Another singing springs Q...

[roccster]

Im sorry to post this Q again (since it been asked before), but I just canīt seem to get rid of the unwanted reverb from my springs.

I own a s470 and after a big cleaning job (dont know if it where there before), the bridge is vibrating like a crazy cat on crack. After reading alot of the posts here on this super, excellent site, i quickly figured it must be my trem-springs making the resonance through the bridge.

This is what I have done:

* Filled the springs with materia to dampen them (took CAT5- rj45 cable). This dampened the springs but the resonance is still there (better though)

* Filled the "spring room" with soft materia (cotton blanket), this is problably the thing that has worked best (removing the resonance), allthough filling the room with stripes of a tared up cotton blanket pushes the springs around affecting the tuneing (intonation becomes weired).

So what else can I do? The RJ45-cable doesent fill the springs perfectly, but when snapping the springs with my finger I can clearly hear the difference.

Am I missing something, can there be anything else making the noise? Trem-bridge touchung the body or something??

Thanx and im sorry for bringing thsi Q up again, but I just need some help...

rgds
/ Richard

[superhairycamel]

even the bridge itself will make thew noise, you wont be able to completely eliminate it, even some hardtail guitars make this noise. personally ive just got got rubber/plastic tubes in the springs of my 570

[GuitarBizarre]

Roll a piece of paper as small as possible (Use a piece of paper long enough that once its rolled, it just about fits inside the spring. then put it inside the spring.

Once its in there your hands are no longer keeping it compressed, and it then uncoils slightly from its rolled state, which applies pressure to the inside of the spring, but doesn't affect its movement at all.

You can use pretty much anything that will apply a small amount of pressure to the spring from INSIDE. sitting in there, or using vaseline or tissue from outside, will work, but will either only half dampen it, or will apply pressure from outside. When you apply pressure from outside you're usually using something softish, so when the spring extends, the pressure thats dampening it, also pushes the soft material between coils slightly, which results in tuning issues.


Also, Superhairycamel - Its possible that the pickup springs make vibration noise too. THats the only explanation for a hardtail doing it (short of some undiagnosed problem.) I fixed that issue on my S2170 by taking small pieces of tissue, and stuffing the pickup cavities for the humbuckers with it. THe side benefit is that the pickups are now more firmly pushed into position from all sides, meaning that if for example you have a pickup that likes to sit slightly misaligned in any direction or plane, you can just overstuff that area slightly compared to the others, and it will both dampen noise and help keep the pickup perfectly aligned.

And, because the pickup is now less likley to move at all, its much less likely to be affected by feedback!

The ONLY other thing that can vibrate on a ZR bridge from that point on, is the arm holder (if its loose or the bar is loose), and the small springs that sit underneath the backs of the saddles to push them up against the fine tuners. In my experience these have never vibrated, but I suppose if you were really adamant about muting as much noise as possible, a small amount of vaseline in those springs would help, or possibly a small amount of something like memory foam.

[guitardevil2005]

could it be the parts of the strings on the other side of the nut vibrating? i know i usually have to put something to dampen them from making noise on my guitars.

-MAttV

[GuitarBizarre]

The bar behind the nut has always solved that one for me. If you#re unsure, just try hammering a note or two that you know resonate in your guitar, then do it again with a wad of tissue paper under the strings.

If it resonates, then the problem is elsewhere. If it doesn't, you may want to invest in a couple of hair bands, a'la Guthrie govans improvised string mutes.

[roccster]

Thanx for all your replies, the tip about the paper sounds lika a cunning plan, will try it out ASAP.

I think I have located the part that does the most resonance and it seems to be one of the smaller springs (if you look down at the springs it is the one closest to your body). When I dampen that one (especially from the side of the body), there is almost no resonance at all.

Going to take the guitar to a friend who has some hardcore tools and see what we can do. Maybe a new spring will do the trick...

more to come...

[CosmicDebris]

I had the idea of getting using sqeezable ear plugs and putting them in the springs. So far they are working. The don't expand quick enough so when you use the trem they get stuck in the springs. All I have atm is the orange ones but the little yellow ones will work better as they sqeeze smaller are are easier to put inside the springs. I have read that some folks have wraped their springs in electrical tape but havn't tried that.

[GuitarBizarre]

Originally Posted by roccster

Thanx for all your replies, the tip about the paper sounds lika a cunning plan, will try it out ASAP.

I think I have located the part that does the most resonance and it seems to be one of the smaller springs (if you look down at the springs it is the one closest to your body). When I dampen that one (especially from the side of the body), there is almost no resonance at all.

Going to take the guitar to a friend who has some hardcore tools and see what we can do. Maybe a new spring will do the trick...

more to come...

Yeah, I picked that one up from Nileguy on the esp forums, back when he was posting as Pharaoh on Megadeth boards. As things go, that dude knows more about guitars than anyone else i've ever spoken to.

[Ankhnaten]

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

Yeah, I picked that one up from Nileguy on the esp forums, back when he was posting as Pharaoh on Megadeth boards. As things go, that dude knows more about guitars than anyone else i've ever spoken to.

I didn't do nuttin'...

I miss this place. I used to spend almost all my free time in here gawking at everyone's guitars. (Always loved swirls...but Jems/RG's in general are where I'm at home.) I've gone from here to Jacksons, to ESP, and their various custom shops. But when I got home, I still felt most comfy in my old RG shoes and the Jems always take me back to "kid mode" from the days I was just startin' out and Vai was still in DLR.

I just noticed...it says Welcome, Ankhnaten.
You last visited: 05-22-2005 at 06:02 AM
Private Messages: Unread 0, Total 4

Guess it took me a few years...but I still love this place. It's been in my favorites forever. I just stopped logging in...lol

[GuitarBizarre]

Holy crap that was unexpected.

You been good since you left the 'deth boards man? you were always a cool guy over there.

[Yelgath]

be like vai and stuff the back cavity with tissue paper and then put masking tape over it

[GuitarBizarre]

Originally Posted by Yelgath

be like vai and stuff the back cavity with tissue paper and then put masking tape over it

Gets caught in the springs and impedes tremolo return. Less is more when it comes to this particular fix. I find the paper has always worked best.

[Ankhnaten]

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

Holy crap that was unexpected.

You been good since you left the 'deth boards man? you were always a cool guy over there.

Yeah I'm fine...went to school and stuff and doing the ol' 'career-change' path before I'm too old for it...lol

[S-man]

Originally Posted by roccster

I think I have located the part that does the most resonance and it seems to be one of the smaller springs (if you look down at the springs it is the one closest to your body). When I dampen that one (especially from the side of the body), there is almost no resonance at all.

Sounds like you are talking about the ZPS springs. The ZPS device can be removed entirely. It is designed to be removable. I removed mine a long time ago.



Then again, I'm not even sure we are talking about a ZR bridge here.

Good Luck!

[roccster]

S-man,

Thats the one, I will remove it all together and see what happens.

thanx m8!

/ Richard