overtones at 12th fret

Gianni Gori · Post by **Gianni Gori** » 20 Nov 2009 5:01 pm

Hi,
I just finished restoring my '77 MSA. It was a big chalenge for me but I am very satisfied with the result.

The only problem after reassembling the instrument is that now at 12th fret every note or chord sound too rich of sustain and overtones.
It's quite bothering because when playing at 12th the whole instrument have a resonance different from everywhere else on the fretboard.
Any hint about the reason and possible solutions?

Hope I could explain.. my english is not that good..

David Griffin · Post by **David Griffin** » 20 Nov 2009 7:24 pm

Every steel I've ever played does that,some more than others. You have to really make sure every string is muted behind the bar. But,it can be a cool effect.You can even lift your fingers from behind the bar,cross over & pick behind the bar for a neat chorus effect. Jeff Newman did a great version of Paychecks' "Friend,Don't Take Her" w/ a capo under the 12th fret.Hope that helps!

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 20 Nov 2009 7:24 pm

Gianni,
Be careful to use the last two or three fingers of the left hand to mute the resonance BEHIND the bar. It's only partially a problem of overtones -- it is actually the same note on the other side of the bar. At the 12th fret the string is divided exactly in half and, for example on the 4th string, there is an E between the bar and the changer but the exact same E will vibrate sympathetically between the bar and the roller and sound a bit like a chorus effect. The same thing can happen to a lesser extent at the 7th and even the 5th frets.

Hope this helps.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 20 Nov 2009 9:16 pm

English good ode chap,
Mute left hand!
Did you polish fingers and bridge etc??
Nickel or stainless steel strings??

Gianni Gori · Post by **Gianni Gori** » 21 Nov 2009 8:19 am

Well, I know about muting strings with left hand fingers... I use to do that.
I was just wondering why it sounds different than before... I didn't notice that much resonance before I restored that guitar.
Maybe it was the thirty years of grease and dust that I removed from the undercarriage that muted this resonance by itself...

Anyway, yes, beyond repainting and inlaying a few thin abalone stripes, I cleaned and polished any metal part, including fingers end bridge, and I repalced all nylon washers and spacers.

The strings are D'Addario stainless steel

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 21 Nov 2009 2:50 pm

Same problem here. I went to a 15/16's BJS bar and got rid of 95% of it.