Open high E string sounds dull, setup Q

[den_gerten]

I've got a Fender Am strat with the 2 pole bridge.

My high E string keeps sounding dull when played in open position, not when fretted.

I've tried to set the neck and the bridge without luck.

Is it the nut? What could be wrong with it? I play '10s on teh E string. Maybe I should make it some wider, or less deep (it's a 1989 model so maybe needs some work)?

 

I've got the book from Dan Erlewine, but can't find what I'm looking for, I'm quite a rookie

[fishfartz]

try this:

 

 

when you are picking the string open, try pushing down on the string from behind the nut (on headstock side) with your other hand/finger and keep hitting the string.

 

does this increased pressure on that side of the nut fix the muffled E problem?

 

 

sometimes nuts can be the problem, but ive found instances where there was just not enough downward pull from the tuner side of the nut to keep pressure on there. if pushing down on the string behind the nut did fix the problem you can take that string tree off (the one for the B and high E strings) and have someone grind down the "trunk" part of the tree to where its about half as high as it is now (the bottom of the tree)......ive done that and it worked great. just make sure they get the bottom nice and smooth so it does not cut into the headstock when replaced

 

this will put extra pressure from that side of the nut on the string, it worked great for me on a guitar with that problem, and i was sure it was not the nut.

 

 

 

however - if pushing down while playing does nothing to help then its more than likely a nut problem, and if its your first time or a guitar you care about playing i would take it to a tech - they wont charge too much to file the nut correctly and doing it wrong could make things much worse

 

 

 

good luck

[den_gerten]

Thanks for the suggestion, but that didn't solve it.

Maybe I miss described the problem. There is a little rattling, like some harmonics when played open. Difficult to describe.

I guess I 'll have someone look at it.

[fishfartz]

 

Originally posted by den_gerten Thanks for the suggestion, but that didn't solve it. Maybe I miss described the problem. There is a little rattling, like some harmonics when played open. Difficult to describe. I guess I 'll have someone look at it.

 

 

 

 

 

OK, i think im understanding more now.

 

 

so its more rattling and not so much a muffled note?

 

and does it make this noise when you play the 1st fret note? pick hard and make sure.......

 

if it does not then that will make me think its not the bridge or saddles, i would then think maybe the nut slot isnt filed correctly or something else on your guitar is vibrating causing overtones.

 

have you tried holding everything above the nut, like play the note and hold on to each tuning peg as it rings - sometimes those get loose and cause noises like this, as well as other parts can vibrate.

[id-man]

Hey, I've had weird problems like that too on various guitars. Thanks Fishfartz for the insights that just might help us solve some of these sniggle issues instead of just putting up with them. This forum rocks.

[glensloan]

Sounds like to me the nut slot is to low on the high E string. You could try to put a thin peice of parer in the slot to shim it and see if it improves. If so I think you would need a new nut installed. Someone may be able to fill the slot in the nut and refile it. But I would want a new nut istalled.

[Europa760]

i think the the high e might not be seated properly in the slot

[thredlok]

You gots a bad nut, son!

[id-man]

 

Originally posted by glensloan Sounds like to me the nut slot is to low on the high E string. You could try to put a thin peice of parer in the slot to shim it and see if it improves. If so I think you would need a new nut installed. Someone may be able to fill the slot in the nut and refile it. But I would want a new nut istalled.

To the original poster, if shimming under the string to raise it in the nut slot seems to improve the situation, there's a fast home-remedy you could try before commiting to a new nut...super glue.

 

I learned this by accident on a non-nut repair, but I've heard people talk about doing it to fill a nut slot also. Pile some dry baking soda into the slot (kitchen variety Arm & Hammer), then drop a tiny spec of super glue on the powder. It hardens almost instantly and becomes super hard - so hard you can barely nick it with an exacto knife, harder than the original nut material. If you over-fill you'll have to file or whittle it back down but it just might get you back playing in record time.

[den_gerten]

The other frets buzz too. But only if I play harder.

I'll look into this. My action is very low too, I'll try to get that right first.