1 Topic by Guitarpix (edited by Guitarpix 2007-11-01 00:54:02)

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,912

Topic: Rattling an acoustic?

I bought a guitar from an older gentleman a few months back and upon getting it home I discovered a 10 year old rattlesnake rattler inside the guitar. I mentioned this to a few of my friends and they said that allot of old timers do this. So my question is why? Does anyone have any ideas? I don't think it really adds anything to the sound (unless you shake the guitar..lol)but I could be wrong my ears aren't exactly the best trained...Thanks!

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Guitarpix's Website

  • From: Camden, SC
  • Registered: 2006-03-19
  • Posts: 95

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

I have read that it keeps your strings dry. Also I have read that it is some sort of mojo.

  • From: Tennessee
  • Registered: 2007-08-04
  • Posts: 436

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

I read that it added to the tone....Go figure...

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Try to play FLEETWOOD MAC'S RATTLE SNAKE SHAKE.
THE perfect song in your situation.
smile  smile

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
  • Offline
  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

So long as it isn't the entire rattlesnake, leave it in as a cultural oddity and a tip of the hat to the older gentleman's mojo.  It can't hurt. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Its probly some kind of old timey superstition...  like a coon pecker bone beoing good luck

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: Tennessee
  • Registered: 2007-08-04
  • Posts: 436

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

An entire rattlesnake would probably help you pick the guitar alot faster...lol

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Guitarpix wrote:

I bought a guitar from an older gentleman a few months back and upon getting it home I discovered a 10 year old rattlesnake rattler inside the guitar. I mentioned this to a few of my friends and they said that allot of old timers do this. So my question is why? Does anyone have any ideas? I don't think it really adds anything to the sound (unless you shake the guitar..lol)but I could be wrong my ears aren't exactly the best trained...Thanks!

I be taping up the hole and calling the animal police real fast!!!!

Give everything but up.
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

last_rebel wrote:

Its probly some kind of old timey superstition...  like a coon pecker bone beoing good luck

Huh-what!!!!!
Did you mean to write that?

Give everything but up.
  • From: Blantyre, Nr Glasgow Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-09-21
  • Posts: 67

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

SouthPaw41L wrote:
last_rebel wrote:

Its probly some kind of old timey superstition...  like a coon pecker bone beoing good luck

Huh-what!!!!!
Did you mean to write that?

http://www.gogojewelry.com/Product_00015.htm
racoon Penis bone jewrellry.

Not very good luck for the racoon.

David

Gutar Player, Singer, Entertainer  - At least in my own mind.

11 Reply by HannahBeth (edited by last_rebel 2007-11-02 18:30:34)

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

lol ok ok I know, I'm a hillbilly for knowing that southpaw, but in the country whenever you kill a coon you keep that particular part as a good luck charm....kind of like a rabbits foot. By the way, we don't normally cover them in sterling silver, we tie them to a stick or something, that jewerly thing is kind of screwed up lol
We also keep the tails sometimes, armadillo skulls, hawk feathers,hawks foots, alligator heads, bull skulls, and horns (which we make instruments out of), and all kinds of other things.
Anyway you can chalk that down as the 'something new' you learned on this particular 'everday' big_smile

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • Registered: 2007-10-15
  • Posts: 2

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

thats sooo weird, but it is probably justa superstition

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Guitarpix  Still love the rattle BUT dopn't forget to drink the tequila, with the big "insect", when you play

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
  • Offline
  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Guitarpix wrote:

I bought a guitar from an older gentleman a few months back and upon getting it home I discovered a 10 year old rattlesnake rattler inside the guitar. I mentioned this to a few of my friends and they said that allot of old timers do this. So my question is why? Does anyone have any ideas? I don't think it really adds anything to the sound (unless you shake the guitar..lol)but I could be wrong my ears aren't exactly the best trained...Thanks!

how do you know it was 10 years old? is there a way of telling by looking? Coming from Scotland we only get grass snakes and adders,

can you still hold one of these rattles from a rattlesnake and make it rattle? does it rattle when you play the guitar?
maybe if it does rattle when you shake it, you are suppose to hold it while strumming like one of those wee hand shaker things that you hold while strumming?


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "Shake ,Rattle and Roll"

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Roger
Imagine him playing for 2 hours, constantly shaking his guitar, to hear the rattle. I think it must be hard. It will be easier to take medication, in a high dose, and taking benefit of the side effects, called Parksonism (the cause can be toxic, organic, a braintumour and the diagnosis looks very easy but isn't.) Except for this, is the real disease, "parkinson's disease.
An important and frequent used drug is: metocloperamide (the generic name of PRIMPERAN).
Drink half a bottle, and you start shaking even worse than Shakin' Stevens and play the guitar at the same time.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 1,912

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

upyerkilt wrote:
Guitarpix wrote:

I bought a guitar from an older gentleman a few months back and upon getting it home I discovered a 10 year old rattlesnake rattler inside the guitar. I mentioned this to a few of my friends and they said that allot of old timers do this. So my question is why? Does anyone have any ideas? I don't think it really adds anything to the sound (unless you shake the guitar..lol)but I could be wrong my ears aren't exactly the best trained...Thanks!

how do you know it was 10 years old? is there a way of telling by looking? Coming from Scotland we only get grass snakes and adders,

can you still hold one of these rattles from a rattlesnake and make it rattle? does it rattle when you play the guitar?
maybe if it does rattle when you shake it, you are suppose to hold it while strumming like one of those wee hand shaker things that you hold while strumming?


Ken

Hey Ken, Rattle snakes add a rattle every year and this one has 10 rattles. Yea you can shake it and it rattles just like it did on the snake. I read it added to the tone also and that it was a natural humidifier.
  Old fiddlers sometimes tuck a batwing in the strings on the head of there fiddles. It's supposed to help with tone also? Don't know if any of that is true but thought it was interesting.

And Doc, Yea I'll have to try the Rattle Snake Shake bit..lol

Last rebel, I'm really surprised you knew that...I thought that was just in my neck of the woods...lol I've been coon huntin' quite A few times myself but always pass on that portion of the kill... Maybe it's a guy thing but I just can't see doing that to anything (dead or not)...lol

Zurf, Yea I'm going to leave it in there..I'm a little superstitous like that also. I think it's a nice touch...Peace!

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Guitarpix's Website

18 Reply by TWIST (edited by TWIST 2007-11-26 18:35:50)

  • Registered: 2007-10-24
  • Posts: 23

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Forget the rattler!!  Where can I get a coon pecker bone?

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

Well TWIST, you would, naturally, have to take it from the coon lol 
  Maybe if you happen to know someone who hunts alot you could talk them into giving you one, I don't know of anywhere you could actually buy one....

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • Registered: 2007-10-24
  • Posts: 23

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

rebel,  I feel awkward now.....actually, I think I have stooped (almost) lower than I ever have...

How can I look anyone in the eye again?

I don't even know if I'd put the coon pecker in my guitar.   Um, what is worse....I still want one.

  • upyerkilt
  • upyerkilt
  • Unofficial king of Scotland
  • Offline
  • From: Balloch, Scotland, UK, Earth
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3,290

Re: Rattling an acoustic?

thanks guitarpix

Now I know the answer if I get asked it in a pub quiz lol my friends will be impressed.


Ken

ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending