Menu
What do you think is wrong?
The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E string is
struck. The
guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17, approximately. If I play
a note on frets
18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine where on the
guitar the
rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This is the low E
string only.
San,
I know exactly what's wrong AND I know how to fix it.
Since Agatis is not as dense a wood as Alder, the tremolo inertia block
is vibrating when you strum, particularly on the low E. So here's what
you do:
Find some foam, Auralex sound proofing foam is best, and cut small
wedges that will fit in the back between the springs and the inertia
block and the empty back cavity. Once I did this and placed them inside
the cavity, the problem stopped and the wang bar still works fine! I
realize that this fix shouldn't be necessary but that's what the Wilson
Bros get for selecting Agatis as a tone wood. Stupid, really.
BTW, if you bop the bridge with your knuckles, you'd hear the ring as
well.
Regards,
Les
On Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at 09:29 AM, San Barry wrote:
> What do you think is wrong?
>
> The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E
> string is struck. The
> guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17, approximately.
> If I play a note on frets
> 18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine
> where on the guitar the
> rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This is
> the low E string only.
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
> messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
The E string is acheiving that rattling frequency in it's overtones. If the
sound does not come through the amplifier, I wouldn't worry about it. If it is
coming through the amp, it may not be the guitar at all, it may be that can of
Finger-ease sitting on top of the guitar amp that is vibrating at the given
frequency. And it may be nothing on the amp at all. I had the same problem
happen the other day and found that the rattling was caused by my banjo hanging
on the wall responding to the amplified frequency.
-Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: San Barry
To:
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 8:29 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Wilson Bros. Ventures VM-75
What do you think is wrong?
The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E string is
struck. The
guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17, approximately. If I
play a note on frets
18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine where on
the guitar the
rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This is the low
E string only.
.
Visit for archived messages,
bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Hi,
Indeed, probably due to the trem springs. I had a simelar problem with
my Jagmaster, Although I think it's also due to the type of strat bridge
used. For some reason the vintage strat repro tremblocks/tailpieces
don't sound allright to me. I'm not sure it's due to the use of agathis
as tonewood, since Basswood also produces or amplifies these sounds and
so does alder. The strat trem caveties acts a bit like a resonater with
the springs.
I have heard guitars were the vintage strat repro tremblock was replaced
with a better quality item. This gave a much better sustain and the
rattling disapeared as well. Although putting a small piece of foam
under thesprings might do thetrick as well and costs vurtually nothing.
I'm talking about six screw hole trems.
But I stick to my point that wathever tremtailpiece you use, it's
quality does influence the overall sound of your instrument.
I have a MIJ Jaguar on which I replaced the whole trem with a vintage
item, this gave the (stock) guitar a better overall sound acousticly and
smoother trem use.
----- Original Message -----
From: San Barry
To:
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 8:29 AM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Wilson Bros. Ventures VM-75
What do you think is wrong?
The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E
string is struck. The
guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17, approximately.
If I play a note on frets
18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine
where on the guitar the
rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This is
the low E string only.
Dear Marty,
Actually Marty, all due respect, what I wrote to San IS most likely,
the reason for his problem. It happened with my Wilson guitar when I
first received it from the company. If I had tried it in a store, I
would have looked elsewhere rather than accept it. But the instrument
came to me direct from Wilson Bros. My opinion is that the way the
inertia block is mounted or the wood itself or some combination of the
two is causing that damn ringing. The foam fixed it but , needless to
say, it's rather goofy for this to be present at point of purchase. It
really is his guitar. I have yet to try the more expensive model so I
can't say if it's a "global" issue with the company's guitars. I have
heard of this issue from many other Wilson owners. It has started to
seem like a nasty common denominator.
Speculation: This is what happens when the bottom line is more
important than common sense and quality control.
Regards,
Les
On Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at 09:59 AM, Marty Tippens wrote:
> The E string is acheiving that rattling frequency in it's overtones.
> If the sound does not come through the amplifier, I wouldn't worry
> about it. If it is coming through the amp, it may not be the guitar at
> all, it may be that can of Finger-ease sitting on top of the guitar
> amp that is vibrating at the given frequency. And it may be nothing on
> the amp at all. I had the same problem happen the other day and found
> that the rattling was caused by my banjo hanging on the wall
> responding to the amplified frequency.
> -Marty
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: San Barry
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 8:29 AM
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Wilson Bros. Ventures VM-75
>
>
> What do you think is wrong?
>
> The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E
> string is struck. The
> guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17,
> approximately. If I play a note on frets
> 18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine
> where on the guitar the
> rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This
> is the low E string only.
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
> messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> -------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
>
>
> b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>
>
> c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service.
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
> messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
The guitar isn't plugged into an amp. The rattling is really annoying and
distracts from
playing. It started a few days after receiving the guitar and continues to be a
problem. The
rattle definetly comes from the guitar itself. The VM-75 is supposed to be made
of Alder,
according to the Wilson Bros., but I still have the same problem as the Agatis
models, it
seems. I think Les has found the solution. Thanks Les!
The Wilson Bros. returned my email and said that the guitar has a one year
warranty.
Jerry:
Great points. And right on, I'm sure. Looks like I need a new trem unit.
Les
On Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at 10:31 AM, Jerry wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Indeed, probably due to the trem springs. I had a simelar problem with
> my Jagmaster, Although I think it's also due to the type of strat
> bridge
> used. For some reason the vintage strat repro tremblocks/tailpieces
> don't sound allright to me. I'm not sure it's due to the use of agathis
> as tonewood, since Basswood also produces or amplifies these sounds and
> so does alder. The strat trem caveties acts a bit like a resonater with
> the springs.
>
> I have heard guitars were the vintage strat repro tremblock was
> replaced
> with a better quality item. This gave a much better sustain and the
> rattling disapeared as well. Although putting a small piece of foam
> under thesprings might do thetrick as well and costs vurtually nothing.
> I'm talking about six screw hole trems.
>
> But I stick to my point that wathever tremtailpiece you use, it's
> quality does influence the overall sound of your instrument.
>
> I have a MIJ Jaguar on which I replaced the whole trem with a vintage
> item, this gave the (stock) guitar a better overall sound acousticly
> and
> smoother trem use.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: San Barry
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 8:29 AM
> Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Wilson Bros. Ventures VM-75
>
>
> What do you think is wrong?
>
> The guitar produces a rattling sound a few moments after the low E
> string is struck. The
> guitar rattles if I play an open low E or frets 1 - 17,
> approximately.
> If I play a note on frets
> 18 - 22, then there is no rattle. I haven't been able to determine
> where on the guitar the
> rattle is coming from. The guitar is not plugged into an amp. This is
> the low E string only.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for archived
> messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
