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Dry vs. Wet Tone

Can anyone weigh in on what construction aspects of a gypsy guitar make it more dry (less booming, ringing, overtones)?

Thanks

Comments

  • Jeff MooreJeff Moore Minneapolis✭✭✭✭ Lebreton 2
    Posts: 476
    A stiff top, overall strength but especially light and strong top and bracing. Top stiffness both with and against the grain so it acts as a unit rather than reacting one way north and south and differently (weaker) east and west.
    I only say this cause I read this in luthiers writings, so I can't discount luck, other variables, magic or secrets.
    "We need a radical redistribution of wealth and power" MLK
  • asd123321asd123321 ✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 121
    The bridge is high, the top is arched and the braces are parallel not an x. The small opening can kill the bass.
  • BonesBones Moderator
    Posts: 3,319
    A high bridge implies a decent neck angle, yes?

    I wonder what is the range on neck angle. As I recall people have mentioned around 2.5 degrees.

    Thanks for the replies
  • HCQHCQ Northeast NJ✭✭✭
    Posts: 225
    Construction aspects aside, damping or isolating the tailpiece goes a long way in taming overtones.

    I just did some DIY work on my Dell Arte Pigalle, (Music Link). Its an Asian guitar. There have been a few fixes to cut down on "wet" tones on other threads here. On my guitar, notes that match up to notes on opens string have a sympathetic ring to them. Additionally, these notes are louder because of these overtones.

    The notes that noticeably do this are mostly on the high E string. B at the 7th fret, D at the 10th fret, E at the 12th, G at the 13th and A at the 15th.

    Some folks recommended stuffing cloth, which I did, or putting some cork under the tailpiece.

    Today I took off the tailpiece pulled the red leather off and replaced it with some black felt carefully trimmed to fit the tailpiece profile. I got the felt at an art supply store. its about 2 millimeters thick and fairly stiff. I chose black but its available in about a dozen colors.

    Anyway, this really dried up my guitar without killing overtones completely. The wet notes lost about 80%-90% of their ringing overtones. They also have a much more similar volume as other notes when playing normally. I thank the folks here whose recommendations that led me to the best, easiest and cheap solution to a common problem.

    The black felt looks great too.

    Now, if they made it in Lake Placid Blue or Sea Foam Green...... :wink::wink:

    Best,
    HCQ
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