"Rustling" Noise from Satin Finishes When Recording?

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Many of my acoustics are satin finished. I can hear such noises when I'm setting up to record, but I generally don't have an issue when "the red light is on." I'm a modified classical position player when recording acoustic, raised left leg on a foot-stool, guitar held away from my body, right hand curved over the guitar with minimal contact. So most of the contact is the waist of the guitar on my left thigh and my left hand on the neck. My right hand is ready to palm mute and so has contact not with the top, but the strings.

The top edge where the guitar's rim meets the back will touch my torso sometimes, but that edge isn't a responsive sounding board like the top or back are.

With a my Guild 12-string jumbo I'm probably touching the surface more than with my 00-15 or Seagull folk, but even then I'm not moving the guitar and the moving part of my arms while playing isn't in contact with the guitar surface, so there's no rub to cause the noise.

Of course, playing position is very personal, so not a fix for many.

The issue for me is only from the pickup channel not the microphone feed. So it's not a problem of the noise being projected from the guitar, but just being picked up by the electronics. When I want just a mic'ed sound I'm fine, but occasionally I'm looking for effects where I record using both a mic and DI with the onboard under-saddle. At this point I'm not looking to fix this guitar, but I have decided not to purchase any new satin models on which I'd want to put a pickup system.

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I suspect that the main reason I haven’t experienced much noise from my satin finish guitars is that I put John Pearse armrests on all of them. I’m a John Pearse artist endorser, but that isn’t the reason I use the armrests: I used the armrests on my guitars for years before John decided to make me an official endorser.

I use the armrests because they work: they lift the player’s forearm off the top and allow it to vibrate to its fullest extent, which adds considerably to the tone of the instrument. The armrests also keep sweat from damaging the finish, since none gets deposited on the top, and with satin finish guitars like those we’re discussing, you don’t get a brushing sound when you play because your arm doesn’t rub against the top.


Wade Hampton Miller

Ah, armrest is something I didn't consider. Might give that a try! Thx.