I have a 97 Strat Plus and I'm about ready to pull what is left of my hair out. The Strat plus has the lace sensoe pups, LSR roller nut and trimshot. Ok, here we go. I have read several threads about this and no one seems to really know. This guitar has a weird harmonic type of ring as the notes decay. It is very non-musical and downright annoying. You must play the E and B string together for this to occur. Normally the b fretted at C and an open E will do it; other combos as well. Here is what I have done:

Took the guitar apart to look for anything loose or worn (guitar had no signs of wear or ever being played when I purchased it) nothing found.

Tried several brands of strings even Elixar coated (which I do not like)

Had guitar professionally set up. All clearences and adjustments are to factory specs.

Lowered pickups.

Stuffed foam in cavity.

Pulled roller nut off and just set in a bone. Not really it though see next item.

Used a capo. Then tuned down and used a capo.

You can hear this accoustically.

I have not put rubber around the springs yet. I thought if it was coming from the springs the foam would take care of it.

Nothing I have tried makes any difference in the ringing.

I have a 87 $@! fat, it doesnt do this.

I have a 2001 MIM std, it doesnt do this.

The plus is my favorite guitar to play and is a beautiful instrument. I would like to figure this out.

More ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions? What about the trimshot?

Thanks!!!

Sometimes annoying overtones can be attributed to intonation being off or pickup pull that can cause these overtones only when certain notes or chords are played.Have you ensured that your intonation is dead on? Also you may try lowering the pickups to see if that may be the problem.Good luck with it.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

You can rule out the pickup pulling as that does not happen with the Lace Sensors due to the radiant field barriers. And he is saying this happens with the guitar acoustically.... The only ringing I have ever hear on a Strat acoustically is the sound of the springs, and you are saying you put foam in the trem cavity and it still did this? ummm, I mean there are only so many components to a guitar, so it has to be intonation, or spring ringing, or something loose somewhere. If I had it here, I bet I could fix this in 10 minutes.....but would need to play it and look it over...

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

It really does sound like something loose to me. Mainly because it's particular notes and not possitions (proved by the capo test).
At worst, it could be the trussrod coming loose, if you have checked every single screw. It could be something as simple as a warp on the pickguard, or even a cold solder/dry joint.

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No no and no

Hi There.

I will just throw a couple of these out there for you to check.

1) Intonation springs: The little springs behind the String seats, if one has gone dead or has broken.

2) Are all the string seats level? I ASSUME this has the square block type seats, if it cocked a bit, this too could be and issue.

3) Loose Tremolo block: If one of the screws for the string block is loose, it could buzz at one or two frequency's.

4) Cracked or bad casted string bock. Pull the tremolo out and inspect the spring mounting holes for wear. A crack or a void in the block can again add this type of noise.

5) Cocked tremolo spring plate: Some guys like to set the tremolo with more tension on the low side and they do this but running the screw in more on that side. Wile that will put more tension on that side, the offset of the plat will bring the springs closer together, and they can contact each other if there is too much.

6) Loose truss rod: Since you have two other Strats, take one neck off and try it on that guitar, if it goes away, you know you have a bad neck.

Pictures when trying to diagnose are invaluable, if nothing here helps then please post up some pictures, the more the better.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

I would have suggested an insufficient string break angle over the nut, but you say it still does it WITH the capo fitted?

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Hey Jeffytune: that's a nice selection of possibilities. Some there I wouldn't have thought of. Good post!

Still. I bet it's the trem springs.

Cheers - C

+1

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

I had a similar problem on my home made axe, and it turned out it was the height adjusters for the saddle on the High E string, the bottom most one (looking down on the guitar) was 1 quarter turn above the other side. Because there was tension on the string when I adjusted it slightly, the saddle didn't tilt when I lowered the height adjuster, it just lifted the height adjuster. When I played the string the height adjuster just buzzed as it was under no pressure, just vibrated in its spot.

Try adjusting those.

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My Rig: Guitar into Pedals then into Amps and out into Speakers.

Thank you, I was trying to come up with some non normal out of the box type fixes, seems he has checked the easy one.

I too think it is in the tremolo system, I hope we hear back from him when he finds it.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Try filing the saddle seats and make sure the saddle adjustment screws are seated on the bridge.

I have had this same problem and done all you have said to have done as well as swapping out pickups.

I would not over look at least trying the lowering of the pickups or changing their relationship from their present position in relationship to each other and the string just as a percaution.

Also the angle of the strings from the nut to the tunner is critical and will cause that problem. Try bypassing the string guide.

Thomas

"Had guitar professionally set up. All clearences and adjustments are to factory specs. "

------lawman

What kind of professional you see ?
A luthier work on your guitar without fixing this noise !!!

Go to see a good luthier,he'll find your problem.