Reverend Triple Tree and chasing the Ping

[redking]

Hey guys. I was having a problem with my B string "pinging" on my Warmoth strat so I decided to put a string tree on it (I built the guitar with progressively lower tuner posts hoping to not need a string tree). In my travels I saw the Reverend triple tree that they put on their guitars and thought that it would be great for my project - I can put some downward pressure on the G string too and all would be great. So I go ahead and put the Triple tree on, and it solved the B string problem, but now the friggin' G string is pinging, even though I have created more break angle on it! I'm guessing the resonant frequency of shortening the G string is making it more audible now - but not really sure. So now I'm not sure what to do. I could put a regular "B & E" 2 string tree in the same hole as one option, or maybe if I swapped out the tuner on the G string to be either taller or maybe shorter (not sure which is gonna fix my problem at this moment). Anybody ever have a string tree make the sympathetic resonance of a string more prominent like that?

They talk about the triple tree in this video..

 

[ARandall]

Pinging usually indicates a sudden release of tension at the nut - as in the slot is binding.

String trees are mainly there to make sure the string stays in the slot - such that jumping out of the slot or the open string sounding dull would be the symptom you'd have before installing one.

 

[jvin248]

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String Ts also cut sympathetic ringing of the G string.

Pinging though, that's the nut slot. Either never cut right to start with or someone upsized string gauges, often 'for tone', and the string binds more.

Get a tube of dry lock lube (graphite) or next best is a #2 pencil lead to put graphite under and around the strings in the nut slots.

.

 

[Rob the Photog]

Serious reply:

Okay, so, before adding the string tree your B string would ping, but although adding the tree “fixed” your B string, it now makes your G string ping? Is this correct? If so, then it sounds like the simplest solution is to put your G string back the way it was, and get a tree for just your B and E strings.

However, as others have said, pinging indicates that your nut slots need attention.

Better reply:

Nothing worse than a nut causing your G string to ping!!

 

[redking]

Pinging usually indicates a sudden release of tension at the nut - as in the slot is binding.

String trees are mainly there to make sure the string stays in the slot - such that jumping out of the slot or the open string sounding dull would be the symptom you'd have before installing one.

My description of a "ping" is clearly different than how others use this term. It is definitely not the nut slot - it has a tusq nut with plenty of pencil lead in the slots and I wasn't bending strings while I was doing this. There was definitely sympathetic ringing of the string behind the nut in my case - when I played a note and put my finger on the string behind the nut, the sympathetic ringing would stop.

On a Fender I would say that the string tree is more geared towards sympathetic ringing than anything. Anyways, I broke a string last night on the 10.5 gauge strings that I had on the guitar, so I restrung it with 10's just for shiznits and the sympathetic ringing has now gone away, or at least diminished to the point of where I can't hear it anymore. I think I will end up grinding a bit off the bottom of the string tree to make it "shorter" so that it pulls down the string at a greater angle out of the nut in case I decide to put heavier strings on it again.

Cheers.

 

[moreles]

Most of us use the term "pinging" to refer to the binding nut/release noise, which is why you confused everyone. You mean "ringing," which you suspect is sympathetic vibration of the string on the pegside of the nut. Adding more downward pressure will likely not change that problem, if indeed it is sympathetic vibration. Only deadening that part of the string, or shifting the length of it so that it is no longer a sympathetic pitch, is what is needed. Steve Morse and other high-gain wizards sometimes put some fabric or foam or something else under the strings on the headstock to deaden sympathetic vibrations. Of course, there may be a different cause, since that kind of sound travels from anywhere on the guitar via the strings, and sometimes shows up in odd places. Good luck.

 

[redking]

Most of us use the term "pinging" to refer to the binding nut/release noise, which is why you confused everyone. You mean "ringing," which you suspect is sympathetic vibration of the string on the pegside of the nut. Adding more downward pressure will likely not change that problem, if indeed it is sympathetic vibration. Only deadening that part of the string, or shifting the length of it so that it is no longer a sympathetic pitch, is what is needed. Steve Morse and other high-gain wizards sometimes put some fabric or foam or something else under the strings on the headstock to deaden sympathetic vibrations. Of course, there may be a different cause, since that kind of sound travels from anywhere on the guitar via the strings, and sometimes shows up in odd places. Good luck.

I think you are right about that - I had no problem with the G string initially, then by putting the string tree across it, I likely raised the pitch to one that would ring out more, then by going to a lighter gauge of strings I likely lowered the pitch again to one that does not ring out as much. I was on the verge of trying heat shrink tubing on that part of the string to reduce the vibration, but that would be a pain in the ass to do every string change. Sure is frustrating none the less - and consequently I am really enjoying another guitar a lot these days - "new-to-me" Floyd equipped Ibanez, because there are no tuning problems, no vibration problems, no weird sounds etc. lol