This came on suddenly while practicing the other day.
When playing open strings (no bar), I hear a strange harmonic overtone. With the bar on the strings...I don't hear it at all. The strings do need changed.
When I press down lightly on the area circled; strings 5 & 6...the overtone stops.
Does anyone know what this could be? Possibly the 5th or 6th string is about to break?
There might be some wear on the rollers, you can try a drop of oil between them. If it doesn't improve, you can try to wind those strings underneath your tuners instead of going over them, it changes the angle.
I would begin by loosening the strings, lubricating and rotating the nut rollers. That seems to be the culprit every time this happens to me. The other possibility is a resonance somewhere in the helper springs if your guitar has them.
Could be the guitar is responding to a resonant frequency which may be at the octave and frequency of those strings. I used to work in the field of vibration and resonant frequency searches were conducted all the time on units under test. Also worked in model analysis was a more in depth procedure that did the same type thing. Without a test it would be hard to rule it out. Although I don't think it'd be worth the cost of doing it.
May I state the obvious?
The strings behind the nut are vibrating. Weave a cloth behind there and see if it goes away.
If it does, leave it there. I see electric guitarists doing this. Make sure it is not so substantial it keeps the raised or lowered note from returning.
With no picture of the changer end, And saying the strings need changed.
If the changer has rounded fingers that the strings roll over. The strings may have work hardened where they leave the changer finger, From being raised/lowered.
When extra pressure is added to the strings by the bar, the strings are pulled down tighter to the changer finger. And the weird buzz stops.
Once a strange noise comes from a string, It seems to travel through the guitar and hard to find the exact spot, The problem is located.
The last order of strings I got. I am having trouble with the 4th string work hardening and raising up off the changer finger, After about 2 weeks on the guitar, It starts making a strange buzz. Only cure I have found is change the string.
Good Luck finding the problem and cure, Happy Steelin.
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