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Thread: Sound post in classic guitar to stop string buzz

  1. #1

    Sound post in classic guitar to stop string buzz

    This is something I've wondered about but never tried. In googling I see it has been done. I think fret adjustment is over emphasized on classic guitars, tiny fret adjustments on electric guitars are more nessesary. With a traditional guitar, a top with a lot of flex buzzes more than one with less flex. It is
    widely acknowledged that Flamenco guitars buzz more . Yes, it would take some trial and error to find the best location for good balance and there would be some volumn decrease. But most play without an audience. I suggest that for those who own inexpensive Classic guitars the change could make for a more pleasant experience. All bowed instruments have sound posts and adjusting them has to be done with the
    "f holes" as only access. With a guitar it would be easy to reach in. Certainly anyone trying post in guitar needs to understand that it must be just tight enough to stand and the job will take lots of trial and error.

  2. #2
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    I don't see what you mean by "buzz",unless the strings are too low.

    Sound posts in guitars are not recommended. Their volume is achieved by the back remaining stiff,while the top moves up and down,sucking air in and out of the sound hole. I made an experiment years ago,with making the sound hole larger or smaller. Enlarged ones made the bass more emphasized. The standard size seems to be most ideal. This was probably worked out over many years of building by many makers.

    I finished a rosewood round shouldered jumbo guitar a while back. I made the back very stiff with larger struts in it. That guitar was a cannon! I wished I could have kept it.

  3. #3
    George ,this discussion was actually started in the one on filing frets.

  4. #4
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    Mel, are you saying that buzzing is somehow caused by the top, rather than the string contacting a fret? I can see the top as amplifying a sound created elsewhere, but not being the cause of a buzz.

  5. #5
    Thanks for your interest, Stan. I hope you have also read the preceding thread on fret filing ,where the conversation started. I think
    "string whip " might be a better description. It's worst with the open bass strings. The note is heard ,THEN loud buzz. it's common on guitars with thin under braced tops. One of those opposite but equal reaction things. The strings move the top too much so the top whips the string causing a "wave" that crashes into frets. It's often seen as a fret problem ,but it is not.

  6. #6
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    Thanks Mel. Yes I read the fret filing thread. I have guitars, and have done some small repairs on some instruments, hence the interest. I had not heard of sound posts before. I had always thought that buzzing from the top could only be due to loose braces, so glad for the education.

  7. #7
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    The only time I have heard a classical guitar "Buzz" it turned out to be a loose brace. Is it possible this is what you are hearing?

  8. #8
    Not what I've heard many times in a good number. I've found that it's the player who is bothered by it ,not the audience.
    I don't think all those Flamenco guitars have loose braces ,and the guys who play the guitars know that the stomping and such covers a lot of it. I am not the only guy saying those guitars buzz more,it's ruitinely noted it every written comparison of the Flamenco and classic guitars that I've seen. Someone will try a sound post and report. As I wrote at start they have been used in guitars. I'm guessing string slap buzz was the reason. Again,if you can stop it by putting a little light pressure on outside of the top I don't think it unreasonable to think that a little pressure on the other side would do the same thing.
    Last edited by Mel Fulks; 09-01-2017 at 11:29 AM.

  9. #9
    Delighted to see so many views! Don't know why I never thought of using a sound post years ago when I was routinely adjusting guitars. Want to add that a few times after I told someone that the buzz could not be adjusted out they wanted another opinion ,and I encouraged them to do that. None of the attempts were succesful. Some informed me directly other cases I heard from friend who was their instructor. And Yes, I always checked for loose bracing.

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