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floppy low E string

Technique
gx1327  
5 Apr 2010 20:03 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
when playing the low E string open it gets really floppy at times. "floppy" is the best way i can describe it. like it bounces a lot and buzzes a little. i think it's just a combination of the fact that it's a big string played at its full length (one specific case is when playing 0-2-2-x-x-x 5th chord).

anyone else notice this phenomenon? any suggestions on how to combat it? i have two guitars, an artcore with ernie ball 9s and a stratocaster with fender bullet 9s. it's more noticeable on the fender than it is on the ibanez.

just curious. it's that big of a deal
deadman2k666  
5 Apr 2010 20:23 | Quote
Joined: 21 Sep 2009
Canada
Lessons: 1
Karma: 2
yer action! andd also it might be the tuning, or the strings might be getting old and too streched
gx1327  
6 Apr 2010 10:06 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
strings are pretty new, and i replace them regularly. action too high or action too low? i have the action set high on the artcore because i get buzzing at the higher frets, plus it's an easier bridge to set...
Heather  
6 Apr 2010 10:23 | Quote
Joined: 21 Aug 2008
United Kingdom
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Karma: 19
Hmm well maybe it's not the strings then? I had similar problem with one of my D strings on my banjo - it kept slipping back down so I took it to a music shop to get it looked at. The guy said the screw holding the tuner thingy (sorry I don't know the actual name for the twisty thing...hopfully you know what I mean...)for that string in place was weak and faulty so it caused the tuning to keep slipping back down. ALthough for the record it wasn't very visible that the screw was loose until he took it apart to check it. Could be that maybes? My banjo and strings were also new at the time - last time I buy from ebay...
gx1327  
6 Apr 2010 14:04 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
i don't think it's a "problem" i.e. something that can necessarily be fixed or faulty equipment (FYI i think what you are referring to is a tuning machine?)... i just think it's a naturally occuring thing... the strings stay in tune so nothing is slipping, and i've noticed on all 3 guitars that i've owned that the lowest E string is a little extra bouncy when played wide open. i just think because it's a big fat string and when played along its whole length with some vigor it has a tendancy to bounce around more than the other strings...

maybe changing the action will help it. right now basically what i do is just try not to rock it so hard when playing, but if i am not careful and i start to get into it (like i said especially the 0-2-2-x-x-x 5th chords which of course usually comes up when i'm playing punk rock songs)
btimm  
6 Apr 2010 14:42 | Quote
Joined: 14 Dec 2009
United States
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I am not sure the solution gx, but I do notice the same thing with my guitars. It is pretty bad on the bundle pack Fender Squier. It is not nearly as bad on the Epi and happens far less frequently.
gx1327  
7 Apr 2010 14:25 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
you know what, it's kind of sad actually, but i don't play my strat as much as my artcore. most of the time i'm just lying on my couch being a bum, watching TV and practicing unplugged so i used the artcore because it's a hollowbody.

but i was playing the strat last night... and the low E sounds kind of gross played lower on the fretboard. for some reason the lowest E5 (0-2-2) just sounds terrible. not sure what it is... maybe i should have it set up? i did buy the guitar used, afterall...
adelaideguitar  
14 Apr 2010 15:12 | Quote
Joined: 14 Apr 2010
Australia
Karma: 3
How are you strumming? If you strum to close to the neck my guitars go floppy too. I tend to strum very close to the bridge with very slight palm muting at the very end of the strings.

Even on an acoustic guitar, I only slightly rub the E string with the side of my thumb and gently touch it for some bass notes, especially though an amp.

The E string can be very dominant on guitar.
gx1327  
15 Apr 2010 13:04 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
i'll look into it. on my artcore i strum between the two pickups. on the strat i strum between the neck and middle pickups. the strat is also the guitar with the floppiest E. maybe i'll try strumming between the middle and bridge pickups? couldn't hurt to try...
Afro_Raven  
20 Apr 2010 07:20 | Quote
Joined: way back
United Kingdom
Lessons: 1
Karma: 20
Moderator
I sincerely doubt the 'floppiness' will be anything to do with your action (innuendo, eh?...), as that simply controls the height of the strings off the fretboard. More likely, the truss rod in the neck hasn't been set properly at the right angle/tension to pull against the tension of the strings. If you don't know what a truss rod is or haven't adjusted one before, don't try and do it yourself, definitely take it to a guitar tech for them to look at.

