Saddle click

[Gottaplay]

Just switched to medium tension strings EJ17’s from lights that I been using for years. I like the performance overall no complaints. I tend to bounce tuning around a fair bit from standard to either open G, D, and C. The bone saddle on my Larrivee L03 is compensated and has a wee bit of a flattening at the highest points where the string makes contact. When fine tuning it’s been jumping windings with that annoying click sound. This is happening more than usual and nothing’s been done to the action in months save a mild tweek of the truss rod adjustment for going up in string tension.

I’m wondering if the windings on mediums might be a bit taller and thus causing more pronounced pinging compared to the lights? Maybe the saddle needs a bit of rounding off?

[John Arnold]

I think the problem is the nut. The slots need to be widened slightly and rounded on the peghead side.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

I think the problem is the nut. The slots need to be widened slightly and rounded on the peghead side.

Like John says. Such a short distance between saddle and peghole unlikely string length change there, whereas fatter strings in nut slots could be binding there and when they let go it's a ping sound. Many sources of a sound happening elsewhere on the guitar can seem to originate at or near the bridge.

[Brucebubs]

EJ 17's are medium gauge, not medium tension.

[Gottaplay]

Darn spellcheck...anyway yup sure enough paying closer attention while tuning last night my left hand picked up the ping generated at the nut and not at the saddle as I had incorrectly perceived. I find it odd to have been fooled that way despite being aware of the perils of too narrow nut slots. Previous to this occurrence I’d read several AGF threads about nut slot and curvature but have yet to put that info to use myself. Lacking a proper set of nut files I guess it’s off to the search feature for detailed instructions on “thrifty” alternative. I do have a set of jewels files and reams of wet/dry paper up to 1500.

Thanks for steering me back on track.

Oh so it’s medium gauge not medium tension “uhuh”

[John Arnold]

To be fair, string gauge and tension are closely related. In fact on the unwound steel strings, they are directly related.

[Gottaplay]

Well playing capo’d up today it sure felt like the pinging was coming from the saddle and not the nut by touch and sound. The saddle break over angle is steepish could that be relavent?

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Gottaplay

Well playing capo’d up today it sure felt like the pinging was coming from the saddle and not the nut by touch and sound. The saddle break over angle is steepish could that be relavent?

Regarding a ping coming from the string breaking tension at the nut I would expect that once (perhaps twice) after having tuned a
guitar string and not again until you retuned it, or perhaps if you bend a string when playing. Tuning with or without a capo on the
guitar would not change that.

I have one guitar that the truss rod occasionally will give out a little ping sound.

A short term little buzz sound is not a ping and comes from other factors.

[Gottaplay]

Yes I agree with everything you said Derek that’s why this is so puzzling for me. Perhaps the capo is masking feeling the ping at the nut while transmitting the energy of the ping towards the saddle? I’ll get out my loupe and feeler gauges and give the nut a close look.
Decades ago I had nut ping on a dread after upping string gauges that was obvious and was easily resolved so it’s not my first rodeo. Maybe It’s a sign of becoming adlepated? Humm....