Fret(s) still buzzing - final piece of advice sought

[CrackedPepper]

As chronicled in two threads (here and here), I have a goncalo neck with serious buzzing issues on the 6th, 5th and now sometimes 4th strings.  The buzzing is evident thru my amp. I hit strings pretty hard but they buzz with even medium force (for example, just using my thumb).

I've spoken to Rob the sales manager at Warmoth and he suggested the following to track down the buzzing:

• Make sure it is not the nut and trees by deading the string above the nut with some foam - it's not
• Make sure it is not the strings by deading the springs with some foam - it's not
• Make sure it is not the saddles/adjust the string height - doesn't seem to be and the saddles are basically as high as they can go
• If I can't track it down then I can return it for "evaluation"

With the help of my daughter, I've narrowed done the buzz to the 21st or 22nd fret(s).  Both frets appear to be seated correctly.  In addition, the frets have been leveled & dressed professionally and the guitar has gone through at least two professional setups.

Before I send it back to Warmoth, does anyone have any other suggestions?  I really don't want to go through the trouble of taking off the neck and shipping it back let alone being without my guitar but I am at my wits end.

 

[Dan025]

i know you said it was done professionally but double check. if need be get a eye loupe or magnifying glasses. capo the first fret. press down at the last fret and check clearance at the 8-9th fret. it shouldnt be more than the thickness of a e or b string. if thats good check for clearance at the 6th fret, since that is the highest one that buzzes it is likely to be high.

if too much releif is presant (8-9th fret test) the notes in the middle of the fretboard will cause the high frets to buzz. the saddles are set low in order to get string height correct so the end of the neck efectively curves up toward the strings, if the relief is too high tighten the truss rod and re-adjust the saddles.

if there is not clearance at all it may be back bowed, in this situation the nut height may allow it to play open but fretting lower note will cause contact at the hump in the fret board. a strait edge will show a back bowed neck.

if there is no clearance at some frets but clearance at others you may have a high or low fret condition or a warped neck. only re-leveling or fret replacement can fix a low fret, get a short strait edge like a machinists rule, maybe a razor blade for the higher frets and check for an isolated condition. check for a rocking motion across 3 frets at a time. work from on end to the other. if you get a rock move the rocker back one position and check for clearance with an eye loupe, then move forward of the rock one position and check for clearance. if there is clearance on just one fret it is low if there is clearance on both then the fret that it rocks on is high or god forbid there are two low frets on either side.

if it passes the high/low fret test or the rock or clearance is very minimal but over a large area of the neck it may be warped. put a strait edge down the length of the neck, it'll pickup the high point and the you can see if you have relief from 6-21 and backbow from 1-6, or where ever the problem area might be. and afterward get a new setup guy, or become your own.

 

[Dan025]

i was sittin thinking about it and the it was like duh! you may have a crack in the body, i mean if your tech is even halfway good he should have picked up on a warped neck and the fret level should have fixed fret problems unless he's completely incompetant. i had a yamaha as my first guitar, i could here a slight buzz, there was one low fret that i could deal with but the buzz happened on other notes too. i noticed a crack in the paint near the neck joint so one day i pulled back on the neck and could see that the crack opened up, it was in the wood not just the paint, some thin super glue and a clamp and a couple hours later and i never heard that buzz againg

 

[CrackedPepper]

Thanks for your advice

 

[Superlizard]

If ya set it up with super-low action, raise the action some.

Typically if the culprit frets are high up, they need leveling (I know you mentioned this has been done already).

 

[Alfang]

I'd try a dif guitar tech, or better yet. Google search " Guitar set-up" and follow the set-up proceedure yourself,  there is an actual sequence of steps to set up your guitar.

My first thought is the neck isn't seated flat in the pocket, and yout upper frets 12-22 are pointing to the sky so to speak.  Try loosening and reseating your neck, just loosen the strings a bit

Also a loose screw or nut can sound like a buzzing string

 

[CrackedPepper]

If ya set it up with super-low action, raise the action some.

