Tremolo springs a ringing

scottp

Fractal Fanatic
Have you ever noticed on a tremolo equipped guitar how much you can hear the springs vibrating when playing it acoustically?

I have a PRS Tremonti that I really like. I was playing it at fairly quiet volumes plugged in.
After playing some chords I muted all the strings, and the tremolo springs vibrating get picked up by the pickups. I don't find that sound appealing.
I know this is kind of a specific example, but I'm thinking of damping the springs.

What possible solutions do you have for that spring noise?
 
Have you ever noticed on a tremolo equipped guitar how much you can hear the springs vibrating when playing it acoustically?

I have a PRS Tremonti that I really like. I was playing it at fairly quiet volumes plugged in.
After playing some chords I muted all the strings, and the tremolo springs vibrating get picked up by the pickups. I don't find that sound appealing.
I know this is kind of a specific example, but I'm thinking of damping the springs.

What possible solutions do you have for that spring noise?
There are a few spring silencer products available, including the springs themselves - coated in plastic.

Heat shrink over the springs can help as well as foam inserted inside the springs or attached in the trem cavity under the springs to dampen them
 
I put surgical tubing inside the springs. On guitars that have a trem that I don’t use I put stiff foam between the springs.
 
Not playing my strat acoustically much is how I deal with it ;)

I do hear the springs when I'm putting the guitar on and off, was worried I'd hear them through my rig, but no.
 
I've had a pair of foam earplugs wedged under the springs right next to the claw in my PRS since about 1994, when I discovered that the springs ringing can also come through the amp when it's loud enough. And cause feedback...
 
Whenever I get a new guitar with a tremolo I put a piece of foam behind the springs when I do the initial setup/string change. I'll also put some foam behind the pickups if they've got too much wiggle. Finish it off with a bit of black gaffers/electric tape over the strings after the nut and you should have an axe that stops on a dime without any ringing out.
 
I've tried these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/131061101085

Didn't do much for my guitar, but you never know how it'll be in yours. I found that the ringing on my Floyd was actually coming from the sustain block, and I couldn't think of a way to fix it. I tried wrapping it tightly in rubber bands, to no avail. I read that tungsten sustain block are less pervious, if you will, to ringing, but I don't know if you can find PRS blocks in tungsten.
 
Meh I also have a lovely PRS custom 24 with a floyd rose. Just something about the ringy sounding metal noise of a floyd rose systems thats really turning me off. I have two guitars with FR and both have this damn bell like tonality even with the springs muted with tubing on the inside of the springs. I have several PRS guitars I dont use the bar on that dont have this tinny ring thing going on. Almost ashamed to mention this but a couple weeks ago for the first time ever I notice with the trem arm tight and aimed twards the headstock the ring is worse. Now point it in the other direction has another tone. Aimed straight down mutes that ringing from the bar. Ive always adjusted the bar tight because I didn't like the swing squeak or rattle.
 
I tend to obsess over some of these type noises when recording. Trem springs bother me the most. I use springs that have surgical tubing inside to silence them when if becomes too prominent. Other than when recording, I consider all the noises and overtones part of the charm. I really enjoy listening to songs and guitar tracks to hear the extraneous noises from behind the nut and on the other side of the bridge.
 
I have a PRS singlecut trem from around 05-06. I used to hear the springs. Guess I got used to it cause I haven’t thought about it for years until I saw this post.

On the other hand I have a recent purchase. A Strat. I hear some weird stuff on that one. Not sure if it’s trem springs or the headstock or both. I see some guys dampen the headstock on Strats, with scarves etc.
 
It is part of the "charm" I think, and I'm sure nobody would hear it in a mix. People do tend to obsess over little things. Most of the classic records we love have all kinds of warts, no autotune, no click. IMHO.
 
I just lay a thin piece of foam in the trem cavity and then put the cover back on, Works for me and kills the ring.
 
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