Afro
gx1327  
20 Apr 2010 08:02 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
i've adjusted a truss rod before but it was on my old squier and i was just experimenting. interesting point though. i have the fender setup guide but i do not have all of the tools necessary to make the adjustments myself (feeler gauges, etc. even though i have never set one up i am mechanically inclined i think i could figure it out with the instructions, a little trial and error, and a 6 pack of beer)
KicknGuitar  
20 Apr 2010 12:13 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
Feeler gauges are merely measuring a tiny amount of distance. If you have some other measuring tool that does small amounts, that would work just as well. I've really cheap'd out and used a playing card to measure, and it seems to be about right.

The only time I've ever had a "floppy" string is when it is not at it's full tension.
If the string buzzes, there can be multiple issues (and each one can feed off the other);
• You strum very hard, causing the strings to vibrate on a fret(s). [This is my first guess].
• Your action is too low, this is the most probable if it's only one string buzzing. If you've started to use heavier gauge string, this can screw up your guitar. Any time you change a string gauge, it's a good idea to check the action.
• Your truss rod needs adjusting. The sting(s) buzz on low and/or high on the neck,. The string(s) buzz in the middle of the neck. Either way check the warp of the neck before adjusting the truss rod, there may be a lot of bow or too little. After looking (so you get an idea of how is appears) measure the hight of the strings of the 7th fret (i believe its the 7th) using a playing card. it should fit snuggly without much force and should not be pushing the strings up.
• The nut needs to be adjusted/replaced. This will be the cause if nothing works, and the string buzzes at the first few frets.
• You have warn frets, and will need to replace them

What gauges do you use? And could you record video/audio of the E-string in action?
gx1327  
20 Apr 2010 15:20 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
.009 gage on a fender stratocaster. "buzzing" is not really the correct term. i think it has to do with how i strum, but the reason it's bugging me is because it doesn't happen on my artcore... which leads me to believe that it is something different about the guitar.

it's not really "buzzing" but more like a "floppy-ness" i know that's not the best way to describe it. sort of like an eratic vibration. instead of vibrating neatly in place, the string has greater displacement. i forgot all of the wave terminology from my schoolin'. but if you imagine the ends of the string as fixed points, there is a large displacement from that axis as the string vibrates.

in my mind i'm thinking this could be caused by a lack of tension.

i purchased this guitar used, i don't know what size strings were on it when i bought it but i replaced them shortly after i got it with fender bullet .009s.

i have a camera capable of digital video but i don't imagine the framerate being good enough to capture what is happening, i'll see if i can get something though.
KicknGuitar  
20 Apr 2010 22:23 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
I can only think that it has to do with how you pick the guitar. and what is the gauge of the E sting in question? I don't play 9's (and it's been a while since I have), maybe it's the small gauge that isn't helping with the flop.
JoshJones  
21 Apr 2010 20:03 | Quote
Joined: 30 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 3
How high can you pull the string up? My guess is that when you re-strung your guitar you didn't get the tension just right. I used to get buzzing all the time in the E and A until I started working as a tech and got used to stringing guitars
vincejonesiii  
22 Apr 2010 07:55 | Quote
Joined: 16 Sep 2008
United States
Licks: 1
Karma: 13
um well either your E string is super tiny or its not an E....

i use huge strings so they never buzz... exept when i first started useing them had to raise action tiny bit :D
gx1327  
22 Apr 2010 08:43 | Quote
Joined: 20 Sep 2009
United States
Karma: 9
the more and more i play the more and more i think it's just a technique problem (heavy strumming on 9 gauge strings?). i noticed last night that although i have the problem with both guitars, it's more noticeable on the fender, i think because it has a lower action.

i try to stretch my strings when i restring them. don't know exactly how high i can pull them from the fretboard. off the top of my head i'll say maybe 1/2 an inch near the nut, an inch at the bridge? a little less than that? what is considered "normal"?


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