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String Squeak
Posted by darcelle on April 17, 2021 at 3:11 pmHow do I reduce, or preferably, eliminate, string squeak? Is it lazy playing on my part and not lifting my fingers off the strings every time (which is a bad habit for me, especially when moving up or down the fretboard without changing the fretting position)? Or is it the type of strings? Or a combination of both?
Any advice will be appreciated.
darcelle replied 3 years, 9 months ago 6 Members · 16 Replies -
16 Replies
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A coated string such as Elixir nano Web have less squeak. I like Elixir myself. Some people don’t care for them. But if you like your current set of strings, make sure your hands are clean and barely touch your strings as you change positions. It’s a matter of finding the right technique.
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I don’t like the feel of coated strings, too slinky-feeling, so I’ll have to try clean hands and lifting. However, I understand D’Addario has come out with some new strings that are micro-coated???? I think they are called “XS” and are probably about $20 a set. I’m going to give them a try…
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I just got some of the D’Addario XS strings to try out; I just haven’t got them on a guitar yet. I suspect I will need to improve my technique before I see much improvement, regardless of the string choice. Thanks for the input.
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i’m interested in those strings as well. Where did you get them?
about the squeak, it comes a goes for me. Some days are worse than others.
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@JohnV . . . I received an email with an offer to purchase them. But here is a link to the D’Addario site for the strings: https://www.daddario.com/products/guitar/acoustic-guitar/xs-phosphor-bronze/
I believe they are available for purchase now.
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Hi @darcelle , When do you most notice the squeak? Is it every time you move or is it only at certain times, between certain positions?
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@jumpinjeff . . . Usually, when I am moving a fixed shape up or down the fretboard. Since there is no need to change position, I believe I get lazy and slide to where I want to go. I ease up on the strings a bit, but not enough to get the squeak to go away. On my PRS P20e w/Martin Retro strings, it is really noticeable. This makes me think the strings have a little something to do with the sound issue, but not all of it.
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Coupla things come to mind, I think you are right re. string type,…that is one piece of the puzzle. I also think you are right regarding your chord shape moving and leaving enough pressure on the strings for that squeak sound to become noticable. Especially noticeable with bar chords. There is also a finger texture component as well. The harder my callouses get the less sound they make but again that is when they are on the tips. There is also a speed of transition component. The shorter your transition the less time for the string to squeak. Have you experimented with keeping pressure on your chord while you slide. It gives that slight feel of chromatic sliding but may be preferable to the squeak? It takes some time but you can develop the touch to move up and down the fretboard without contacting the strings. Tension management is fairly critical as you develop that touch accuracy.
Hope you get to a good solution.
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@jumpinjeff . . . Thanks for the follow-up info. I’m just going to have to keep playing and practicing. It’s interesting that you said when your callouses are harder, the squeak is more noticeable. Is there a fine line between having callouses on one’s fingertips that are too hard or too soft? I have never heard that before. I haven’t really thought about the callouses much, just glad they are there, so my fingertips don’t hurt as much when I play.
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Hi @darcelle , I meant the harder the calluses are the LESS sound they make. I do have to file them down because they cause the tips to have a funny shape. When I get them to the shape of a pool cue I have the best accuracy.
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Hi @darcelle , My thoughts are that the squeak noise comes from the fingers running along the wound strings (lo E, A, D and on my guitar, the G also). Let’s take today’s lesson for instance, “Ice Dancing” – using a C shape and moving it up and down the fretboard. When I keep my middle & ring fingers on the D & A strings while moving from one position to the next, I get Squeak City. When I lift those fingers completely off of those strings, I get zero squeak. I can still keep my index finger touching the B string as an anchor (or guide) and have no squeak because that string is not wound. Just wanted to give my 2 cents.
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@Bill_Brown, I appreciate your input. And I like the suggestion of using the higher strings as an anchor point.
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