Help! SMY2D "wolf note"

[guitarp77]

Hi!

I´m a proud owner of a gorgeous SMY2D guitar, which I bought in the USA (Guitar Center) and was brought to me by an aunt (for the record, i live in Chile).

I was very excited about recieving my guitar, which came flawless, at least on the look. I got the time to set it up yesterday, change strings and everything, but, while playing, I noticed that the frequence produced by the "B" note (12th fret @ 2º string) was cancelled by the guitar. I played it in any fret (16th fret @ 3º string, 21th fret @ 4º string, etc) and it always produces the same rare effect: it starts good, but after 1 or 2 seconds it produces a pitch and then fades out.

Doing some research online, I came to notice that this is called as a "wolf note", which seems to be inherent to some kinds of instruments, specially because of the wood. The strange thing is, in case I put some extra weight on the headstock, this "wolf note" gets cancelled.

Has anyone here had the same problem?

I sent an email to tech support earlier, but want to see if anyone has been through the same issue, if they could solve it (and how)...

Thanks so much...and MM guitars RULE. I´m buying another one in my next visit to the States!

 

[BrickGlass]

I had an Ovation Adamas many years ago that would make a horrible buzzing type sound on the open B string or any B that was that same pitch. It ended up being the top of the guitar having a flaw in it and there was nothing to be done about it according to Ovation so they sent a new guitar out. They said it happens every once in a while. Just a problem with the wood.

 

[guitarp77]

That is the most strange thing...in every forum I´ve read about this problem (wolf note or wolf tone) it says that is mainly a "jackpot issue". Either you got a guitar with it or not...

Can´t believe I had suck bad luck...saved money for 7 months, got my guitar sent to the butt of the world, and nothing to do about it. Just makes me wanna cry.

 

[Tollywood]

I had a pet ostrich once, then it bit me with it's horrible teeth!

Nothing to do with guitars, I'm sorry...

But, do tell BrikGlass: Is your avatar pic an ostrich? I will have a nightmare this evening, for sure! Yikes...


And, welcome to the forum p77...sorry to hear about your wolf-note.

 

[beej]

If you've already contacted the customer service folks (866-823-2255 / [email protected]) then best to wait for them to help you out.

 

[guitarp77]

If you've already contacted the customer service folks (866-823-2255 / [email protected]) then best to wait for them to help you out.

Yup...waiting for their help.

But I thought it is an interesting issue, and I was wondering if it had happened to anyone else...

Thanks!

 

[straycat113]

Wow just when you think you have been around the block long enough that you think you heard it all.Well I have never heard of this issue in my life until this post. I just did some heavy Googling and I understand what you are dealing with. The strange thing is that this is an issue more commonly associated with instruments like cellos and violins and very rarely with guitars especially solidbody electrics. From the few instances I read about with it happening to an electric solidbody, they mainly all had to do with heavy humidity affecting the guitar, I am guessing it is humid in Chile? Does it happen on both all pup settings? As one guy just had it on the neck pup and only during the summer. Also three guys said changing from 9 gauge to 11 gauge strings helped out. I really feel for you and it sounds like a real bitch, I would wait and see what CS tells you to do and not freak out as EB has one of the best and I am sure this will get corrected.Good Luck.

 

[guitarp77]

Wow just when you think you have been around the block long enough that you think you heard it all.Well I have never heard of this issue in my life until this post. I just did some heavy Googling and I understand what you are dealing with. The strange thing is that this is an issue more commonly associated with instruments like cellos and violins and very rarely with guitars especially solidbody electrics. From the few instances I read about with it happening to an electric solidbody, they mainly all had to do with heavy humidity affecting the guitar, I am guessing it is humid in Chile? Does it happen on both all pup settings? As one guy just had it on the neck pup and only during the summer. Also three guys said changing from 9 gauge to 11 gauge strings helped out. I really feel for you and it sounds like a real bitch, I would wait and see what CS tells you to do and not freak out as EB has one of the best and I am sure this will get corrected.Good Luck.

That is the most strange thing of all. Weather in Chile is not humid at all, and neither adjusting the height of the pickups or the strings help.

