G string sounds like crap, need help

[Benalthel]

Hey all, so I'm having a problem with my guitar. The G string (or well, I'm tuned to C so it's the Eb string) sounds like crap compared to the other strings. It sounds like it's some scraping, thin noise coming from it. All the other strings sound fine and clean but this one has some extra weird noise. It's not the strings in itself which I first thought. I've changed strings but the problem persists. The guitar is a Gibson Buckethead and I've had it for about a year, and this problem only started about a month ago or so, been fine before. I've tried increasing the bridge height but that didn't solve it. Should I try adjusting the neck? Here's a sound clip I recorded where you can hear how it sounds different.



(First set of notes 3rd string, then 4th string, then 5th string, then 4th again, so you can hear the differences)

Much appreciated if anyone knows what it might be, it's driving me crazy.

 

[kernelxsanders]

i hear what you are talking about. im not much of a guitar tech, but do you have any loose hardware? maybe it could be the nut. i have a similar problem but its for my high E string, it just sounds completely dull and the problem is in the nut (floyd rose style nut).

 

[Brandon E.]

G strings can be a pain in the ass, try a higher gauge, or use a wound string. (most likely the latter)

 

[Benalthel]

i hear what you are talking about. im not much of a guitar tech, but do you have any loose hardware? maybe it could be the nut. i have a similar problem but its for my high E string, it just sounds completely dull and the problem is in the nut (floyd rose style nut).

It's a solid nut (or however it's called, Pic)

I'm using 12-56 Ernie Ball now. Getting a wound for that string might be worth a shot. Have been thinking about that before too. Would probably be a little weird at first though, but unless anyone else has some other suggestion as to solve this I'll atleast try that!

edit: I read around some and apparantly other people have had the same problem with the G string in that string set. It's a .24 and it's probably that it's too thick. So I either have to find somewhere I can get a wound one or I'll have to get a thinner for that string. Is it a bad idea to mix strings from different manufacturers?

 

[Brandon E.]

Yes the .24 in that set always sounds weird to me. I used to use the 3 low strings with a .12 .16 .22 from Elixir. Wound string will sound best for rhythm stuff though

 

[Clark Kent]

Yeah you can use a wound string in C tuning. F.ex. Wes Borland has been seen using this trick for years. So what you need to do is buy a 7-string set of strings and use the 4 wound strings on top and not use the G-string at all. Maybe it can be a backup string if you break the G or B string?

I do this when I'm detuning that low on a 6-string. It's not your guitars fault, it's not designed to work that way.

 

[deLuther]

Did not very like 3rd string in Ernie Ball 11-54, 3rd from 12-56 set (also Ernie) is much worse than that, too thick and sounds dull compared to other strings.
Thinner 3rd (like in D`Addario 12-56) or wound 3rd can be solution.

 

[Rogueleader]

G strings can be a pain in the ass....

Irrefutable truth right here!

 

[Fox Mulder]

Sounds like fret buzz to me.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

If the G string sounds like crap, stop farting...

 

[chesterfieldblues]

Maybe neck pickup too close to strings ?

 

[Contra Studio]

Man those strings are to small, get a PACK of 7 sting power slink or the 8 string one. Might have to bring up your action. I use 72-14 on my Gibson v gothic.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Man those strings are to small, get a PACK of 7 sting power slink or the 8 string one. Might have to bring up your action. I use 72-14 on my Gibson v gothic.

Gross. You tune to C on a standard scale neck with those?!

 

[Benalthel]

From what I've seen from reading around it seems more like the problem is that the string is too thick for C, atleast as an unwound. So I don't think getting even thicker would help. I'm gonna pick up a thinner or a wound one and see if that solves it.

 

[22km Tombstone]

I had the same issue on my 6 string, tuned to C. I think I even tried that same Ernie Ball set and the .024 plain G string is horrible. Lifeless, muddy and with no attack, it sounds like shit. Why do they even make it?

Switching to a wound G string fixed the issue; I now use the D'addario 7-string 10-59 set but I just use the lower 6 strings (so 13-17-26w-36w-46w-59w) tuned to C with no problems, sounds good and even across all 6 strings.

 

[TofNazareth]

Try these for CGCFAD 11-56. I personally can't stand a g string bigger than 19 feel or tone wise.

http://www.daddario.com/DADMobileProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3757&productid=26

 

[CharlesMonroe1989]

Get a wound string or a thinner one. Thick unwound strings always cause wierd noise...

 

[Ascendant]

Get a wound string or a thinner one. Thick unwound strings always cause wierd noise...

This. Plain strings with a higher gauge than .020 should be banned.