Taming string squeaks

[Scodiddly]

Maybe I just need to go back to the Elixers, but I'm really having a problem with string squeaks. Or maybe it's my Taylor...

 

Without getting into specific tricks, what's the overall theory on minimizing string squeaks when moving up and down the neck? I'm really a bass player, and on bass I can give all sorts of neat theory on damping and such. Acoustic guitar is a more recent passion.

 

So far it seems that damping with the right hand sort of helps. Being able to completely remove fingers from the strings during a neck shift helps too, but of course that leaves the strings open and ringing. Tying either of those in with regular playing (usually with a pick) is tricky at best for me.

 

What else?

[woody b]

I've played for over 30 years and I'm a mechanic so I have tough dry fingers and fingertips. I file my callouses every couple weeks with an ordinary fingernail file and it keeps my callouses under control and also smoothes them. That helps alot with squeaks.

[RainsongDR1000]

Originally posted by woody b I've played for over 30 years and I'm a mechanic so I have tough dry fingers and fingertips. I file my callouses every couple weeks with an ordinary fingernail file and it keeps my callouses under control and also smoothes them. That helps alot with squeaks.

 

Not a mechanic, but I still use an emoryboard to file my callouses and it does make a difference in string squeek. I've heard a lot of professional groups w/ a lot of string squeek, so i wouldn't worry too much. And yeah, can't beat Elixir polys to reduce squeek.

[Jerry NT]

Originally posted by RainsongDR1000 Not a mechanic, but I still use an emoryboard to file my callouses and it does make a difference in string squeek. I've heard a lot of professional groups w/ a lot of string squeek, so i wouldn't worry too much. And yeah, can't beat Elixir polys to reduce squeek.

 

 

Love those poly's. If you're not afraid of the effect on your fretboard, there are silicon products out there too.

[FingerBone Bill]

I've grown to love string squeaks.

 

It means there is a real person behind the music and not a computer.

 

VIVA LA SQUEAK!

[labjr]

I prefer the squeak too. I feel it's part of the string's brilliance, and what I think is lost with coated strings.

[orsino]

A little squeak is no biggie. Elixirs will make the biggest impast. But, it is also technique. Try focusing a little more on how you fret and practice eliminating the squeak by the way your left hand depresses the strings. This will improve your overall technique as well.

[franchelB]

Use Fingerease!

[valleyguy]

My wife would cringe every time I had string squeak. I tried Elixirs, but did not like their sound, so I worked on my technique. Most professional recordings have very little squeak, so squeak must not be considered good.

 

I have with time learned to lift my fingers just enough to eliminate the sqeak and either let the string ring open or muffle it with the left hand finger as I move up and down the frets. I still squeak, but generally on songs I'm new to.

 

I find minimal string squeak sounds better. An occasional squeak, as has been said, is all part of a style and a given.

[seven7]

 

Originally posted by orsino A little squeak is no biggie. Elixirs will make the biggest impast. But, it is also technique. Try focusing a little more on how you fret and practice eliminating the squeak by the way your left hand depresses the strings. This will improve your overall technique as well.

 

 

orsino brings out a very important point. TECHNIQUE. when i used exclusively elixirs for a while and then switched to normal strings i found myself making a lot of extra noise. but as i played on them more my technique adjusted to decrease the added noise. i'm not even sure how to explain what i did. but it changed for sure. experiment.