A-String ringing?

[SomeIdiotDreamer]

I noticed this a minute ago while tuning my Ultra II:

 

when I pluck the A-string, it sounds, but there's also a high, metallic ringing noise. It's only on the A-string, and it's quite piercing.

 

What gives?

[charlie brown]

Plugged in, or unplugged? Sounds like harmonic or microphonic feedback, if it's plugged in...

Are you sitting close to the amp, and facing it? Try backing away from it, and/or turning around,

so the amp is at your back. It's hard to say, for sure, not being there...to hear what's really going

on, so this is just a "Guess!" LOL!

 

CB

[SomeIdiotDreamer]

That's the thing, it's unplugged. I'm still saving up for an amp.

 

I'm hoping I don't have to get it serviced already when it's less then a month old.

[charlie brown]

OK, can you tell where it's orginating? It might be the bridge...which is not uncommon. Usually, you'll never hear that

noise, through an amp, when plugged in. But, it's not uncommon, for one or all strings, to have that metallic pinging,

at the bridge, on Epiphone guitars. If, it "pings" and catches, temporarily, when tuning...then, you've got a nut (the

white plastic thing, at the end of the fingerboard, at the headstock), that needs some adjusting. Usually a slight

smoothing out, of the slots, along with some graphite powder, or "pencil lead" in those slots, will help...or even

eliminate the problem, there. That too, is not uncommon, even on high end Gibson, or other maker's guitars.

So, see if you can isolate, where the noise is coming from, and if not...take it to a luthier, or authorized Epiphone-

Gibson repair service, for adjustments. (If it's the bridge, it should be under warrenty, but even if the nut needs some

work, it's not that expensive, to get it done.) And, well worth it, too! But, don't worry about it, it's not uncommon.

 

CB

[SomeIdiotDreamer]

I imagine that I can hear the noise coming from the bridge, but I'm also staring RIGHT AT the bridge while I'm strumming so that could mean anything. And it HAS gone "ping" while I tune before; I didn't think much of it at the time...

 

Is this something I should get someone to look at or could I possibly fix it myself?

[Whitmore Willy]

Sid,

 

I agree with everything C.B. told you in his secound post. Small idiosyncrasies, as you are having, are common on new guitars.

Another potential cause could be that the A string is setting off a sympathetic vibration in one of the other pieces of hardware. Often, new guitars have things as simple as a loose nut on a output jack, toggle switch or even a tunning head.Check your guitar for such possibilities.

Going beyond that: I would feel a lot more comfortable telling you that you can fix it yourself except, I know how new you are to guitars. I can imagine how hard you worked for yours. That said, if it is not an apparent loose part I ,too, would say take it to a pro. It sounds like a small problem and a minimal fix. Again, not uncommon on new guitars.

[stan 58]

If those are the strings that came on the guitar, replace them and see what happens. Stan.

[snookelputz]

Sometimes, guitars have a natural resonant frequency, too. When you hit it, it seems like it sustains forever and the whole guitar seems to ring out, not just the note. Changing string diameter fixed it for me.