You can detect some of the same kind of changes by just removing a bumper. This would be more dramatic on a cue with a big bumper like McDermott A, B, C, and D series. Those are large and even have a rubber tenon that inserts into the butt cap. By contrast the early Meucci cues had a little "pill" bumper and less effect.
If I remember correctly rubber bumpers were originally advertised as sound dampers in old Brunswick catalogs, so the notion predates the Limbsaver by a number of decades.
I can relate to your story, an inappropriate sound or feeling can be distracting. It can drive you nuts.
You might swear it's the ferrule when it's the bumper, screw, or butt cap. Kind of like on a car or motorcycle when you swear the problem is the front end and it turns out to be the rear.
