Manipulating string brightness physically

[JazzNote]

I found a new "favorite pick" which makes it easier to articulate and is therefore noticeably more comfortable to play than my former favorite, but the high E string sounds a tadd too bright for my ears now. I wonder if I can somehow manipulate the physics to get a thicker sound. Maybe changing string angle, changing the mass of the bridge or whatever (apart from equalizing, which I do anyways, or changing strings - I use the Thomastik Swing set 0.13 to 0.52, with a replaced 1. string by a 0.14).

[garybaldy]

I found a new "favorite pick" which makes it easier to articulate and is therefore noticeably more comfortable to play than my former favorite, but the high E string sounds a tadd too bright for my ears now. I wonder if I can somehow manipulate the physics to get a thicker sound. Maybe changing string angle, changing the mass of the bridge or whatever (apart from equalizing, which I do anyways, or changing strings - I use the Thomastik Swing set 0.13 to 0.52, with a replaced 1. string by a 0.14).

I've been desperately trying for some while to get used to the 1mm Clayton Acetal large rounded triangle as the sound is exactly what I want but I find it so difficult to use. I tried rounding the tip and the bevel and reshaping one to shape 251 but I still struggle with it. I've gone back to the Dunlop purple 1.5mm. I don't find the dunlop creates any undesirable brightness and my playing is more fluid again.

[JazzNote]

I've been desperately trying for some while to get used to the 1mm Clayton Acetal large rounded triangle as the sound is exactly what I want but I find it so difficult to use. I tried rounding the tip and the bevel and reshaping one to shape 251 but I still struggle with it. I've gone back to the Dunlop purple 1.5mm. I don't find the dunlop creates any undesirable brightness and my playing is more fluid again.

I had someone from Norway manufacturing several picks for me from Brasilian Agate and out of these, two very similar ones stand out. One of them sounds thicker, the other, although brighter than I like, fits my physical feel better. The darker one is slightly thicker with a slightly more rounded tip than the brighter one. The advantage of the Agate is that it stays in the original shape .....

[garybaldy]

I had someone from Norway manufacturing several picks for me from Brasilian Agate and out of these, two very similar ones stand out. One of them sounds thicker, the other, although brighter than I like, fits my physical feel better. The darker one is slightly thicker with a slightly more rounded tip than the brighter one. The advantage of the Agate is that it stays in the original shape .....

I like the playablity of stone, horn and bone but find them only good on Selmer/Maccaferri style guitars, but even then I use 3 - 4mm (or could be 5mm) Wegens. I'm not sure what they are made of. To me, all the above are too sharp sounding and chirpy on a 'regular' archtop.

[JazzNote]

To me, all the above are too sharp sounding and chirpy on a 'regular' archtop.

IMHO It seems to depend as much on the shape as on the material. My picks are handmade in slightly varying thicknesses (1mm to 2.5mm) and with slightly varying tips due to the fact that it's impossible to get exact duplicates when handmade. I got about twenty of them and not two sound the same. Certainly most of them don't sound chirpy, in fact only one does and I believe this is because it was not polished well at the edges. The ones with rounder tips don't sound bright to my ears, especially the thicker ones. In fact, using a darker pick might get me in "muddy" territory on the lower strings in a quartet with sax/bass/drums when I have to set the volume a bit higher. PS: by now I live with 40 years of "stone pick" experience ;-) having had periods of experimenting with regular stuff - from Fender Teardrops to Dunlop Stubbys and many more, also a couple of Wegens.

[rpjazzguitar]

I spent a lot of time fretting about a thin sounding high E string in the upper register. I had the problem on multiple guitars. I tried adjusting action, pu height, polepiece height, stud tailpiece height, action height, string brand, string gauge, meticulous fretwork and whatever I've forgotten.

Two things helped. One was a different pick. I use Golden Gate mandolin picks which seem to have a slightly softer sound.

The other was accepting the idea that the string was naturally creating some high end fizz. That is, that fizz was a natural product of the vibrating string and couldn't be suppressed ... except with the tone control. I'd roll off some highs, the fizz would go away and I was okay with the resulting sound.

[joe2758]

Might be obvious, but be sure to try adjusting the pole pieces first

[JazzNote]

I spent a lot of time fretting about a thin sounding high E string in the upper register. I had the problem on multiple guitars. I tried adjusting action, pu height, polepiece height, stud tailpiece height, action height, string brand, string gauge, meticulous fretwork and whatever I've forgotten.

Two things helped. One was a different pick. I use Golden Gate mandolin picks which seem to have a slightly softer sound.

The other was accepting the idea that the string was naturally creating some high end fizz. That is, that fizz was a natural product of the vibrating string and couldn't be suppressed ... except with the tone control. I'd roll off some highs, the fizz would go away and I was okay with the resulting sound.

Yes a different pick - exactly! But i this time i need to go in another direction as i want to make this particular pick working .....
and yes, on yesterdays gig rolling off the treble knob worked as i played duo with very moderate volume.

[JazzNote]

Might be obvious, but be sure to try adjusting the pole pieces first

Yes, obvious so i did. Just not sure about which way to go best: raising it to compensate for volume lost by rolling off treble, or lowering it to get less bite and not roll of the treble as much? I did the first, maybe i should try the second too.

[joe2758]

interesting, never tried the second way

[pauln]

Some violin string sets include these... Here is one on the this violin's E string



You could experiment with wire insulation. Notice how it is positioned off center to avoid extending into the sounding string length.

[garybaldy]

Some guitars seem to have a very strong sounding high E string, others don't. For instance, my 2 oval hole Gypsy guitars (one being a Favino) have a strong sounding high E but my (one and only) flat top doesn't, but it is better than many. Could it be the difference between Argentines and Martin PBs?