Help Identifying Source of Bell Like Chime

[LittleJerry]

Happy New Year! I am having a problem with an Epiphone Riviera Custom P93 semi-hollow body guitar. A few months ago, I put a fresh set of strings on the guitar after not having played it in a while. Although I don’t recall hearing this sound before, the guitar makes a bell like chime whenever I play individual notes or chords. The sound is quite annoying and seems to happen when I release pressure on the strings, not when I strike the strings with my pick. It is loudest when I play chords and is most noticeable when playing the high E, B and G strings. The sound is not transmitted through the speaker.

I checked the various parts of the guitar and they all appear to be secure, not loose. Using an Allen wrench, I tightened up the posts and saddles of the bridge, but the chime is still there (a few years ago I had a roller bridge installed by a professional luthier). I also tried another new set of strings (DR's versus D'Addarios), but no change. The guitar’s intonation is great and the action seems about right with no fret buzz.

I am able to dampen the chime by using rubber grommets between strings placed between the bridge and Bigsby tail piece, but the grommets also dampen the freshness and brightness of the strings. Any ideas as to what is actually causing this problem?

 

[lostpoet2]

It sounds like something weird is going on with the bridge.

 

[stevel]

The sound is not transmitted through the speaker.

Then don't worry about it.

Take the guitar to a luthier and have them identify the source of the noise you describe and let them tell you if it's something that should be there or not, and if not, if they can fix it.

 

[murkat]

Did you change to a different type of string, as in material of?
ex. pure nickel, nickel plated over steel, etc. ?

 

[HayekFan]

I am able to dampen the chime by using rubber grommets between strings placed between the bridge and Bigsby tail piece, but the grommets also dampen the freshness and brightness of the strings. Any ideas as to what is actually causing this problem?

By "dampen" do you mean it completely goes away or is just reduced?

 

[tommygunn1986]

I have the same guitar. Its probably the retainer wire on the bridge or just the overtones from the Bigsby. Do you normally play guitars like this? All guitars that have a length of string between the tailpiece and bridge will have some harmonic overtones. That's just part of their sound.

 

[Ncp10]

You're lucky it doesn't translate amplified.

 

[LittleJerry]

Did you change to a different type of string, as in material of?
ex. pure nickel, nickel plated over steel, etc. ?

Initially no. I had been using D'Addario EXL110 nickel wound strings. After noticing the problem, a friend suggested that pure nickel strings may help, so I changed to DR Pure Blues pure nickel strings, but the chime is still there.

By "dampen" do you mean it completely goes away or is just reduced?

By dampen, I mean greatly reduced. The chime is still there, but the sound is much more tolerable and not so annoying. The grommets are an easy enough fix to the bell like chime, but there is a trade off in that the new strings are somewhat dulled, sort of eliminating the benefit of putting new strings on my guitar.

I have the same guitar. Its probably the retainer wire on the bridge or just the overtones from the Bigsby. Do you normally play guitars like this? All guitars that have a length of string between the tailpiece and bridge will have some harmonic overtones. That's just part of their sound.

I bought this guitar new three years ago. I change off playing it with another guitar that I own, but when I play it, I play it daily for months at a time. The chime is something new. It is not normal.

It sounds like something weird is going on with the bridge.

It very well may be. About a year ago, I had a luthier install a locking roller bridge, which required him to enlarge the holes in the body of the guitar for the studs. I don't recall the chime when I got the guitar back, so I initially thought that perhaps I messed up putting on a new set of strings.

I have checked and rechecked the strings and all moving parts. I was hoping it may be an easy fix, but now I'm thinking I should take the guitar back to the luthier and let an expert deal with it.

Thanks to all who responded!

 

[SouthpawGuy]

Humidity might also have something to do with it, i.e. seasonal low humidity due to home heating .... how dry is the air where you are ?

 

[PixMix]

That would be harmonic overtones caused by the strings between the bridge and bigsby. Jazzmasters and jaguars are known of this, and many players prefer them as they add some complexity to the sound, but of course some don't. A piece of foam/sponge under the overhanging strings should take care of this.

 

[Whiskey N Beans]

Didn't read all the replies but with many bridges (Bigsby setups, TOM, tailpiece setups like Es295 or a star fire) you get ringing behind the bridge. I have put O-rings from a hardware store between the strings to dampen the sound, which is also not amplified but annoying. Others use ribbons, pieces of felt or leather.