Low Freq Thump from Tailpiece
 

Hello, I have a WWII era L-50 with a rosewood crossbar and noticed with certain gauge strings I get a low freq type of thump sound when pulling off on a certain note (C) on the A string.

I only notice it with certain gauge strings and wrapping a small bit of velvet around the D/A string removes the problem but wondered if anyone else has run into the same thing before?

Cheers

Most people who play mandolin-family instruments (archtop, floating bridge just like archtop guitars) dampen the afterlength (string between the bridge and the tailpiece) with a leather or felt strip, or even rubber grommets from your local hardware store to suppress all types of strange sounds. Give it a try - it's cheap, easy and totally reversible.

I noticed it long ago with my 1930 Gibson L-5. I got some piano felt from a friend and simply wove a strip through the strings in back of the bridge.

https://i.imgur.com/1muSMKh.jpg

Not elegant, but it works perfectly.

Howard Emerson.

That's really interesting to hear another vintage gibson has had a similar issue. I've had the sort of high pitch vibration sounds from other archtops but hadn't experienced this low thump sort of sound.

Cheers for sharing, I'll wrap it up with some velvet, I've found putting it around just the offending strings keeps the sustain from dropping off too much.