High E string "sitar" sound Driving Me Nutz

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My high E on my American Special Tele sounds like a Sitar. Everything was fine when I got it. I changed the bridge to a Gotoh 6 saddle and everything seemed good. Got some GuitarFetish locking tuners and put some fresh strings and all of a sudden sitar. Sounds like a Sitar open string all the way to 22nd. Raised the action, added releif in the neck. New strings. Tried touching every part of the guitar to see if it would stop. Can't figure out where it's coming from. Lowered the pickups, it's not coming from there. Getting frusterated.
 
Why not work backwards, take off the one locking tuner from GFS and go back to the original. Maybe the way the string is winding around it is causing the effect.... all the same, work backwards.
 
Recently had this same issue.
Guessing you have chromed saddles?
It might be a small bubble n the chrome, just file that area down a bit .
 
Strum the guitar and listen for it. Hear it? Okay.

Now strum the guitar while you mute the headstock with your other hand. cover and hold the whole thing while you strum and let it ring out. Still hear it?

I'm not saying this is it, but I've had some random problems with strings ringing at the headstock. It's why some guitars have string trees. Can also wrap something around there too...have to make sure you are actually MUTING the problem string. See if this is it?
 
I've tried muting the string behind the headstock. Tried muting all the strings. Held on to every part on the guitar. Guess I'll try putting the old tuner on and see if that helps since the problem seemed to have started after I changed them.
 
If you think it's the tuner..then the muting thing should work. You are either NOT muting the right string..or not muting it all the way...or it's not the tuner.

If you have properly and totally muted the nut-to-tuner peg...and the right string...then the tuner shouldn't effect the sound. Almost like a locking nut.

Dude...I'm not saying this is definitively it....but I STRUGGLED long and hard with some ringing after effects on a couple amps and couple of guitars. And effects units. I did narrow it down to reverb tank in an amp...but also found that some guitars...some components, some strings...and some string winding technique


results in some weird ringing sitar thing.

Even when I was SURE I did everything right...I found out that I didn't. There was something I overlooked or ...DID WRONG!

Again...not saying this is it...just encouraging you to go back over everything again. Even MORE carefully. I Was amazed at the what I found by *PROPERLY*! muting the strings at the headstock.
 
Try changing the string, I have run across a similar problem before.
 
snowdog":p8zj5rer said:
Try changing the string, I have run across a similar problem before.
Click to expand...


This.

I will get that problem too when my e string gets really worn sometimes
 
I did change the string. First when I changed the tuners. Then the sitar sound came. And then again right before posting this (after trying everything I could think of)
 
have a string tree? might might to try tightening it
 
I have a string tree and tried holding the String behind the nut and holding the tuner and it still buzzes. It does it open all the way down to the 22 fret. I just gave the intonation screw and height adjustment screw the tiniest little turn and it seems to have lessened the sound somewhat.
 
I had this happens to me once and it ended up being the saddle set screw. The string was grazing the set screw just enough the give me that nice sitar sound! I was able to fix it be moving the string away from the set screw ever so slightly. Do you have 3 or 6 saddles?
 
I've had this happen when the string is to high at the nut (so nut is cut to high) and if it is tow low at the nut. It sounds like its sticking somewhere, give the string a wiggle at both the nut and the bridge and see if it reduces it any
 
This shouldn't be too hard to figure. Tuner, string tree, nut or bridge, is probably your issue.It could have something to do with the neck but that is down the list. More than likely not your tuner. Try a different angle on your tree making sure it's straight. Remove it and file the underside a little or replace it. It only takes a very small burr to cause this. File your bridge saddle very lightly in the slot. Lube your nut slot. Overlube it at first even if it is messy for troubleshooting. Report back after you have done these things.
 
Had a similar problem on the high B of my RG927. Turned out to be a loose tuner on a different string. I now hear this ever so slightly on my new Les Paul Signature T. Have not tackled it yet but I'm thinking after some minor checking that it's the notch in the bridge saddle. From what you're describing, I'm thinking the same thing is true on your guitar. StewMac has abrasive string for sale. They're about $6 per roll. You take a couple of inches and pass it through the slot to file and polish it down. You can of course replace the saddle.
 
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