Need Builder advice and trouble shoot please .

[Riakstonic]

I have a very nice guitar with Ziricote back and sides . My issue is a very unwanted tone from it mostly from the high E string and upper notes on said string .

It produces a almost hollow , hall reverb type of tone . The other strings seem hyper sensitive to it by producing unwanted overtone pitches which the best way to describe it .

The weird thing is if your listening to it being played you won’t hear it but as the player it’s bloody annoying .

I’m going to try a again to capture the sound by putting a mic over my shoulder maybe that will Catch it hopefully but I have my doubts .

Now I have a range of acoustics in cost and quality none reacts like this thing does . Lol

My only fear is it requiring a total top rebuild which I wish I could do myself but I dare not attempt as I don’t have any setup to accommodate this let alone the experience to do a top replacement.

It’s a beautiful guitar and that makes this issue so hard to swallow . 😑😞

Thanks for input and help folks . 😊

[KingCavalier]

It could be back string noise, try putting like a piece of felt under the strings above the nut

[redir]

Not just one note but many notes? How many and what frets (which notes)?

Is one of the notes in the set particularly bad while the others not so much?

Can you find those same notes on the B-string and get the same results?

[Riakstonic]

It’s basically just the high E string . It’s a Resonance think or something . A harsh hollow sound it’s coming out of the box I’d almost go as far to say wolf notes but not sure . A note on the 8th or 9 th fret gets the A string ringing a harmonic that’s higher then normal harmonics . The box is very reactive to vibration of the strings . But doesn’t look any thinner in build then what’s out there . Though I’m not an expert on it .

[runamuck]

You say the problem is the high e and just on the high frets, right?

Exactly what frets produce the hollow sound?

EDIT: Have you contacted the builder? I'm guessing, because it's ziracote that it's either the Wilborn or Breedlove.

[Shuksan]

Is this guitar brand new to you and it came with this unwanted sound? Or, have you had this guitar for some time and the sound just showed up recently?

[Riakstonic]

Originally Posted by runamuck

You say the problem is the high e and just on the high frets, right?

Exactly what frets produce the hollow sound?

EDIT: Have you contacted the builder? I'm guessing, because it's ziracote that it's either the Wilborn or Breedlove.

Most of the reaction is most noticeable on the high E string . It’s a hand build but not from around here . I got a discount on it because it was shipped over seas. I was going return but costs made it difficult.

It’s an extremely beautiful guitar and plays exceptionally well . I have it up for sale but it’s hard which I feel guilty about to mention the issue that I’m having not knowing if anyone else would even notice it .

[Riakstonic]

Originally Posted by Shuksan

Is this guitar brand new to you and it came with this unwanted sound? Or, have you had this guitar for some time and the sound just showed up recently?

No it came in the door that way but as I mentioned above it a overseas buy . Story is the one ordered was new but someone broke in his knocked over a whole rack of guitars and broke them . The only one he had was the one I got . But I feel strongly that this was a earlier model that was left in storage and long with others hearing what I hear and it getting put into storage and forgotten about .

Honestly he could forgot about what the issues were . His hearing might not be very good either who knows . Im making excuses but there’s just no way to know how things went with it . 😊

[redir]

You still have not answered some very important questions

Try to get that recording done as you mentioned.

Does the guitar have a sound port? Does it have any electronics?

[Shuksan]

Sometimes an unwanted sound/tone can be caused by a loose tuner or tuner button. A loose tuner can actually cause a sound that comes from the body when picking certain notes. You might not think a loose tuner could cause a sound that comes from the body, but it definitely can. I've experienced this with a couple guitars.

This may not be the problem with your guitar but it's easy enough to check. Pick the string/note that produces the unwanted sound and then pinch a tuner button firmly. Did the sound go away? If yes, check that the button isn't loose. Also check that the nut at the base of the tuner post is fully tight (assuming your guitar has a solid headstock not a slotted headstock). If no, repeat for the other tuners.

If pinching the tuner buttons doesn't make the sound go away, do the same thing, but grip each of the tuner posts one at a time to see if the sound goes away.

It may not be the source of the problem, but it's worth checking.

[Riakstonic]

Originally Posted by redir

You still have not answered some very important questions



Try to get that recording done as you mentioned.



Does the guitar have a sound port? Does it have any electronics?

Sorry , no electronics or sound port.

Recording will happen this weekend .

[Riakstonic]

Ok just pulled the guitar out . I see what’s going on but I’m not sure how to describe right but I’ll try .

Ok so yes many notes set off the weird pitch . It’s harsh and actually hurts my ears .

The box is very reflective I’m not sure but maybe it’s a possible attribute of Ziricote? I don’t know because I never played any other models .
The top is also very responsive and I can only say this because of its sensitivity to vibration .

Now it’s not a lose button but what it seems to be is what I believe I mentioned in the first post . If not there it’s some where . Lol

I just found out that covering all the strings over the sound hole except the high E it sounds more normal . There is a bit harshness to it but nothing like before .

The other strings are responding to notes on high E notes being B and D . Sympathy notes or better yet I think this fits the description of wolf notes but you tell me .

The B note set off the A string harmonic that’s a higher pitch B note . If I go the octave B up on the E string 19th fret or what ever it is and mute the A string the open B string sings the same pitch .

Play any said note with unmuted strings and they all start talking to each other . Lol

Man I always said I want more overtones and such but if this is wolf notes or overtone run a ways . Yikes ! I got it boat in loads !

Now if I stand over the sound hole looking down which would be the same as some one listening in front of you it’s very hard to hear .

I guess and I’m just thinking out loud that the reflection/ return of the said annoying pitch from the narrow of the waist is why I hear it so much . It bounces straight to my ears . Kind like doing bank shot on pool table . Get the angle right and score !

So if everything is making sense now . What if anything went bad in the design/ build ? Hyper sensitive top ? And what could be done to dull the responses ?

Since I use open tunings and finger pick it gets quite annoying even if a listener can’t hear it . Think fingers on a chalk board or a fork rub against the silver tooth filling . Lol [emoji23]

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by Riakstonic

Most of the reaction is most noticeable on the high E string . It’s a hand build but not from around here . I got a discount on it because it was shipped over seas. I was going return but costs made it difficult.

It’s an extremely beautiful guitar and plays exceptionally well . I have it up for sale but it’s hard which I feel guilty about to mention the issue that I’m having not knowing if anyone else would even notice it .

Didn't you initially say the problem was just noticeable on the high frets of the e string?
That's why I asked, what frets? If what you initially said is accurate than the first thing that comes to mind is that your frets aren't level in the area giving you problems.

But now it sounds like you're saying the e string is the issue. Since you didn't mention the higher frets but only the string itself, than my first guess is wrong.

[Riakstonic]

Originally Posted by runamuck

Didn't you initially say the problem was just noticeable on the high frets of the e string?

That's why I asked, what frets? If what you initially said is accurate than the first thing that comes to mind is that your frets aren't level in the area giving you problems.



But now it sounds like you're saying the e string is the issue. Since you didn't mention the higher frets but only the string itself, than my first guess is wrong.

My bad if I mis spoke . Just tried now hitting the same notes and pitch on different strings sets off the same reaction .

I tuned up to standard as well so that helped get the results more pinned down I think .

[Fathand]

Have you tried a capo at the first fret to help rule out the nut? Have you tried new E strings of different gauges?

Is your action high enough at the 12th fret, at least 2mm?

Have you checked for loose rattling hardware?