https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:17:10 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385955 Sat, 28 Mar 2015 22:48:37 +0000 I notice on a couple of my other guitars that when I fret a note, say at the 9th fret, if I pluck the string between the fretted note and the nut, the sound is muffled, muted, i.e. the tone doesn't ring out. On this Ibanez guitar, if I do the same thing, the tone sounds noticeably and is not muffled or muted. Could this be an issue at the nut?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance AndOMT https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385955 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385886 Thu, 26 Feb 2015 07:00:41 +0000
What you can do about it:

When you're playing slide, the slide should be on your third or fourth finger, and you should rest your index finger lightly across all the strings as you play.

When you're fretting, the most direct cure is to get a terrycloth wristband and put it over the nut of the guitar. Your open strings will be slightly muffled, but your fretted notes will be clean. Players who do a lot of tapping with high gain often do this.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance NoteBoat https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385886 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385882 Thu, 26 Feb 2015 01:55:27 +0000
It would seem that somehow the resonance of the ghost tone is transferring to the whole guitar through the neck joint . That would be the only way it could be picked up by the electronics .]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Diceman https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385882 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385881 Wed, 25 Feb 2015 18:36:59 +0000
It is rather frustrating to hear, of course.

Much louder when unplugged and unamplified. In fact, when doing hammer ons on open strings and/or using a slide while unplugged and unamplified, the ghost tones are as loud, if not louder than the actually fretted notes or intended notes with the slide.

It's much less notable when amplified

However, I don't believe this guitar has always been like this and I've made no major changes to it in the last 5+ years

Any thoughts on what could be adjusted to minimize this phenomenon?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance AndOMT https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385881 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385876 Tue, 24 Feb 2015 04:06:03 +0000
What can be done about it ? You could try using a finger to dampen the strings behind the slide when using it . Maybe some other slide players can offer some suggestions .]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Diceman https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385876 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385874 Mon, 23 Feb 2015 20:33:48 +0000
This seems to happen on each string

For example, I can to a series of open string - hammer on's on the A string, starting at the first fret and move up the fretboard to the 22nd fret. As the actual tones get ascend in pitch, the ghost tones descend in pitch, crossing over each other at the 12th/13th frets

On the A string, when I hammer at the 12th fret (A), the ghost tone is the 13th fret (A#). When I hammer on the 13th fret (A#), the ghost tone is A (12th fret). The difference between the tones increases the further away from the 12th/13th frets I am hammering on.

Makes playing a slide impossible

I should mention that I added new strings, adjusted the bridge and intonated the guitar as well. Using D'Addario Nickel Wound, Bright tone, round wound medium gauge EXL115 strings 11-14-18-28-38-49]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance AndOMT https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385874 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385873 Mon, 23 Feb 2015 19:31:47 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Diceman https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-385873 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-45847 Mon, 23 Feb 2015 03:10:53 +0000
Guitar is in tune and intonated
The next may have been a little too straight, so I loosened the truss rod a little. The action is a little higher, but still the same problem

Any ideas?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance AndOMT https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/two-tones-sounding-from-same-note/#post-45847