# Factors contributing to sustain



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I have always wondered what makes some (electric) guitars sustain more than others. I'm leaving the pickups out of the equation, for obvious reasons.

Is it the design? If so, what design features in specific? 

The type(s) of wood used?

What are the (other) contributing factors? 

Thanks

Dave


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

I found that the tolex colour on the amp is VITAL to the type of sustain! 9kkhhd kkjuw


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Hamstrung said:


> I found that the tolex colour on the amp is VITAL to the type of sustain! 9kkhhd kkjuw


......I just emailed Santa telling him to deliver ALL of your gifts to my place




....and he agreed






Merry Christmas :wave:

Dave


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

greco said:


> ......I just emailed Santa telling him to deliver ALL of your gifts to my place
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I hope you have room for all the coal!!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

The answer is in that balloon video that Frazer posted yesterday.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I have had really light weight guitars sustain well. And heavy ones not so much. And light ones not so much, and heavy ones sustain for days. Have had all kinds of woods sustain, and not sustain.

I have NO idea what makes one guitar really sustain a long time, and others die quickly after hitting the string.

Even with a hiugh quality bridge, with excellent contact to the body, and a good nut, its been hard to determine what makes some guitars just ring a long time.

AJC

I know that was not much help...kqoct


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

ajcoholic said:


> AJC I know that was not much help...kqoct


Actually, it is helpful. I thought that quality to sustain could somehow be designed/built into a guitar. 

I was thinking mainly of LP's when I started this thread, as they seem to be (in general) well known for their ability to sustain (from what I have read).

Thanks

Dave


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## Hypno Toad (Aug 1, 2009)

It _should_ greatly depends on the headnut and bridge (and maybe fretwire) because that's what the strings vibrate on. Some metal or synthetic materials will allow the strings to vibrate for longer, others won't. I suppose a neck through design could help a bit, but I'm not sure how that would necessarily make the _strings_ themselves vibrate for longer, I think that may be sort of a myth. 

Dead sustain is sometimes a pretty favorable sound, though. I think you can deaden the sustain a bit in a guitar by chambering it. From the sounds of it, the less sustain a guitar has, the warmer the sound will be because of the same causes for the loss in sustain.


Pickups themselves or their height will add to the sustain, but that's not really the construction itself. LP's sustain a bit better due to the pretty solid neck and short scale length. Given the right conditions a slightly shorter string should vibrate for longer.


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Greco has opened a can of worms! AJC is an eye opener. Please keep the posts coming. I am curious to hear more opinions.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

starjag said:


> I am curious to hear *more opinions*.


It is all about the MOJO.........9kkhhd

Dave


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Greco... notice how I top-wrap the strings on this LP BFG...








That's where all the sustain is coming from. No sustain (and also no mojo) if I string the guitar in any other way.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

One of my lightest guitars - my home made LP junior (that I copied from a real 56' LP Jr) weighing in at about 5 lbs (actually just under) has the clearest ring, and sustains a long time.

It goes against the common thought that more mass = more sustain. A few really heavy guitars had no ring, no sustain. I was bummed out.

I think it has more to do with the actual piece of wood, and the grain - rather than the specie or weight.

But then again, I am just speaking from my experiences (which may be or may not be of any worth :smile: )

AJC


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

One word: Volume.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

J S Moore said:


> One word: Volume.


Two guitars of the same make and model, same pickups, same patch cord through the same amp *at the same volume*...one sustains for a longer duration......WHY?

Jon...apologies if I am missing your point. However, somehow I think you are possibly missing mine.

Cheers

Dave


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Andrew, can you expand on how grain pattern affects sustain?

When I restring my agile, I'll try top-winding it.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

Budda said:


> Andrew, can you expand on how grain pattern affects sustain?
> 
> When I restring my agile, I'll try top-winding it.


I meant, a particular piece of wood may just resonate better, maybe more efficiently and therefore have more sustain.

If a piece of wood acts to damp the vibrations, it will not sustain well. But I donot have the knowledge to see what things willbe like before they are made into a guitar.

That blue top guitar I made for you has a great voice - its is acoustically loud, and seems to sustain a while. I think it has to do with the maple neck... but who knows? 

AJC


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I don't, but damn it felt good and sounded the same 

remind me to go maple neck on the PRS build, btw.


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

greco said:


> Two guitars of the same make and model, same pickups, same patch cord through the same amp *at the same volume*...one sustains for a longer duration......WHY?
> 
> Jon...apologies if I am missing your point. However, somehow I think you are possibly missing mine.
> 
> ...


Just a joke but I do find volume and position will significantly contribute to sustain. There's a sweet spot about three feet out in a direct line off the angle of the speaker cone for my amp where it is situated. If I stand directly in front the notes die off very quickly. You have to get that feedback loop going so the sound from the amp reinforces the vibrations of the instrument.

I don't think there's any magic bullet for sustain from an instrument. There are definitely better construction methods that will probably yield better results more often but guitars are made of wood and even the next piece down the board will be significantly different. I would consider these to be tight neck joint, long tenon, thin headstock. Light or heavy doesn't seem to make a difference so maybe grain orientation may have an impact.

Technique helps as well. A good vibrato will keep the note going.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

There are a lot of factors that affect sustain.

So while the two guitars of mine that have the most sustain are my two heaviest (Les Paul & Iceman), and the electric with the least sustain is the lightest (archtop), that doesn't prove that heavier guitars sustain more, just that my heavier guitars sustain more.

If it's unplugged sustain--so we're eliminating pickups, amps, etc.--then it can be construction as well as weight, wood, density, etc, etc.

On the other hand tons of sustain isn't always a good thing.
But it's a good thing to have when you want it, and you can mute the guitar when you don't.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks for the responses. This is far more complictated than I originally thought it would be. 

Some "conflicting" opinions as well....which always makes for a more interesting thread. 

Cheers

Dave


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