Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

[jrcho88]

Hi guys,
I have just noticed that when i hit my open E (the low one) string on my Epiphone Les Paul Classic, it makes a high-harmonic-like-sound in the amp. The soudn is inaudible when I'm playing without the amp plugged in, but it is so blatant when I'm playing the open E string or the second fret on the E string.

I did notice, however, that the B string would vibrate when playing the open E and putting my finger on the B string to stop the vibration would also end the annoying high pitched harmonic-like-sound. So, the noise can be attributed to the B string somehow vibrating whenever I play the open E string?

Is this supposed to be normal, and I recently had trouble with the saddles on the B string and could that be an issue?
How much do new saddles go for approximately?

Thanks

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

@B string: You now know fiorst hand why left hand muting is one of the most important techniques to get down pat, stopping what are called "sympathetic vibrations". What happens is that a string or it´s overtones are close enough to another string or it´s overtones,and these set it in "sympathetic" vibration... muting is the only cure short of not playing...

The Harmonic on the low-e sounds a bit wird, can you maybe explain that in a bit more detail?

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

B is the fifth of open E, so it makes sense that there would be some sort of constructive resonance to make your b string ring.

Just work on 'smothering' the strings that you're not playing with your left hand- once i started working on SRV's style of muting all but one string and stroking the right hand instead of regular single string picking for solos and riffs I started to really get the muting down.

 

[jrcho88]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

Ok, thanks guys. As long as I know it is SUPPOSED to happen on a guitar and is perfectly normal, I guess it's fine. It must have been there before too? I guess I must have just started noticing it now, for whatever reason.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

Sometimes it is normal for the strings closest to the others pitch to ring out as well but i had a weird issue with my Mex strat.... It was a 96 Tex/Mex strat and has Vintage style tuners..... Evertime i played an A or a G note i would get this weird sound.... I could hear it thru the amp and also when it was not plugged in... After weeks of going nuts trying to find out what was causing it i found by accident it was a loose A string tuner.... Those cheap Vintage reissue type things they used on this guitar had some play in the tuners gear.... I changed the tuner and have not had a problem since. Kind of explains why it was only A and G notes when it was the A string tuner that was acting up...... In the future i'm sticking to sealed tuners unless they are high quality Vintage Reissues...

Whofan

 

[FenderBoy]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

I have a similar situation with one of my strats with but a different note. It isn't really noticable and the palm mutign work. Just something to learn to live with I guess. I have noticed that this disn't happen on my Gibson The Paul, which was much easier to plam mute than a strat.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Hitting Low E string makes the B string vibrate? Hmm..

Sometimes it is normal for the strings closest to the others pitch to ring out as well but i had a weird issue with my Mex strat.... It was a 96 Tex/Mex strat and has Vintage style tuners..... Evertime i played an A or a G note i would get this weird sound.... I could hear it thru the amp and also when it was not plugged in... After weeks of going nuts trying to find out what was causing it i found by accident it was a loose A string tuner.... Those cheap Vintage reissue type things they used on this guitar had some play in the tuners gear.... I changed the tuner and have not had a problem since. Kind of explains why it was only A and G notes when it was the A string tuner that was acting up...... In the future i'm sticking to sealed tuners unless they are high quality Vintage Reissues...

Whofan

Strats are notorious for those types of weird overtones, wolf tones, strange harmonics and any number of odd noises that eminate from them when playing. I wouldn't trade my Mexi Strat for just about anything (okay, maybe $500, lol) but I've found the same thing prevelant on just about every Fender I've ever tried out, Bastardcaster included.