Hi Monica, A couple of things you might check (though you may well have done so already) - Loose string ends at the peghead or the bridge - these could shift around with humidity changes. Don't want to worry you, but I had some intractible buzzing on one of my lutes that eventually resolved itself when the bridge flew off. Fortunately it came off cleanly and was easily fixed. Anyway - No harm in looking closely at the lower edge of the bridge to see if there's any sign of it wanting to part company with the soundboard. It's best to eliminate the easy things before undertaking more complicated investigations.
Not a guitar person myself, particularly, but I'd have thought that these fancy rosettes are a place where buzzing might be located too - some little bit of parchment waggling like a tuning fork maybe? Again, that could be influenced by humidity. Then again there are the inlays . . . Bill From: Monica Hall <mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk> To: Lex van Sante <lvansa...@gmail.com> Cc: Lutelist <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Monday, 21 November 2011, 14:01 Subject: [LUTE] Re: Buzzing [was "Gut strings"] I wonder " It is focused around the high octave string on the fourth course and the same note stopped at the 3rd fret on the second course." How on earth do you produce the same note on the third fret on the second course. You mean fret 15 don't you? No! Obviously you know nothing about the baroque guitar! The fourth course has two strings on it tuned an octave apart i.e. d on the middle line of the bass clef and the d below the lowest line of treble = d d'. The second course is b below middle c. When stopped at the 3rd fret it produces the note d' = the same as the high string on the fourth course... Thanks for the rest of your advice which I shall follow. Monica Temperature or humidity related buzzing could be caused by a loose brace. Changes in humidity can cause the soundboard to deform slightly causing a brace which has become partially detached from it to rattle. But check all possible exterior causes first. Otherwise one might find nothing wrong after opening an onstrument. Anyway if everything is all right at the moment now is the time to make an appointment for july next year with your luthier of choice. In the mean time, Happy luting! Lex Op 20 nov 2011, om 16:07 heeft Monica Hall het volgende geschreven: > > > Hello Daniel > > > > Our musical correspondences on these lists have not crossed paths > before (I am Baroque Guitar phobic- the stringing of 4th & 5th courses > gives me cold chills. I prefer the simplicity of a 13 course Baroque > lute; and I tell no one that I string my 6th course in unisons- direct > violation of Canon Law.) > > > > You are not alone! > > " But right now it is fine so if I take it to the luthier he might > wonder what I am banging on about." > Sounds like a typical car problem- disappears in the presence of the > mechanic, so then you have to leave it overnight so he can try to > start it up in the morning. > > Yes - I have a similar problem with my car. One of the warning lights > keeps coming on. The garage has done "diagnostic checks" and say > nothing wrong but the light still comes on at times. > > You'll have to wait for that interesting combo of Santa Ana wind and > monsoon season (Aren't you in England? > > Yes - I live in inner London which has its own microclimate. In the > late summer we can have a heat wave and then the temperature can drop > 20 degrees over night. > > Hope this helps, at least with the broader perspective. We are not > alone. > > > > > > Yes - that's very helpful and I am grateful for all the advice from > other people too. I plucked up my couraged and E-mailed a luthier who > did some repairs for me a few years ago. I'll see what if anything he > suggests. > > > > Best wishes > > > > Monica > > [Eugene C. Braig IV] Do be mindful that all manner of things can > cause > > buzzing, from strings buzzing along lumpy frets to loose glue joints > along > > structural seams to damaged/loose braces etc. ad infinitum. Do get > it > > checked out, but stay open-minded regarding possible causes. > > Best, > > Eugene > > Thank you for all the advice. It is very helpful. The problem is - > and the reason why I so far haven't done anything about it - is because > it is definitely seasonal. Fine for 10 months of the year and > gradually getting worse through July and August when we often have hot > weather followed by heavy rain. And then suddenly perfectly OK again. > It is also pitch related. It is focused around the high octave > string on the fourth course and the same note stopped at the 3rd fret > on the second course. But right now it is fine so if I take it to the > luthier he might wonder what I am banging on about. > I don't think it is strings or frets. Any other ideas will very > welcome. > Monica > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > [1][1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > -- > > References > > 1. [2]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html 2. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
