Guitar sound quality deteriorated

MusicCrusader

WhatsApp 2025-04-28 332db7c.mp4

Hello, community,

I have Saga Cigano GJ-5. I used it for 14 years; there were no issues, I didn't drop or hit it.

But last week, its sound deteriorated, which made me unhappy.

3rd string (G) on the 5th fret sound is not bright, like something preventing the string from oscillating. I checked that there were no problems with frets, neck, or neck nuts. The string doesn't touch the next frets, but its oscillation stops like something prevents the sound. You can hear extraneous sounds that the string makes on this fret.

Quite the same problem 2 days ago appeared with the 2nd string (B) on the 3rd fret.

And the final problem, the 5th string (A), rings too much on the 12th fret. I have to be very gentle to avoid this sound.

I understand that my guitar is a budget, but in the past, I didn't experience issues.

Do you know what the issue can be and how to solve it? Find a local guitar luthier? I doubt there are luthiers in gypsy jazz guitar.

Gouch

Where are you located? There is probably a luthier somewhere in your area and hopefully readers of your post can recommend someone.

Buco

My guess would be the tuners. See if someone can hold the tuner tight when you're picking a note that's causing the problem. Make sure to tighten whatever you can tighten on the tuners. I didn't hear much of an issue on the A string, maybe a slight fret buzz but it's mild. The guitar actually sounds very nice.

pdg

Could be the truss rod needs adjusting, due to changes in weather.

Russell Letson

When I hear a sudden change in a string's sound, it's usually the string itself that has changed. Sometimes it shows up in the attack, sometimes in an overall dullness, and in either case it amounts to a loss of the high frequency component. So then it's time to change the strings--or, since this most often happens with the low E or the G, the specific string. And it's always the wound strings going dull. The high B and E will have intonation problems when they age (which happens much more slowly than with the wounds).

I can't think of anything in the neck itself that would change the sound of an individual string, though maybe something going on at the nut or bridge might be involved.

lucky

The only time I’ve experienced something like this it was down to a change in humidity - you can get cheap humidifiers to put in the sound hole of your guitar. After 14 years the Cigano will be due a setup anyway.

Another possibility is a very serious affliction which affects all guitars but particularly cheap ones. It’s called GAS - fortunately it is curable, help is available here;

https://www.djangobooks.com/Category/handbuilt-guitars

MusicCrusader

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/121191#Comment_121191

Thank you and all the members who advised.

The problem with the B and G strings appeared very simple and unexpected.

On my rear deck, I use a sucker cup by Mundo Music Gear (I have used it for more than a month). I decided to remove it, and now extraneous sound has significantly decreased, and string vibration doesn't stop suddenly. I don't know how, but the instrument is so sensitive that the sucker cup on the rear deck reinforces the strings issue.

Probably, yes, it is time to change strings, and the sucker cups make the strings issue much louder.

MusicCrusader

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/121193#Comment_121193

Maybe sometime in the future, I will be ready to spend more than USD 1.5k on a guitar.