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I was just wondering what most people with strats do
about the ringing/humming that comes from the springs
in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing from
them through my amp when I play. I don't really mind
it that much, but I was wondering if people mute it
somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up the
guitar sounds too much.
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I never noticed such a sound on any of the four or five strats that I've had
over the years but maybe it's just part of the characteristic sound of a
strat that I have accepted. I do leave off the spring cover on the back
because it makes it easier to restring in a hurry so my stomach may be muting
the springs. But then this I haven't always left that cover off.
Marty
>
> I was just wondering what most people with strats do
> about the ringing/humming that comes from the springs
> in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
> usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing from
> them through my amp when I play. I don't really mind
> it that much, but I was wondering if people mute it
> somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up the
> guitar sounds too much.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Fred, that's a new one one me! Maybe I never noticed the effect because I
have my springs tightened as far as they will go (I pick some songs while
holding the "tremelo" bar, and would tend to push the notes flat), plus the
bridge is blocked so it can't be pushed down (when I rested my palm on the
bridge, I tended to push the notes sharp). Maybe you could try using fewer
springs, and tightening the remaining ones to change the resonance?
Interesting problem!
Best regards, Dana Vincent
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Pleasant
To:
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 10:14 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Spring Ring
I was just wondering what most people with strats do
about the ringing/humming that comes from the springs
in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing from
them through my amp when I play. I don't really mind
it that much, but I was wondering if people mute it
somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up the
guitar sounds too much.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Fred,
Are you using 5 springs or three? When did you
replace them last? Do they look worn out (rusty)? Do
they act worn out (guitar doesn't snap back in tune
when you use the wammy bar)? What size strings?
I use a strat as a backup. I have 5 springs (brand
new ones), set really tight, with 11's. I don't
notice any weird sounds on just the bridge PU. In
fact, mine sounds really tight and nice. Are there
any changed-out parts on your strat? Is it a normal
fender bridge?
Damon
--- Fred Pleasant <> wrote:
> I was just wondering what most people with strats do
> about the ringing/humming that comes from the
> springs
> in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
> usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing from
> them through my amp when I play. I don't really
> mind
> it that much, but I was wondering if people mute it
> somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up the
> guitar sounds too much.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
>
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
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Wrap some electrical tape 4 or 5 times around all the springs loosely on each
side. You dont need to cover all of the springs, just a little on each end. That
is enough to stop the springs from making any noise, and not effect the springs
from working the tremelo properly.
Some guitars have the problem and some dont. My strats don't do it, but I have a
cheap pointy Ibanez thing that does it. It probably has something to do with the
wood type.
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Pleasant
To:
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 10:14 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Spring Ring
I was just wondering what most people with strats do
about the ringing/humming that comes from the springs
in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing from
them through my amp when I play. I don't really mind
it that much, but I was wondering if people mute it
somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up the
guitar sounds too much.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I don't have a real strat, I have a squier, but I was
reading something on the fenderforum about springs and
some guy meantioned that 5 springs = built in reverb.
I have the back of mine open too. So for you guys who
don't hear any hum, if you play through distortion and
like pluck a spring, you don't hear that through the
amp? Or if you play a note and cut it really quick,
you don't hear the springs vibrating that note? I
have 4 springs in the back of my guitar and use 12
guage strings, but I always had the hum, even when I
had 3 springs and 10 guage strings. And yes my guitar
snaps back in tune after I whammy. What do you guys
mean about tightening the springs? Maybe my squier
doesn't have that?
--- Damon <> wrote:
> Fred,
>
> Are you using 5 springs or three? When did you
> replace them last? Do they look worn out (rusty)?
> Do
> they act worn out (guitar doesn't snap back in tune
> when you use the wammy bar)? What size strings?
>
> I use a strat as a backup. I have 5 springs (brand
> new ones), set really tight, with 11's. I don't
> notice any weird sounds on just the bridge PU. In
> fact, mine sounds really tight and nice. Are there
> any changed-out parts on your strat? Is it a normal
> fender bridge?
>
> Damon
> --- Fred Pleasant <> wrote:
> > I was just wondering what most people with strats
> do
> > about the ringing/humming that comes from the
> > springs
> > in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected I
> > usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing
> from
> > them through my amp when I play. I don't really
> > mind
> > it that much, but I was wondering if people mute
> it
> > somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up
> the
> > guitar sounds too much.
