wetness, and other threads mention weaving a shoelace or piece of leather through the strings between the bridge and tail-piece.

I have a DG-300 that I absolutely love (thank you, Josh!). Sometimes I can hear what others describe about the wetness or sympathetic vibrations. Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but there are times I wish it were able to be reduced--depends on what and how I'm playing.

If I wanted to experiment with this o-ring tip, where might I find these little guys? Hardware store? Do you buy the rubber and cut the o-rings yourself, or what?

Bones

McQ,

You are right that I think the violin guys use a little tube on the hi string to keep it from digging into the bridge.

How the little o-rings work on the guitar bridge is that they go under the string and around where the string crosses the bridge so the string still sits on the wood of the bridge. The o-ring touches the string in front and behind the bridge (sorry the picture did not come out too well, I'll try to take another when I get home). The violin trick with little tubes on the hi-E and B guitar strings might help stop ringing on those strings if you are having that problem but I have not really noticed much of a problem on the E or B myself.

It doesn't totally eliminate the sympathetic ringing but definitely helps and does not significantly reduce the fundamental response of the string. The litttle bit of lost volume is a small price to pay to get rid of most of the ringing especially if you are playing thru an amp or PA.

Yes, get small (like 1/4") o-rings at a hardware store or take 1/4" plastic or rubber tubing and slice some for yourself.