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  #1  
Old 05-19-2019, 03:47 AM
Raining Notes Raining Notes is offline
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Default Reducing Sound of Classical Guitar

Greetings

I have been practicing allot and what to continue so can play with other musicians. As live in a complex and with a couple of other people, is there any device available from a store that reduces sound?

Am thinking of a feedback buster, my current guitar is a C40 and don't want to restrict my playing time or the way am strumming the chords when jamming away. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheerio
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  #2  
Old 05-19-2019, 07:16 AM
DownUpDave DownUpDave is offline
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Stuff the body with t-shirts and socks. Items small enough to insert and remove while strings are in place. You will need to fill it up so the top is muffled. If you want to spend money then the Yamaha silent guitar is the way to go
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Old 05-19-2019, 08:59 AM
Vyse Hazuky Vyse Hazuky is offline
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There are inexpensive accessories called tremolo mutes that are meant to be used to practice the tremolo technique. It won't sound good if you're strumming but it will be quiet
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Old 05-22-2019, 12:44 PM
redir redir is offline
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I was gonna suggest a silent guitar too, those are pretty cool. Gibson also makes a solid body classical guitar called the Chet Atkins. The Silent Guitar is much less expensive though.
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Old 05-22-2019, 02:56 PM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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Dang... if you're struggling with nylon string volume, do not get a dreadnaught or mandolin!

Just pulling your leg, but the usual wish in classical guitar circles is "how can I make my classical guitar LOUDER!!!"
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Old 05-23-2019, 03:31 AM
Raining Notes Raining Notes is offline
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Red_Label completely agree that is what was saying to the neighbor who complained.

Actually looking at a 310 or something similar soon, and will turn it into a positive there are some decent parks around where am living so will venture there and get some good practice time in
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Old 05-23-2019, 07:52 AM
JonnyBGood JonnyBGood is offline
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If you don't want to buy a silent classical guitar (and there are cheaper ones out there than the Yamaha) the easy no-cost solution to this is a duster folded over and pressed down between the strings and the top in front of the bridge, or a piece of foam rubber.
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"The way nature seems to work is that it sends a messenger...the acoustic guitar needed to go in another direction, Michael Hedges became that messenger"
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Old 05-23-2019, 09:13 AM
redir redir is offline
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I had a guy bring a violin into my shop the other day to fix a friction peg and he used a very interesting technique to silence his violin. He filled the entire cavity with Great Stuff LOL!



It definitely worked
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Old 05-23-2019, 02:28 PM
jrethorst jrethorst is offline
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Rubber stoppers are made to fit soundholes, mainly to stop feedback from amplified instruments. They reduce sound to a degree.

John R.
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Old 05-24-2019, 09:38 AM
mtdmind mtdmind is offline
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I once had a neighbor who hated my classical guitar practice. The guy went totally ballistic and would throw things downstairs towards me. Someone told me if I had played better he would have enjoyed it!
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Old 05-29-2019, 02:42 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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Classical guitar is not my expertise, but I do know a guy who majored in classical guitar performance at university through the PhD level. He practiced for 8-9 hours a day - including late at night - and they were pretty strict about quiet hours in the dorm. He eventually got an inexpensive classical guitar with an acceptable neck, then put in an under-saddle pickup, and sprayed the entire body full of expanding urethane foam from the home improvement store. That killed all acoustic tone and is irreversible (hence the cheap guitar). He had to wear headphones to hear himself practice and the tone was not ideal, but it worked for his situation. Hope this helps.

Unfortunately good sound isolation at walls is not a priority in normal residential design or construction, even though there are some requirements in most building codes. It is not that hard to do, but most builders don't know or don't care how to do it right, because it might cost a few dollars more per unit to build. Having a particularly sensitive neighbor exacerbates your problem.

The Yamaha Silent Guitar also seems like a viable option too. I'm not a classical guitarist, so cannot comment on brands/models, or their specs such as neck profiles, scale length, and such that would suit you.
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Old 05-31-2019, 05:22 AM
Raining Notes Raining Notes is offline
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Yes interesting ideas thank you. Basically tried just a sponge under the string although it did not allow the strings to ring at all. Might try a feedback buster in a store and if that does not work put something inside the guitar to stop the vibrations.

Silent guitar sounds good also might look into this
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  #13  
Old 05-31-2019, 07:19 AM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtdmind View Post
I once had a neighbor who hated my classical guitar practice. The guy went totally ballistic and would throw things downstairs towards me. Someone told me if I had played better he would have enjoyed it!

Geez... that guy's probably already stroked-out and long gone if he was that nutty.


I don't live in an apartment, but if I did... my neighbors would HATE me. When not playing my acoustic instruments, I plug my Les Paul into a 100 watt tube amplifier half-stack and play at gigging volume in the man cave. I've been wearing ear plugs for practice for about 8 years, because there was some tinnitus coming-in from decades of playing rock and country gigs. I play loud because I love to feel the music, and tube amps are at their best when they're purring along. You can't get the full effect of ACDC, Def Leppard, or any number of other rock acts unless you're moving some air! I don't play at "10" or anything... usually just with the master volume set at about 8:00 or 9:00 (which would be "2" or "3" on the amp). But with a 100 watt amp, it's still loud enough that my ears couldn't take the damage. My wife is a saint for tolerating the noise all these years.


I can second the opinions about the Yamaha Silent guitar. I had one and they make great practice tools! They are even great for gigging if you're playing the right kind of music (jazz and light classical) on them. I was playing nuevo flamenco type stuff and really like the bright snap of a flamenco guitar. The Silent guitars don't do that as well (which is why I sold mine). But they are still an awesome tool.
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  #14  
Old 05-31-2019, 09:14 AM
jrethorst jrethorst is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raining Notes View Post
Silent guitar sounds good also might look into this
The Yamaha is well-regarded, but I'd look at the Soloette and Aria Sinsonido silent guitars too.
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