How to Mute Tailpiece Strings?

[Graicebara]

I have the same issue with a Heritage H-575. Not a big deal when you have the amp up, but different when the amp is low or you are playing acoustically. Just some simple masking tape worked in a pinch. Not sure if there is a more permanent fix. But I loved the idea of a small piece of tape on the offending string. It seems to be the unwound strings causing the issue.

[zcostilla]

+1 for the felt idea.

[mr quick]

I used to wrap some foam from a microphone box around the strings and secure it with a thick metal wire

[Mark M.]

The best solution I have found was to get rid of the TOM saddle. I have had no problems with distracting overtones since I put an ebony saddle on my L5.

[mr. beaumont]

I've been using black velcro, cut to the right size for a long time, still like this solution.

Attachment 43388
Attachment 43389

This works perfectly. I use this on my acoustic archtop and Django guitar.

[DeadStringRhythm]

I was wondering if anyone knows of a product or a home solution that doesn't look awful that would mute them.

Wonder no more! Behold the Wedgie Guitar Pick Holder, which is, IMHO, a lousy guitar pick holder. Every time I reached for a pick, they'd fallen off. So I thought if I placed it between the bridge and tailpiece they might not fall off; that end of the guitar is near the pivot point and stable, unlike the constantly in motion headstock. I was wrong, they still fell off, but, there, staring me in the face, was the perfect tailpiece string damper.

Attachment 82345

And a superb string damper it is! I installed them upside down; the geometric look was more visually pleasing. Here, at the manufacturer's link, they're six bucks each. However, they're about $2.00 each at retailers, online or brick.

Attachment 82346

[sgosnell]

Rubber grommets of the appropriate size work well, and cost a lot less than $2 each.

[DeadStringRhythm]

Rubber grommets of the appropriate size work well, and cost a lot less than $2 each.

Whatever works!

[Fred Archtop]

I'm a French guy and here is my version. A damper made out of cork. You can chose red or white (or both), it doesn't matter.



Cheers.

[sgosnell]

I've been using a piece of vacuum cleaner belt cut to length. It works, and it was already on hand and not going to be used.

[rpjazzguitar]

If multiple players are doing this ... why isn't Gibson?

[citizenk74]

If multiple players are doing this ... why isn't Gibson?

I think there are multiple reasons. Part of it is that for the higher-end guitars, the over-ring is part of the sound. Another factor is neatness - displayed guitars get played - frequently by the unskilled and inept, some some of that stuff will get knocked off onto the sales floor and get discarded. Basically, it comes down to loose ends.
Also, why aren't Van Epps string dampers standard operating equipment?

[sgosnell]

One word. Money.

[GNAPPI]

+1 for vel-cro... the fuzzy side

[Harm]

Rubber grommets work indeed.

[citizenk74]

Rubber grommets work indeed.

Nice!

[Gabor]

The unappropriate harmonics for tailpiece strings made me crazy on my Excel EXL-1 so I eliminated them, by wtapping the strings like many of you also did, and I was carefull, no wrapper touches the top.

The guitar sound went dead, (kinda expected), no internal reverb at all. I am not sure I like it more than the more live, but with bad harmonics. I realized frequensator tailpice idea is not all bullsh*t. Before I thought who the hell want harmonics from the tailpice, now I kow... me :-)

[pmurph]

First of all, I want to point out that I think it's hilarious that all of us are rocking these beautiful, multi-thousand dollar instruments and then stuffing the strings with rubber bands and shoe laces and whatever else. Keeps ya humble.

But on that note, I wanted to throw my hat in the ring here: I recently re-entered the archtop world and ran into the dissonant resonating tailpiece situation, too. I came up with a solution that is–dare I say–classy. It's a $10 black tie clip from amazon filled with piano string felt. I glued the felt on with contact cement (recommended off piano repair forums) and clamped the clip down so that it fits a little more snug on the strings. It works a treat and looks the part, too.