What is even "more" strange about this is that "only" the frequency produced by the B note is the one which shows this problem. If I detune the B string to either A, Bb or C, then the B note corresponding on that particular tuning gets equally cancelled, leaving out the chance that it was a problem of the rod or from some adjustment...

I´ll be waiting for the answer of the tech support...just hope they throw some light to all this issue...it is definetly VERY strange...

 

[Smalls]

This sounds more like a "dead spot" than a wolf note. It's pretty common on electric basses, especially bolt on necks. I had one where any fretted "E" note sounded muffled and died out (for the record, it was not an EBMM product). The solution usually involves changing mass somewhere on the instrument, usually the headstock. Changing to lighter or heavier tuners for example. Or just adding weight (groove tubes used to make a thing called a fat finger that was basically a little solid brass clamp you attached to the headstock). The theory is that the wood has a resonant frequency which just happens to be the note you are trying to play. Change the mass and you change the frequency, hopefully eliminating the problem. Check out some of the Bass forums like talkbass, they're full of threads on the subject. Most people just learn to live with them. I sold my old bass and ended up with a Bongo.

*all of my opinions and advice re "dead spots" are 100% anecdotal and not backed by any scientific research or expertise on my part whatsoever!!! Any engineers out there that I may have offended, please accept my humble apologies.

 

[guitarp77]

Smalls, yup...that could be another "diagnosis" of the problem, and you´re right that if I put a "fatfinger" or any other heavy element on the headstock, the problem dissapears (or at least is attenuated a lot).

The issue is that after paying almost 2k for a gorgeous guitar, with a beautiful headstock, I don´t know if I have to "dress" it with elements just to fix an issue that, at leas when it come to guitars, is pretty rare...

 

[threeminutesboy]

beej is right wait for CS answer they probably will find a solution for you

 

[guitarp77]

I´m waiting...

But some issues deserve to be discussed, just in case someone has had the same problem and could fix it in a "smart" way

 

[DrKev]

just in case someone has had the same problem and could fix it in a "smart" way

Ah yes, but the internet is too full of too many people who claim to be able to fix things in what often turns out to "not very smart" ways. Hence the ever present refrain of "call customer service" on this forum. It might seem to defeat the purpose of the internet (post something and not have anyone reply is really better?) but in fact it usually is better. It's part of the learning curve of the internet - knowing when to recognise help offered as sound advice but that in reality is just a wild guess.

I remember a buddy of mine, way before the internet even, having some fret buzz and being told by "the best guitarist in our town" (who was known as "faggy", bizarrely) that he should file his frets. Well, out came his dad's wood rasp and 3 minutes later his guitar was totally and utterly ruined.

As you can see, we're very much more knowledgeable on this forum because nobody has offered you any "solid" advice!!

This problem in particular is so weird and rare that very few people ever have experience of it, and even fewer know how to fix. I certainly don't. I have just one question - what strings are you using?

Customer service will get to you in a day or two and we're all waiting to hear the response and sincerely hope that everything gets resolved to your satisfaction as quickly as possible..

And welcome to the forum! We're a little weird, but we're really nice!

(Can you tell I've been drinking? Will I regret this in the morning?)

 

[kbaim]

I'm sure this is just a coincidence...but Steve does have a track titled "Wolf Song" on his 1991 cd Southern Steel. Recorded shortly after the switch to MUSIC MAN.

 

[BrickGlass]

Nothing to do with guitars, I'm sorry...

But, do tell BrikGlass: Is your avatar pic an ostrich? I will have a nightmare this evening, for sure! Yikes...

It is but I just found it one day and it looks like a great photoshop job to me.

 

[guitarp77]

@DrKev: For sure! In my book, any "smart" solution does not involve any kind of "work" on the guitar itself, such as tocuhing the frets or using any kind of tools which could damage the guitar, or anything that can not be undone.

And I use Ernie Ball slinkies 0.10-0.46. A new set.

I´m waiting for the reply. Fortunately, I´m not a pro player and do not need my guitar to earn a living, so I have time "and" patience

Thanks!

 

[guitarp77]

Yes!

Concern answered...in touch with cust serv now.

Will let you know what goes from all of this

 

[DrKev]

Great. Fingers crossed.