D-string hum

[14frets]

When amplified, the D-string on my acoustic guitar sustains annoyingly loud and hums when just sitting in its stand. I can kill the hum by just damping the string. What is my problem? Thanks in advance.

[RobMacki]

Sympathetic vibration.
Either the fundamental or harmonics are set in motion by nodes that resonate in the box of your guitar when audio is present.
It probably only happens when you are playing music in certain keys.

[natpub]

It probably only happens when you are playing music in certain keys.

Nope. As he said, it happens even when sitting in its stand.

Whatever you are using to amplify the guitar (built in pick-up? Piezo? along with an amp? PA board?) is zooming in on that frequency range. Coupled with sympathetic frequencies in the body of the guitar itself, it is very common for acoustics to start going nuts in that mid-range, particularly on the open D.

Just notch out a bit of that range on an EQ. Some acoustics that have internal piezo pickups include little built on EQ's (which usually suck ass--Takamini for example--and I like the guitars, just not the pickups or EQs) for just such a reason.

In general, I hate all forms of acoustic guitar "pickups," and will only use mics, no matter how bad the stage bleed is, lol.

[Fletcher]

Tune up or down a half step and you won't have the resonant note of the room affecting your guitar.

[RobMacki]

Originally posted by natpub
Nope. As he said, it happens even when sitting in its stand.

.

I know what he wrote.
What I meant was when music is played. Not being played on that guitar just present in the same room. The waveforms resonate in the box of the guitar and set the string in motion. It is called Sympethetic vibration.

And what Fletcher said.

[Mystr Tiger]

Originally posted by 14frets
When amplified, the D-string on my acoustic guitar sustains annoyingly loud and hums when just sitting in its stand. I can kill the hum by just damping the string. What is my problem? Thanks in advance.

After a careful reading, I could interpret your first sentence as saying that the annoying hum happens only when sitting in the stand. If this be the case, could you just turn off the amp or, better yet, switch it to standby, or turn the volume to zero, or switch the pickup off when the gtr is sitting in the stand? Sorry if I misinterpreted, and sorry if my answer is too obvious - just trying to help.

If, on the other hand, you mean that the gtr does that when you are playing as well, then natub's idea seems like a good one to try, and Fletcher's idea might work nicely if you and any others in the group (if you have a group) don't mind transposing or retuning as well.

Reorienting the amp might help too.

Good luck!

[max cooper]

In general, I hate all forms of acoustic guitar "pickups," and will only use mics, no matter how bad the stage bleed is, lol.

Damn straight there, natpub.

Brittle, harsh, cold, at least all the ones I've heard. Maybe they're getting better at it, though. Anyone heard the Neve thingy?

I liked how The Alarm used to amplify their acoustics. With PAFs thru Marshalls. Yeehaaa!!!

[Jose Mrochek]

I have the same problem with 1 guitar.. it resonates I'm not sure if it's the A string or D.. and it's not electroacoustic. Just a regular cheap guitar. I haven't paid to much attention to it, except of the fact that it's funny to hear that thing go off out of the blue. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the electronics in your guitar.Did you say you unplug it and it goes away ? umm yeah I read again.. don't know dude.

[waxnsteel]

Turn it off when it's on the stand. Absolutely no reason to leave it on. It is a cool phenomenon, though. One time I was in an acoustic guitar room at a guitar shop, testing out an amplifier, at a relatively high volume. When I stopped playing, Most of the guitars in the room were resonating. My old keyboard player had a studio with guitars hanging on the walls. He put strips from tube socks between the strings and fretboard to keep that same thing form happening.

[14frets]

Okay.... I appreciate all of your advice. Very insightful. The hum that was present while both playing and in the stand is now gone. All I did was rearrange the stage, and "poof!" the music gods did their thing. What a relief. I guess the simple solutions escape the ANALytic mind like mine! Thanks again for all your help.