Republic Highway 61 Woody - Serious rattle

[jodygc50]

I needed a super lightweight resonator - and bought a Republic Highway 61 Woody (new) about a month ago. Its been great - the weight is perfect and I like the feel, playability, cutaway and, until recently, the sound. About 3 weeks after I got it, it developed a rattle problem I could use some advice on. I don't know what brought it on...the guitar wasn't dropped or bumped.

When plucked, the bottom 4 or 5 strings have a serious rattle / buzz. It's virtually unplayable with that going on. It's not fret buzz (the set-up is fine and it happens open or fretted), the tailpiece isn't rattling and otherwise there are no loose parts to vibrate. The rattle / buzz resolves if I use a pencil (eraser end) and push down gently on the center of the biscuit. So I'm thinking that somehow the cone isn't settled - something is keeping it from making good contact all the way around the sound well. On the one hand, I'm willing to take the cover off and investigate - but thought I'd get some advice first...on the other hand, I'm a bit leery of screwing up the intonation when I put it back together.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on other on possible causes and the best way to fix it. 

Thanks,

Jody

[Michael Messer]

Hi Jody

There are serious rattles and there are SERIOUS RATTLES! Without seeing it I cannot be sure how serious.

The problem could be that the biscuit is not properly fixed to the top of the cone, or (and this is unlikely on a wood well) the cone is not sitting properly on its rim and is rattling. It could also be a break angle problem, meaning that there is not enough downward pressure on the cone from the strings, but that is less likely.

Before doing any unscrewing of the coverplate, loosen off the strings and move the cone around a little. If possible push it back towards the tailpiece, this is only fractional movement but might be enough to settle everything. Then tune it up and see if that has helped. If not, then check that the biscuit is fixed to the cone properly.

Shine On
Michael

[Pickers Ditch]

I was lucky, but could our recent high temperatures have caused the problem in the first place?

See: michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/9671/daft-word-warning

[davey]

Simplest first, check the screw which attaches the cone to the biscuit as Michael suggested, mine had worked loose and did just what you said.

[tokyo]

Just to say I have a Republic minolian and the rattle I had was from the inner wooden ring which the cone sits upon the glue had parted from the guitar top by about 3 inches it was an easy repair not only that there was an identical Minolian being repaired on youtube in exactly the same location,If you look at the guitar the nut being 12 oclock and the tailpiece being 6 oclock the inner ring on mine and the youtube one both had parted from the 8 oclock position to the 11 oclock position..I hope this helps..maybe its very dry in Texas as they are imported from the far east and set up there.

[jodygc50]

Thanks for the comments Michael, PD, Davey and Tokyo. I'll try the the cone adjustment first, then, if that doesn't do it, check on how the biscuit is fixed to the cone. Michael, I think this is only a semi-serious rattle...nothing is loose or rattling around, just a pronounced twangy, buzzy string vibration. I know you said a break angle problem is less likely but it sure looks like a shallow break to me...Is the a minimum degree break? If the first two fix attempts don't work I'll try sending a picture of the break angle. Thanks all!

[Michael Messer]

See how the cone wiggle goes and then if necessary send some photos.

Shine On
Michael

[creolian]

Hi,

I have a republic which developed what I would describe as a growling rattle... not unlike a very dusty needle on an old vinyl record. Across all strings. Im not really sure what model mine is, rocket 88 or Highway 61 ? Metal full body.

I did a number of little clean up things to get the guitar right... centered the tailpiece, cleaned up the tuner shafts, re shaped the saddle notches and cleaned up the nut... the grinding sound was fixed by attaching my biscuit using some flex gasket sealant stuff. ( permatex 75150)I was afraid it might dampen the cone so I used a tiny bead, 1/16 or so... the thing also had a fair amount of metal filings inside the body.

My Delphi also had biscuit issues... it had a bead of what looked like old dried out wood glue attaching the biscuit. Cleaning that and reattaching it fixed that one.

There is also the use of a felt gasket under the cone on some reso models... Im tempted on the nat. but dont feel a need to fix what seems to be working otherwise.

Ive seen recommendations for both gluing a biscuit and not. Curious as to what others have done in this regard ?

Best,

Jeff


P.s. Its a real pain to have to remove the cover repeatedly... I believe it was deuce that posted the method of loosing strings enough to free them from the tail end and run them through the palm rest when doing the tighten loosen cover off trial and error... lord knows how many strings + the time and aggro that has saved me at least not trying to re-attach strings at the tuner end.

[jodygc50]

Hi Michael and all -
The cone wiggle seems to have done the trick. The string quack is gone and it's playing fine. I'm glad I asked (and appreciate the good advice) before I started removing the cover plate and messing with the innards.
Thanks much!
Jody

[Michael Messer]

Good stuff!

Sometimes the cone works its way forward and that can cause it to buzz/rattle. Pulling it back towards the tailpiece usually cures it.

Now enjoy your guitar :-)

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

If this was a forum for black musicians (not that it is in anyway exclusive I hasten to add) they'd be asking how to achieve the rattles and buzzes.

[twtx]

Aug 7, 2019 18:50:59 GMT jodygc50 said:

I'm glad I asked (and appreciate the good advice) before I started removing the cover plate and messing with the innards.

Yeah, you really don't want to look inside a Republic, anyway.  I've owned two, and there was some pretty dodgy stuff going on under the hood in both of them.

[creolian]

Aug 7, 2019 23:07:10 GMT @graeme said:

If this was a forum for black musicians (not that it is in anyway exclusive I hasten to add) they'd be asking how to achieve the rattles and buzzes.

Irony is the millions of dollars spent trying to emulate 12 dollar guitars mail ordered from a sears catalog...