Loose brace? Acoustic steel string rattle

aja

I have a Takamine GB-7C. It is in the case, strings loosened and unplayed for the last few months. :'(

Last time I played it, I would hear a very slight rattle/buzz inside the body, something that sounds like a piece of wood rattling, only on certain notes and not every time. Also, there is a *very* slight bulge in the top, just below the bridge. If I rub my hand over the top, it seems the bulge is not centered and is more to the bass strings side.

The guitar has always been stored properly and humidified accordingly. The strings are Elixir 12 guage. The guitar has never been set up from factory and the action is slightly on the high side.

Could high action cause top bulging? Would a loose brace cause the top to bulge and also buzz? Perhaps the electronics are loose?

The problem is not very noticeable, but I would like to nip it in the bud.

I am going to the cape in December, and Foster is one of the few people I trust these days. If it could be a wood issue I would like to know if I should lug the guitar down with me or not...

Thanks for any advice! ?

AlanRatcliffe

Hold the guitar by the neck, damping the strings and tap the top in various places with your other hand's thumb to see if you can get a "slapback echo" kind of thing anywhere. If you can, it's a brace. If you can get your arm inside (I'm lucky that way ?) you can also check the braces one by one. A loose brace can cause bulging, but it has to be quite far gone as braces usually loosen from the ends in. Quite often it's the other way round - a bulge causing a loose brace.

Warren

aja wrote I have a Takamine GB-7C. It is in the case, strings loosened and unplayed for the last few months. :'(

Last time I played it, I would hear a very slight rattle/buzz inside the body, something that sounds like a piece of wood rattling, only on certain notes and not every time. Also, there is a *very* slight bulge in the top, just below the bridge. If I rub my hand over the top, it seems the bulge is not centered and is more to the bass strings side.

The guitar has always been stored properly and humidified accordingly. The strings are Elixir 12 guage. The guitar has never been set up from factory and the action is slightly on the high side.

Could high action cause top bulging? Would a loose brace cause the top to bulge and also buzz? Perhaps the electronics are loose?

The problem is not very noticeable, but I would like to nip it in the bud.

I am going to the cape in December, and Foster is one of the few people I trust these days. If it could be a wood issue I would like to know if I should lug the guitar down with me or not...

Thanks for any advice! ?

My Tak also has that very slight bulge just below the bridge, since new. Didn't see it at first and never thought too much about it.

aja

Thanks guys for all the advice! I will certainly try the above mentioned tactics and hopefully not get my arm stuck up my guitar's, um.... ? ??? ?

Gearhead

Why wait to take it to Foster if you can give it to Andy today?
You can also give the thing to me - I'll swap you a Nippon Gakki 12 string in good health ?

aja

Gearhead wrote Why wait to take it to Foster if you can give it to Andy today?
You can also give the thing to me - I'll swap you a Nippon Gakki 12 string in good health ?

LOL!

Um, stupid question probably but I thought he closed up shop?

Gearhead

He does continue to act as luthier without the shop front end afaIk. Will PM you his cell number so you can ask for yourself - let us know what he says.
I must say I'm happy with the tone of the upgraded Nip, so you can keep your broken Tak if you're going to be corksniffy about it ?

Attila

I had something like that on my acoustic as well , which drove me crazy for a long time .....ended up being one of the ferrules on a tuning peg that rattled at a specific frequency and the buzz /rattle sounded like it was coming from the bridge end

Attila

Gearhead wrote ..., so you can keep your broken Tak if you're going to be corksniffy about it ?

GH you can't say things like ....... the okes will cut your G-string ?