Sudden ringing after string change

[AliceLG]

Hey dudes and the occasional girl, as of 4 days ago I've been having a ringing issue with my axes. I recently changed strings on a 6 and a 7, and then when I'm playing some riffs that have sudden stops, such as your typical breakdown or syncopated chugging, right after the stop there's this nasty metallic ringing that lasts about half a second. That didn't happen before the string change and some dampening behind the nut and down the bridge doesn't solve it (and foam and/or scrunchies look ugly as hell). On one of the guitars I removed the hardware to clean the finish, but I didn't on the other one. Any ideas on what might be happening? Anyone else with such a problem? Other than new strings (same gauge, same brand) and the bridge resetting in one of the guitars, everything else is the same as before: same amp, same gain, same EQ, same volume, same pedals, same cables. New picks, but that can't be it, right? I'll be getting a noise gate soon, but considering that the ringing wasn't there before and that I'll soon change the preamp tube in my amp, it should still be possible to make it go away without new gear.

I appreciate the help, I want this damn ringing to go away.

[Ghost40]

What kind of guitar is it? And what type of bridge? Maybe a ToM type?

[Deadnightshade]

Want kind of ringing?Can you record it?

[AliceLG]

Originally Posted by Ghost40

What kind of guitar is it? And what type of bridge? Maybe a ToM type?

LTD MH-417 with string-thru-body ToM bridge and LTD EC-401 with ToM bridge and tailpiece.

Originally Posted by Deadnightshade

Want kind of ringing?Can you record it?

It's a high-pitched tail, sort-of like a feedback run thru a reverb with a longer decay. I'll try to record it tonight and I'll post it here.

[Ghost40]

Its probably coming from the area between the body and the bridge, where the strings exit the body. Put something there, like a piece of foam, to stop the vibration, see if that helps

[no_dice]

That's weird, as it sounds like something that would have been solved by the dampening. Have you tried on other amps?

[Nicki]

Have you checked to see if any of the strings are vibrating after the hard stop? Sometimes vibrations will transfer through the block into other strings.

[AliceLG]

Originally Posted by no_dice

That's weird, as it sounds like something that would have been solved by the dampening. Have you tried on other amps?

Only have the one HT-5, I'll try on POD Farm, if it happens there then it's definitely the guitars.

Originally Posted by Nicki

Have you checked to see if any of the strings are vibrating after the hard stop? Sometimes vibrations will transfer through the block into other strings.

They can't be vibrating between nut and bridge, as I make the hard stop with both hands over all the string. I tried making the stop with only one hand while the other would cover the strings behind the nut, and then the other way around covering them behind the saddles, but to no avail.

[Nicki]

Originally Posted by AliceLG

Only have the one HT-5, I'll try on POD Farm, if it happens there then it's definitely the guitars.



They can't be vibrating between nut and bridge, as I make the hard stop with both hands over all the string. I tried making the stop with only one hand while the other would cover the strings behind the nut, and then the other way around covering them behind the saddles, but to no avail.

Could it be the way you're muting? maybe your left hand (or right if you play lefties) is muting an area where there's an artificial harmonic (like the one on the 3rd fret bar) and you're left hand is hitting that harmonic just before your right hand mutes near the bridge. Alternatively, maybe you're inadvertently causing a pinch harmonic effect with the way you're muting with your right hand. Try muting with both hands separately to see if maybe it's just the way one of your hands is muting. If that doesn't produce any difference, try a different guitar, then a different amp.

[AliceLG]

Ok, I just tried some serious dampening on both ends, had to actually borrow an extra pair of hand from my flatmate, and I played the same kind of riffing with just the guitars, no amps, no nothing. On the 401 with the ToM + tailpiece the ringing comes exclusively from behind the nut. On the string-thru-body 417 it comes from both ends. I guess I'll have to get some foam/scrunchies/masking tape, dammit! Any ideas on why would that happen after many months playing both guitars? I mean, the 401 is almost one year old and it's the first time I've ever had this issue. The 417 is newer, but it has gone thru 4 strings changes already, and never had the damn ringing before.

[Azathoth43]

Look on the bright side, at least it's just the guitar and not your ears.

[Najka]

maybe you have the action set too low?

[AliceLG]

Originally Posted by Najka

maybe you have the action set too low?

Hmmm, could be ... I'll try raising them a little bit and see what happens. I also realized that with the 7-stringer it still rings a little even with the foam over the nut and behind the bridge, BUUUUT it goes away after a while playing, weird shit huh?

[Davey]

Are you accidently causing a harmonic? I know that can happen when lifting the fretting fingers up, but then again you said you muted with both hands. Does it happen if you move the riff up the neck/on a different string(s)? Is everything on the guitar tightened properly (i.e. locking nut/bridge components etc.)?