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Topic: Overtones at 12th fret |
Jim Eller
From:
Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 3:35 pm |
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I seem to get an awful sound when I play at the 12th fret because of what I would call overtones. It just never seems clear and almost always in a harmonic mode.
The guitar is an Emmons LeGrande III SD-10. My Emmons D-10 LeGrande II doesn't seem to have this problem. Maybe it's because the D-10 is black :-)
Anyone?
Thanks,
Jim |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 3:56 pm
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| Quote: |
| almost always in a harmonic mode. |
That's because it is in a harmonic mode, the 12th fret is the center of the string which is the point of the 2nd harmonic, an octave above the fundamental (the open string). So you have to be really sure that you're damping the strings behind the bar.
Other prominent harmonic frets, besides all of them, is the 7th and the 5th frets.[This message was edited by chas smith on 21 February 2004 at 03:57 PM.] |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 4:09 pm
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All guitars do that - some worse than others. Try before you buy. It has to do with string physics and body resonance.I wouldn't call it overtones - I'd call it undertones. Some guitars just die out at the 12th fret - it's the null point between the bridge and the nut. Joaquin Murphey used to bitch about his Bigsby in that respect. Long scale guitars (25",25.5" and 26") don't do it as bad in my experience. One reason Red Rhodes used to tune his guitar to Eb was to avoid the 12th fret in common keys. Jay Dee will lift up his hand behind the bar at the 12th fret and try to pick up a little backside resonance to pump up the dead spot and that seems to work better than you'd think.
-MJ- |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 4:25 pm
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| I don't think you will have that problem if you rest your fingers on the strings behind the bar. |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 5:43 pm
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| If you rest your fingers on the strings in front of the bar it cuts down on the out of tune notes and bad tone.... |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 21 Feb 2004 9:50 pm
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| If you rest your head on the strings they will throw you and your bar out of their bar. |
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