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
>
>
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Fred, I think you can "pluck" anywhere from the bridge springs to the tuners
and get a sound through your amplifier. If you read enough on the subject,
you will find that the entire composition of the instrument affects the
tone; hence you can easily draw the conclusion that virtually everything on
the guitar contributes to either sustaining or damping the string vibration.
I still feel that tightening the springs would change the resonance, and
perhaps minimize your problem (there are different springs available from
Fender). I am not familiar with the Fender Squire instruments, but all the
Stratocasters I have owned had a screw into to back cavity that attaches the
spring-retaining "claw". Just try tightening the screws (obviously you will
need to re-tune, unless you have the bridge blocked like I mentioned
previously), and see if it makes a difference. The five springs = built-in
reverb sounds a bit far-fetched to me (I don't see how you would be able to
get enough volume through the amp, and even if you could, it would probably
be out-of-phase), but I've been fooled before! Hope some of this helps.
Best regards, Dana VIncent
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Pleasant
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: [SurfGuitar101] Spring Ring
I don't have a real strat, I have a squier, but I was
reading something on the fenderforum about springs and
some guy meantioned that 5 springs = built in reverb.
I have the back of mine open too. So for you guys who
don't hear any hum, if you play through distortion and
like pluck a spring, you don't hear that through the
amp? Or if you play a note and cut it really quick,
you don't hear the springs vibrating that note? I
have 4 springs in the back of my guitar and use 12
guage strings, but I always had the hum, even when I
had 3 springs and 10 guage strings. And yes my guitar
snaps back in tune after I whammy. What do you guys
mean about tightening the springs? Maybe my squier
doesn't have that?
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
On the inside of the guitar the springs ends attach to
a metal piece that you can adjust using the screws
that hold it in. They should be really long. If they
aren't then they are probably already tightened.
My 5 springs are super tight with the screws
tightened almost all the way. I have to really pluck
em to get them to even move, let alone make a hum that
lasts more than a few seconds. I like the suggestion
of using electrical tape to muffle them, provided it
doesn't effect the tone. Like you said in your
earlier email, its those springs that give a strat
such great sustain and tone. I read about this strat
that had extended (9 inches I think) springs that gave
it extra tone and sustain. The idea behind this is
that the springs act like extensions of the spring, so
to speak. The theory is, the longer the strings are,
the more sustain you'll get. However, this
expalanation leaves alot to be desired as it doesn't
explain why Les Pauls or guitars without tremolo
springs have such great sustain.
Damon
--- Fred Pleasant <> wrote:
> I don't have a real strat, I have a squier, but I
> was
> reading something on the fenderforum about springs
> and
> some guy meantioned that 5 springs = built in
> reverb.
> I have the back of mine open too. So for you guys
> who
> don't hear any hum, if you play through distortion
> and
> like pluck a spring, you don't hear that through the
> amp? Or if you play a note and cut it really quick,
> you don't hear the springs vibrating that note? I
> have 4 springs in the back of my guitar and use 12
> guage strings, but I always had the hum, even when I
> had 3 springs and 10 guage strings. And yes my
> guitar
> snaps back in tune after I whammy. What do you guys
> mean about tightening the springs? Maybe my squier
> doesn't have that?
>
> --- Damon <> wrote:
> > Fred,
> >
> > Are you using 5 springs or three? When did you
> > replace them last? Do they look worn out (rusty)?
>
> > Do
> > they act worn out (guitar doesn't snap back in
> tune
> > when you use the wammy bar)? What size strings?
> >
> > I use a strat as a backup. I have 5 springs
> (brand
> > new ones), set really tight, with 11's. I don't
> > notice any weird sounds on just the bridge PU. In
> > fact, mine sounds really tight and nice. Are
> there
> > any changed-out parts on your strat? Is it a
> normal
> > fender bridge?
> >
> > Damon
> > --- Fred Pleasant <> wrote:
> > > I was just wondering what most people with
> strats
> > do
> > > about the ringing/humming that comes from the
> > > springs
> > > in the back. When the bridge pickup is selected
> I
> > > usually get a kind of murky reverb/echo/ringing
> > from
> > > them through my amp when I play. I don't really
> > > mind
> > > it that much, but I was wondering if people mute
> > it
> > > somehow or if anybody thought that it covers up
> > the
> > > guitar sounds too much.
> > >
> > >
> __________________________________________________
> > > Do You Yahoo!?
> > > Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic
> Games
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
>
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Sports - Coverage of the 2002 Olympic Games
