Would different strings help a F130R resonance issue?

Big-Al

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Thanks all for the useful advice. Once I get the guitar back from the luthier (this weekend, hopefully), I'll try out various of the options suggested here and I'll feed back the results, good or bad.

One thing that I saw on another forum was a suggestion of trying to affect the resonance by putting weight on the inside (such as a coin attached on the underside of the bridge) or putting some bubble wrap inside the lower bout of the guitar. I might give this a go first. Any thoughts out there?

On the Alvarez Jumbo with the wonky G-note, I tried adding mass to the bridge with brass bridge pins. I even tried temporarily strapping a 3/8" bolt to the strings just south of the saddle. I didn't notice a big change, but that's just one guitar.

Little odd things often bug me about a guitar . . . typically wolf notes on the low end or odd high pitched harmonics on treble notes. I've sold some otherwise wonderful guitars because of that. My two GAD dreadnoughts aren't super high end but they are surprisingly free of annoyances. I'm surprisingly content with them.

Please keep us posted on what works for you . . . or not.
 
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Having got the guitar back from the luthier (very minor repair) and got Christmas/New Year out of the way, I started trying the various suggestions. Not done them all yet (still to investigate nos. 1 and 5 below) but here's where I've got to:

1. Change strings for a slightly heavier set or just a heavier string on 5th

2. Look at the saddle under that string, make sure it hasn't developed a "flat spot" or a notch or some other problem (like a crack).
No signs of any problem with the saddle. There's slight grooves where each string passes over it but, as far as I know, this happens on each and every guitar.

3. Does dullness persist when capoing up?
Capoing up to any fret seems to remove the issue.

4. As an experiment with the guitar that had a dead G note on the 6th string, I tuned the A string down to G and the guitar had the same issue there.
Hard to say - doesn’t seem to affect it much one way or the other.

5. Those were built with bone nuts and saddles, and a known weakness of bone is that it can have "voids" in it which can cause that same thing, a "dead" sounding string. Try repalcing with synthetics like Tusq ... new saddle first, then nut. Nut material only influences unfretted strings while playing, but getting both done are relatively "cheap" in any case.

6. Putting weight on the inside (such as a coin attached on the underside of the bridge)
Still trying this one – moving a coin around, attached by lump of blu-tack – no clear answer yet.

7. Putting some bubble wrap inside the lower bout of the guitar.
We all just knew what the result of this would be – and we were right. :) Still, it didn't cost anything to try.

8. Different bridge pins
I have a set of ebony bridge pins lying around so I tried replacing the bridge pins with these. They didn't make any difference.

So no good news so far. Once I've tried the other options, I'll report back.

Jim
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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Did I understand that when you place a capo on the neck, the sound gets better?
If so, the nut may be the problem.
 

keith7940236

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Try tapping on the fret with something solid and then compare that sound to the frets above and below it. You may need to have the fret end glued down as it may be a little loose. That will cause a "dead" sound.
It is a very easy fix, one that you can do with a little super glue, a tooth pick and a little pressure on the fret!!
 

adorshki

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Try tapping on the fret with something solid and then compare that sound to the frets above and below it. You may need to have the fret end glued down as it may be a little loose. That will cause a "dead" sound.
It is a very easy fix, one that you can do with a little super glue, a tooth pick and a little pressure on the fret!!

His first post mentions a particular string (5th), not a fret.
Due to Taylor Martin Guild mentioning the same issue with his F130R, and a luthier's opinion, and Big Al's input, I'm starting to think a resonance issue with the guitar itself is in fact the real problem.
The fact that capoing up removes it would also support that, because the dead string is no longer resonating at its unfretted frequency.
He's only got the saddle/ nut replacement left to try, if I read that post correctly.
OR:
Shaving some braces? Supposed to help top resonance but is kind of a "black art", especially if trying to enhance a particular frequency.
 

kostask

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I'm going with nut or first fret being loose. If its a body resonance issue, play the 6th string up at "A" and see how it sounds. If it sounds fine, then definitely a nut or fret issue. If it doesn't, then possible body resonance problem.

Brace shaving may help, but it will take an extremely knowledgeable person to do this. It will also change the entire sound of the guitar, not just the 5th string; bracing changed the resonance of the entire topm not just a particular tone or string.
 

gjmalcyon

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Try tuning down one full step (D, G, C, F, A, D), and let us know if the dead string is gone. Then, put a capo on the second fret to return to pitch and if the problem returns, that may confirm Kostask's and others suspicions that it is a body resonance issue. If that's the case, then your ideas about adding mass to the top to change its resonance (blu-tack and coins) is one way to approach it. Sound hole diameter may also play a role - you can try picking up a cheap feedback buster and cutting out the center to slightly reduce your sound hole diameter. Dead notes are sometimes a neck resonance issue: Make sure your truss rod nut is tight, and try adding some mass to the headstock.
 
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Turns out I still have the Martin Tony Rice monel strings installed on the F130R, and they sound fine. These are the MTR-13, "bluegrass" gauge.

Been a while since replying to this thread, for various reasons too tedious to bore you all with. However....

I've tried a slightly heavier set of strings on the guitar. I tried the nearest I could get locally to those suggested. In this case, D'Addario bluegrass 12-56, 80/20 bronze. This was not a success, as it didn't really make any difference to the perceived dull tone on the A string AND I didn't like the sound of the 80/20 strings - thin and tinny, to my ears. They didn't suit my tastes at all. I've taken them off now and replaced the with custom light phosphor bronze and I'm much happier with the sound.

However, here's a thing. On my way north last week, I was passing close by a very good instrument shop that specialises in folk instruments. They also have a repairs workshop on the premises and a good reputation for work quality. I went in and asked if they thought the guitar had any issues that could be resolved by a setup review. The luthier came and had a play and reassured me that no, there wasn't anything that warranted disturbing the present guitar setup - it was fine. He thought it a very nice guitar and commented favourably on the sustain and tone. Most importantly, he also didn't share my concern over the dull A string. He said while he could hear slight dullness on the A string, it was minimal to his ears and not something that would justify disturbing the setup (as he put it).

So, there we have it. A professional luthier thinks I have little to worry about and I have a fine guitar. And I have to say that, having replaced the strings twice, I now don't hear the string being as dull as I thought before. Maybe it's just my ears. So I'm going to stop worrying and concentrate on enjoying playing. Many thanks to you all for the help and advice along the way. :applause:
 
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