how to reduce sustain on electric guitar

[jackie_thompsen]

Hi-

 

I've been playing an acoustic guitar for a couple months, and just got an electric guitar and small amp (epiphone lp special II, beringer v-tone gm108) yesterday.

 

It seems like my electric has just too much sustain - at least many times more than my acoustic guitar. It's making the sound so much muddier/blurrier/echoier than my acoustic ever sounded. The sound reminds me of a church organ. I was even trying to attach a rubber band to the strings to try to force notes to die out faster.

 

I've fiddled with all the knobs on my amp to no avail - it's on the most basic clean settings.

 

I'd experimented on two electrics before buying my own (a coworker's, and in the store) - I knew there would be more sustain, but not to the level of irritation. Is this normal?

 

Thanks

[csm]

Maybe you don't actually like the way electric guitars sound.

[lndianScout]

I would think moving the pickup closer to the strings would cut the sustain, from the magnetic force on the strings??

 

please correct me if I'm wrong..

[fretmonster]

 

Hi- I've been playing an acoustic guitar for a couple months, and just got an electric guitar and small amp (epiphone lp special II, beringer v-tone gm108) yesterday. It seems like my electric has just too much sustain - at least many times more than my acoustic guitar. It's making the sound so much muddier/blurrier/echoier than my acoustic ever sounded. The sound reminds me of a church organ. I was even trying to attach a rubber band to the strings to try to force notes to die out faster. I've fiddled with all the knobs on my amp to no avail - it's on the most basic clean settings. I'd experimented on two electrics before buying my own (a coworker's, and in the store) - I knew there would be more sustain, but not to the level of irritation. Is this normal? Thanks

 

 

See now if you overdrive that beast a little, you could probably come up with some killer rock riffs. For what you want however you might want to look into something with single coils. I'd recommend a good Strat.

[IRG]

Well this could be a first, someone actually wanting less sustain. Hopefully I am not feeding a troll, but as you are realizing, an acoustic and electric are very different. When you tried the other guitars, did you like the way they sounded? Is it your amp or your guitar tone you don't like? I am not sure there is a way to decrease sustain, without killing your tone. Try some different combo first, and see what you think.

[jlw001]

 

I would think moving the pickup closer to the strings would cut the sustain, from the magnetic force on the strings?? please correct me if I'm wrong..

 

 

I think he would want to do the opposite of raising the pickups. Adjusting the pickups away from the strings will lower the volume and sustain.

[Kap'n]

Play a Jazzmaster.

 

Or try lifting the fingers of your left hand once you've decided you've heard enough of a particular note.

[bowlingshirt]

Learn palm muting

[Burgess]

Put on some flatwound strings.

[NitroGtr]

It's pretty easy to control the sustain with your hands. Either palm muting, lifting the left hand fingers, etc. You do realize that you play an electric a little differently than an acoustic, right?

[strat6866]

You could always turn the volume knob fully counter-clockwise. Works for me.

[wmcjhi]

Sounds like a little muting is in order, as mentioned. Perhaps he's doing something like going from an Emaj to Dmaj/min and leaving the low E and A vibrating? That'd be cause for some mud...

[catalinagooseV2]

Mute the E with your thumb.

[Hard Truth]

You can use a piece of foam near the bridge to decrease sustain. This isn't very common for guitarists, but bass players used to do it routinely. That will give you a percussive sound like Les Paul would use on some songs.

 

However I suspect that technique is your real issue. If you are used to strumming first position chords on the acoustic you should try to use different chord voicings, in particular avoid chords with open strings unless you want sustained droning. Intead of strumming all six strings, just pick the strings selectively. There are also many ways to control sustain with both hands. On the left hand only fret the note for as long as it should sustain. On the right hand use your palm or fingers to mute the strings with undesirable sustain.

[jackie_thompsen]

OK- seems to me my problem is just a combination of everything you guys are saying. I need to get used to the sound a bit, and also learn how to play! As a beginner, I'm strumming mostly the open chords, so yes- those open strings want to ring forever.

[Burgess]

...or you could put on a set of flatwound strings.

[BuckyB]

I think what's missed here is that acoustic and electric guitars are really very different instruments that require slightly different approaches. If you use the same technique on an electric that you use on an acoustic - open chords, strumming an 1/8 or 1/16 note pattern across all 6 strings - it's going to get pretty muddy and busy (Pete Townsend not withstanding). Chords on electric guitars often sound best with only 3 or 4 notes sounding, often only 2 as in a "power chord", and with either right or left hand muting to control the "envelope". Listen carefully to some recordings and see how electrics and acoustics are used differently and for different "roles" in an arrangement.

[johnfrusciante]

 

I think he would want to do the opposite of raising the pickups. Adjusting the pickups away from the strings will lower the volume and sustain.

 

 

..and give you a bit bassier sound.

['s mel gibson]

Electric guitar technique and acoustic guitar technique are most definitely different.

 

On acoustic, unplugged, you normally strum full chords and are usually banging away for volume. Lead work on acoustics is very nice also but some kind of amplification helps.

 

With electrics where all you have to do is turn up for more volume, muting and ending the note are common tricks for controlling unwanted sustain. The passage or the song has to end.

 

Partial chords on the higher strings reduces the sonic clutter of a full chord on an electric. Partial chords on the lower strings are usually called 'power chords' with just the index and pinky involved.

 

You might just turn down your whole rig to start with a nice clean, even-tempered sound and then increase as you get better. Over drive or too much gain might be too much for you to handle at this point.

 

The rest of us just love that stuff.

[animl]

...

 

er um... there's only room for one JawsCat here bub

[DaleH]

Palm mute.

[Burgess]

Palm mute?

 

It could just be me but I'd think that to be a fairly advanced technique to master for a guy that's been playing a couple of months.

[Samnite]

er um... there's only room for one JawsCat here bub

And man, that's one jarringly disturbing image. Every time I see it, I do a doubletake.

[Calum]

Can I have the sustain you're not going to use?

[AeroG33k]

Dial out the mids? I have a similar problem since I play acoustic style on a semi-hollow. Sometimes it gets way too "boomy". I think it's less a sustain thing than an EQ thin? Tapping or splitting the humbuckers usually helps me out, but I'm interested in this as well.