Acoustic guitar silencer?

[gnurph]

I work nights, my wifey works mornings... so when I want to play guitar, when i ge home (12:30 am) she's fast asleep. My acoustic, that I love the feel of, wakes her up. Can anyone help me, tell me how to hush it up and not ruin or permanently alter it?

[ddlingling]

interesting predicament. try stuffing the inside of it with a blanket or something? and try covering the soundhole with a soundhole cover.

[gnurph]

I might give that a try... do you recommend a blanket that completly fills the body of the guitar, or just the soundhole?

Just to be clear, I don't want to completley mute the guitar, just make it quieter (about as loud as an unplugged- electric). A friend of mine had all kinds of humorous suggestions- sand, caulk, old beat up comic books, country music CDs, guitar picks, balloons, etc. But I have to admit, I'm almost curious about the balloons and how it'd affect the sound. And I already have at least 3 picks in the guitar already.

[d28andm1911a1]

Bandana between the strings and the top up against the bridge.

Adjust amount of bandana to adjust amount of mute.

[Andrewrg]

Play quieter;)

[JasmineTea]

A sound hole cover should work, though I've never used one.

 

Was in the same predicament some years ago and taped a thin piece of cardboard over the sound hole, worked well.

 

I'm gonna try for the balloon tone this afternoon...

[RainsongDR1000]

Actually, I was surprised how little a soundhole cover dampens the sound of an acoustic. Most of the sound is spread throughout the top rather than just the soundhole. Other than switching to fingerpicking or playing in a garage. You might try stuffing a blanket in the sound hole enough to stop the top from vibrating... or throw a blanket comletely over yourself and guitar while playing... or... buy a pair of foam earplugs and quietly slip them in her ears!

[JasmineTea]

...Throw a blanket over your self while playing...YEAH!!

[knockwood]

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/silnatrubear.html

 

For the wife...

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by knockwood http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/silnatrubear.html For the wife...

 

I was going to suggest either:

 

A) Elixirs or

 

B) putting a pillow over her face, but this looks like it should work too without the messy legal repurcussions!

[JasmineTea]

One of THESE may come in handy...forget the soundhole cover.

[Robman2]

If it's for technique, mute the strings with a piece of velcro soft side, laced through through at the bridge...and cover the sound hole, it will still resonate percussivly.

 

An option, buy the Yamaha silent guitar, nylon or steel version.

 

I bought one for sales trips, easy to haul around and had electronics, earphone jacks, etc.

 

It is quiet enough to not distrurb other folks in the many hotel rooms around the country and plays like an APX series Yamaha action wise.

 

R

[B. Adams]

A soundhole cover won't mute it enough, I can still hear my guitar well enough to sing along with it, and I need to hear it to sing in tune. Try muting the strings with fabric or velcro, like was suggested, short of that, the Silent Guitar suggestion is a good one. Or buy an electric. Or get a divorce.

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by B. Adams Or get a divorce.

I got so used to wearing a football helmet while playing when I was married, that nowadays, I just habitualy put it on before practice.

 

Darn thing saved my life...

[JasmineTea]

Howabout filling the guitar up with cement?

[fantasticsound]

How many of you own a Feedback Buster?

 

I've used it in two acoustics and it absolutely kills the level of both. I switched to the Lute Hole because my needs were anti-feedback, but I didn't want to lose my acoustic timbre, which the rubber Feedback Buster with suck up like a vacuum!

 

I have to assume Rainsong's results are due to the resonant, incredibly rigid composites that make up Rainsong guitars. A typical wood guitar will lose a lot of level with a feedback buster in, and the resulting timbre is all treble. Not good, if you want acoustic tone, but plugged in... It absolutely kills most feedback.

 

If the Feedback Buster won't work, nothing short of abstinence (from playing, silly people! ) will adequately must the instrument to not bother her.

[B. Adams]

 

Originally posted by fantasticsound How many of you own a Feedback Buster?

 

 

Um, I do, and I use it all the time...Had a show tonight, as a matter of fact. And I've been practicing plugged in too, so it hasn't left my guitar for a few days. It lowers the volume and changes the unplugged tone, but it doesn't make it all that quiet..

[gnurph]

I never expected such a response!! Anyways, in reply to some of your posts... Divorce, no.... earplugs, we have some (I work in a factory, all the free earplugs I care to pocket!!) but they bother her ears- no good for sleeping... cement filled acoustic- heavy... balloon tone, I haven't tried it yet, if anyone has, how does it sound? get and electric, I like my acoustic best for it's feel (the neck mostly), I have 4 electrics (3 Les Pauls and a Strat). Uhhh... what else did someone say? Oh yeah, football helmet link.... That was pretty funny...

[fantasticsound]

I didn't say the Feedback Buster mutes a guitar entirely, but it sounds like those of you who think the Feedback Buster is a bad solution have unrealistic expectations.

 

If he needs his guitar to be dead quiet (as your responses would suggest) then forget the acoustic and play an unplugged, solidbody guitar.

[slider]

I'll be a dork and suggest the obvious. close the bedroom door, go to the basement, and play in a room that has been acoustically altered...drapes, rug on the floor, tapestry wall hangings, heck, rug on the wall.

 

 

I would think your wife wouldnt mind hearing you play.

mine was comforted knowing I got home safe and was happy because I was playing.

 

man, I miss her.