unwanted ringing

[rickmdw]

Hi All,

I have a newbie question that I need help with. I bought a Fender Squier 51 with Guitar Port to run it through my computer. The problem I am having is that when using power chords to play songs like Iron Man when I use the 5th and 4th strings up near the 12th fret or so, I get a really bad dull ringing from the 6th string. I am not striking the 6th string at all but if I don't mute it, it is really bad and annoying. I tried to just play that chord slowly and make very sure I didn't hit the 6th string, but it still happens. If I turn the volume down enough to stop the ringing, then all the distortion is gone but if I turn the vol up to get the tone right, the ringing is back. Is this normal or do you think there is a problem with the humbucker pickup? Should I have to mute the 6th string when playing power chords like that? It just seems like it shouldn't resonate like that but again I know its an entry guitar so maybe that just it. Thanks to all who can give me any help or info on this.

[Danny Poole]

If I understand you correctly I think what is happening is when you’re strumming you are still thumping the guitar through the string you are picking. It’s like when you just bang the body of the guitar, you’ll still make the strings vibrate therefore making a sound that the pickups can amplify.

I take it you have your amp set to distortion? This makes the pickups even more sensitive. There is no way to get rid of this droning sound other than muting the string with your 1st finger. When you play a root 5 position 5th chord (diagram 1), try to lay your 1st finger flat with the tip of the finger toughing the 6th string and the rest of it laying flat on the others. This also now means that you can give the chord a good hard strum without being to precise with what string you hit.

Now when you strum the chord you’ll get the sound of the 5th and 4th strings plus a percussive thud sound of the other muted strings. It’s like adding a kick drum or snare with every strum.

(Diagram 1) – Root 5 position 5th chord

|-x-|---|---|---
|-x-|---|---|---
|-x-|---|---|---
|-x-|---|(3)|---
|(1)|---|---|---
|-x-|---|---|---

The x’s are all just the 1st finger laying flat... only pressing down on the 5th string.

[rickmdw]

Thanks for the reply Danny! After some more "troubleshooting" it seems my guitar has the same problem. For example, if I play the 7th fret of the 5 th string and make sure that I don't touch any other strings at all, the 6th string still vibrates a bit. Even if I unplug it, move away from any possible sources that could cause vibration and play the same fret on the 5th string, I can put my finger on the 6th string after I play the 5th string and feel it vibrate. It only happens when I play the 7th fret on the 5th string as well as when I go up near the 12th fret on the 5th string. But I am making sure that when I play that 7th fret that I am in no way hitting the 6th string. Does this sound like a "normal" issue and just something that I have do deal with by muting the string? I went back to the place I bought it and asked them about it and they told me that it was just that I needed to learn how to mute the string. I just want to make sure that it really is a normal issue and not a problem with this particular guitar that I bought. Thanks so much for all the info!

[Danny Poole]

No worries, I sometimes tell my students that the strings you are not playing are just as important as the ones you are. Muting and rests play a big roll in getting a professional sound.