At my wit's end....

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Well, I know we have beat this to death but I must try one last time to find somebody that may have a logical answer to why my E string is whining and how to fix it... I have tried everything that was presented before such as oiling the finger and nut; changing the pickup height; putting the strip of plastic under the string on the finger; shrinkwrap over the stringwrap; soldering the wrap on the string; tried every brand and logical guage string for the high E string and buffing the finger with Mothers Mag Polish.

Here it is in a nutshell. When I hit the 4th E string it has a bell like quality that dwells up and whines after it is struck. The only thing that even comes close to killing this is the 30 weight oil but that also kills the notes quality and sustain.

Surely there is someone that had this problem that really figured out what caused it all of a sudden and cured it. I just die when I hear a steel on a record that has a nice 4,5 and 6 tone with no whining sitar effect.

Please, somebody help us poor people with this problem. I know I'm not alone. Do I need to polish for a half day to get the finger completely flawless?

I hope some kind sole can shed some light on the miserable problem. I'm almost ready to toss the old Kline in the pond.

Thanks .... Rick

Carl Heatley · From: Morehead City,NC

Hi Rick,
What guitar are you playing???
How does the string connect to the changer...pin type
or cut away???

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Carl, it is a keyless Kline Universal-12 with the string attaching to a pin on the backside of the finger. This problem started about 6 years ago. The guitar is about 25 years old. I never thought of putting shrinkwrap over the pin. Is that a possibility?

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Rick, I would suggest that you remove the 3rd or 5th string and put the E string on that changer finger and tune it up to E and see if it does the same thing. If it does not act up I would think you have an out of round changer roller caused by the roller being out of round (a flat top on it from sanding out string grooves) or the changer axle is worn at the 4th string roller and needs to be rotated 180 degrees.
Jerry

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Hello Doctor Roller, I may have to visit your emergency room once again. This is driving me absolutely crazy. I will check what you said next Wednesday to see if I still get the buzz on a different finger with the E string.... I am cutting wood all weekend and play Monday and Tuesday... Thank you so much for the advice.

If what you say is true, is it a major task to switch.... say finger 4 with finger 12 for instance?

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Rick, bring it on down and I will try to help you with it. One other thing you might try if neither of my suggestions reveals anything is put a .015 4th string on and see how it does. Sometimes a guitar just has some overtones in it though they usually show up on the 4th string around the 13th fret. Jagwire sent me a set of strings for my push pull and the 4th was .015 and I really like it. It might just be enough change to stop the problem you are having.
Jerry

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Thank you Jerry... I will contact you for a good time to be there. I do use a 15 on my E string... All my top strings are a heavier gauge to get the fuller tones. I'll email you toward the end of next week... I just remembered, I go for surgery Wednesday but should be feeling better by Friday..... thanks again... Rick

John Roche · From: England

Rick, try this, press down on the string about one inch from the changer , press down as much as you can useing your finger then release and check if the whining has gone.
I have had the same problem and I find this works. I also found that Jagwire strings have more whining then other strings, I stopped useing them because they were driving me insane with the noise only on the E string.
I now use SIT and the problem is not as bad.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

and of course you've probably tried this, but move your roller nut at the other end around to make sure it's not in a funny position.

Bill Duve · From: Limestone .New York, USA

Rick, I was just reading another post on string lengths and it brought something to mind, Try winding more string to make the nut end wind up slighty off center putting a slight side load on the nut roller....Maybe, maybe not?
And I hate to suggest such radical things but when mine gave me such woes I actually traded out that finger (3rd for mine) for the 9th which was has no action so was like new and problem solved but dont try this at home kids..

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Bill, I have a keyless. I did try what John Roche suggested above and it did seem to help but when I sat back down an hour later the ringing was back. I am wondering why we just can't polish the front of the finger and angle back to the point where the string comes over the back and hits the air. Regular guitars do this and have no problem with whining or ringing notes. It seems to me this would correct the problem because it is almost like the string is still sitting a little on the finger enough to make the vibrations a ringing sound. Oh well, I will wait to see what Jerry Roller makes of it when he gives it the once over. I'm sure he has seen just about every problem imaginable on any steels.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

I have the same problem on my home built. First it was in the 4th string. Now it is in the 3rd string...intermittently.
I use Jagwire Lloyd Green.( 3rd string 11.5)
I have tried to keep tabs on this problem and so far here is what I have come up with:
The 4th string corrected itself.
The third now has a buzz as if the rods underneath the guitar are vibrating against each other(which they are not but that is what it sounds like)

All things being equal except for one thing: The strings have a few hours on them even considering my sporadic practicing. I installed them in September..the 3rd string is original!

I venture to guess that the problem lies not in the roller or the finger. Why I say this is because I press the roller sideways and the buzz is still there. I press the string sideways on the roller and on the finger, but the buzz is still there.

The 3rd string did not have the buzz until like 4 weeks ago.

Therefor I ask: Is it the string?

I don't want to change it until it breaks. I have to see how long this no-name guitar will keep a 3rd string on it Smile

I'll be sure to let y'all know when it breaks and what happens to the buzz...

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Bent, I'm with you on this as well. I tried the same things as you did, moving the string around to different spots on the finger and applied sideways pressure to the roller nut and I still got the ringing/buzz. I'm going to try what Jerry Roller suggested later this week because I have two immediate gigs and a surgery before I can do this. I will report back.

John Fabian · From: Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.

As a LAST resort, you can swap the fingers on string 7 and 9 for those on 3 and 4. 7 and 9 usually do not have the same wear problems because of gauge and usage.

JERRY THURMOND · From: sullivan mo u.s.a.

Hi Rick I don't know if you have already checked, but make sure the string is pushed all the way back on the pin, if it is not that can give you the problem you are having. Just a thought

Jerry

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