Low String Muffling Issue

[Anquished]

Hey everyone,

Thought I'd throw this out here in case anyone has experienced it before or has suggestions.

Yesterday I replaced the strings on my PRS SvN to a much heavier gauge as I wanted to tune to G Standard. I had a Rotosound R10-8 Roto Yellow set and I ditched the 64.

The problem I'm having is the low 74 is extremely muffled sounding, as if I'm very lightly palm muting it. I borrowed a nut file and gently filed the nut out to fit a 75, muffling still there. I then removed the bridge saddle and tried filing that too as I noticed it wasn't seated properly, muffling still there. I even opened another packet and tried changing the 74 out incase I had a dead string, muffling still there.

Am I missing something painfully obvious here? I've checked the action and the height seems fine, it's not buzzing against the fretboard. Another thing to note is I had to unwrap the outer winding of the string to fit through the tuner, not sure if that has any impact?

 

[Metropolis]

There might be scientific physics related reason to that. Tension of the string maybe fighting itself to resonate when string gauge and tension is increased, also that specific tuning and your guitar's own resonant frequencies can be clashing with eachother or be otherwise just unfitting. Some guitars just sound better when they are tuned into something that fits to the overall sound. Changing string gauge to lower, pickups, or other setup might be the cure.

Kind of same phenomenom is discussed in here, if it's not setup related problem.
http://sevenstring.org/threads/downtuning-a-simple-cure-for-flub.331618/

 

[Anquished]

Thanks - thing is I've tuned it from G# all the way down to F with the same issue. It sounds like the strings being choked.

 

[I play music]

Thanks - thing is I've tuned it from G# all the way down to F with the same issue. It sounds like the strings being choked.

Rule of thumb: The lower you tune, the longer scale length you need. There is a reason Meshuggah have 747 mm scale length. The scale length of your guitar and your desired tuning are not a good match in my opinion.

 

[Anquished]

Rule of thumb: The lower you tune, the longer scale length you need. There is a reason Meshuggah have 747 mm scale length. The scale length of your guitar and your desired tuning are not a good match in my opinion.

Yeah I am aware of that, but my guitar has a 26.5 scale. I can think of two brands that make 8 strings that use that scale length and work fine.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

Rule of thumb: The lower you tune, the longer scale length you need. There is a reason Meshuggah have 747 mm scale length. The scale length of your guitar and your desired tuning are not a good match in my opinion.

Yes, it is true that longer scale lengths make down-tuning easier, etc. it doesn't make it impossible or a bad idea in most cases.
I've used a 25" PRS SE-7 in Drop G with a (62 or 64 gauge, I can't remember now) and had no issues.

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

Try a different brand of string, too.

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

There might be scientific physics related reason to that. Tension of the string maybe fighting itself to resonate when string gauge and tension is increased, also that specific tuning and your guitar's own resonant frequencies can be clashing with eachother or be otherwise just unfitting. Some guitars just sound better when they are tuned into something that fits to the overall sound. Changing string gauge to lower, pickups, or other setup might be the cure.

Kind of same phenomenom is discussed in here, if it's not setup related problem.
http://sevenstring.org/threads/downtuning-a-simple-cure-for-flub.331618/

To me this makes the most sense.

Ive tuned to Drop G with regular MH417 and no issues at all with the regular scale length.

 

[Anquished]

Try a different brand of string, too.

Will do, cheers. I've gone for a D'addario NW 72 rather than a 74, not sure how much difference that'll make but we shall see.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

A heavier string will have less harmonic content and produce more of the fundamental note, which is what makes that string sound muffled/dull. My next thought was that the nut may be choking the string, but you've already stated you filed it out to a good size.

If the 72 doesn't help much, I would try a different type of brand of string. NYXL, Pro Steel, Kalium, etc.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

Probably not it, but check to make sure the bridge and the tuner are both secure. I once had a buzzing issue on my high e string in my SE7 and it was just the tuner having come loosened. I tightened it up with a wrench and viola!

 

[Anquished]

Probably not it, but check to make sure the bridge and the tuner are both secure. I once had a buzzing issue on my high e string in my SE7 and it was just the tuner having come loosened. I tightened it up with a wrench and viola!

Interesting. I’ll take a look at it, I don’t remember it feeling loose whilst putting the 74 on.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

Interesting. I’ll take a look at it, I don’t remember it feeling loose whilst putting the 74 on.

Yeah it’s easy to have the washer/nut come slightly loose and cause buzzing issues without noticing. Probably not your issue but it’s worth a try.

 

[Tegara]

Try a different brand of string, too.

This is what I'd do first.
I had this same issue with Circle K strings (now called Kalium strings I guess), then I tried DR strings and boom, no muffling.

 

[Anquished]

Cheers guys for all the recommendations, I’m just waiting on some new strings to be delivered.

 

[gujukal]

Try slightly thinner strings or different brand. Strings can sound really dull when you get up in the 70 gauge territory, depending on scale length.

 

[Nlelith]

Huh, D'addarios 70 work great for me. Just saw a neat trick on Chapman's YT, maybe give it a try:

Starts at 1:04

 

[Anquished]

Huh, D'addarios 70 work great for me. Just saw a neat trick on Chapman's YT, maybe give it a try:

Starts at 1:04

Now that is a cool trick.. Learn something new everyday!

 

[Anquished]

Pleased to report that after changing strings to D'addario NW, the problem went away.