Put on new strings, now the guitar echos

adrian · October 2005

Hello, all,

I have a Gitane DG-250M. I replaced the strings tonight, for the first time ever. I bought the guitar new a couple of months ago, and it came with Argentine strings on it.

I put on Argentines -- the "1510 MF" set, if that makes any difference. That's 011, 015, 023, 029, 037, 046.

After I put the strings on, I started playing -- and now the guitar echos! Yes, there's a very audible echo after any note is played, even if I dampen the note after I play it. It did not do this before I put on the new strings.

Everything on the guitar is original. The bridge is the original bridge.

Maybe the following is relevant. Before I put the strings on, I tried putting a couple of guitar picks under the bridge, to increase the action, My guitar teacher recommended that I do this. However, that's when the echo started happening, so I loosened the strings, took out the guitar picks, and tightened the strings again -- but the echo is still happening, even with the bridge in the normal position (with nothing under it).

How can I fix this? Thanks for any help.

Adrian

zav · October 2005

>After I put the strings on, I started playing -- and now the guitar echos!

Hi!

Yes, there is such effect with new strings.
I like it. But it will dercrease in a week or so...

Anton

tomcram · November 2005

adrian wrote:

Hello, all,

I have a Gitane DG-250M. I replaced the strings tonight, for the first time ever. I bought the guitar new a couple of months ago, and it came with Argentine strings on it.
Yes, there's a very audible echo after any note is played, even if I dampen the note after I play it. It did not do this before I put on the new strings.
How can I fix this? Thanks for any help.

Adrian

Sometime an Echo is the sympathetic vibration of the strings on the other side of the bridge (between the bridge and the tailpiece).

After you play a note and hear the echo, cover the strings with your hand behind the bridge (near tailpiece) if it stops you know its those strings vibrating in sympathy

Simple solution is to use a piece of string, leather, shoe lace, or what ever and weave it through the strings behind the bridge - that will end the sympathetic vibration.

It's odd, sometimes I can string my guitar for or five times in row and no sympathetic vibration - but other times, it is there right away.

Thanks,
Tom

PS I cut myself a couple pieces of leather (4 or 5 inches long) about as wide as a bookmark ( an inch) that I weave behind the bridge.