Typically if the culprit frets are high up, they need leveling (I know you mentioned this has been done already).

Thanks SL - the saddles on those strings as a high as my 62 resissue bridge will go.

 

[CrackedPepper]

I'd try a dif guitar tech, or better yet. Google search " Guitar set-up" and follow the set-up proceedure yourself,  there is an actual sequence of steps to set up your guitar.

My first thought is the neck isn't seated flat in the pocket, and yout upper frets 12-22 are pointing to the sky so to speak.  Try loosening and reseating your neck, just loosen the strings a bit

Also a loose screw or nut can sound like a buzzing string

Thanks Alfang - the reseating is something I had not thought of. I will give this a try.

 

[elfro89]

burn it.




Theres always some smart ass making some stupid comment... I AM THAT GUY! hell yes!  :toothy10:

 

[Mor Paul]

Longtime forumites, remember the guy who didn't like his strat so he threw it in a dumpster after smashing it?

 

[Cagey]

I used to know a guy years ago who'd smashed a few guitars out of frustration. One was an early '60s Strat that simply refused to stay in tune. Another was a Jazzmaster of the same vintage, and for the same reason. An SG got violently disassembled, but it wasn't the guitar's fault - he was using it as a proxy for his girlfriend, who he seriously wanted to beat to death because he was mega-pist at her for some reason. Guy was generally pretty easy-going, but when he finally did go off - whew! <grin>

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

I used to know a guy years ago who'd smashed a few guitars out of frustration. One was an early '60s Strat that simply refused to stay in tune. Another was a Jazzmaster of the same vintage, and for the same reason. An SG got violently disassembled, but it wasn't the guitar's fault - he was using it as a proxy for his girlfriend, who he seriously wanted to beat to death because he was mega-pist at her for some reason. Guy was generally pretty easy-going, but when he finally did go off - whew! <grin>

Shame he didn't hear of ebay or craigslist before he took such drastic measures. 

 

[Cagey]

Neither of those services existed back then. In fact, there was no internet, and wouldn't be for another 15 years. Besides, those were passionate over-reactions that wouldn't have changed no matter what options existed. I had played those guitars numerous times, and like most guitars of that era, they had a way of standing on your last nerve all the time. It wasn't like it is today, where even inexpensive instruments are surprisingly well-made.

 

[GoDrex]

Longtime forumites, remember the guy who didn't like his strat so he threw it in a dumpster after smashing it?

it was a sweet looking flat top LP with a curly maple top - dyed yellow. He couldn't get it to stay in tune and it drove him over the edge. I can relate to that feeling.

 

[pabloman]

I have seen this before in parts guitars. You raise the bridge or saddles shim the neck tweak the truss rod nothing helps. It's the damned 22nd fret!!!! Actually its the fretboard hanging over the pickguard. There isn't enough clearence for the pickguard and it pushed the overhanging fretboard probably cracking it and seperating it a bit. I bet ya can't slide a sheet of paper underneath the fret overhang. I could be wrong but I have seen this a few times and did it myself. It was a MIM floyd strat body and a MM maple/ebony neck that was on my Hentor replica.

 

[AprioriMark]

I have seen this before in parts guitars. You raise the bridge or saddles shim the neck tweak the truss rod nothing helps. It's the damned 22nd fret!!!! Actually its the fretboard hanging over the pickguard. There isn't enough clearence for the pickguard and it pushed the overhanging fretboard probably cracking it and seperating it a bit. I bet ya can't slide a sheet of paper underneath the fret overhang. I could be wrong but I have seen this a few times and did it myself. It was a MIM floyd strat body and a MM maple/ebony neck that was on my Hentor replica.

Sonofa.... he's right.  I've had this happen before and I can't believe I didn't think of it.

-Mark

 

[Firebird211]

Fret-buzz is the worst.  I have fought that battle as well, but the one piece of advice I could offer, since it sounds like you have tried everything else.  There is a book, How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great (Guitar Player Book) Erlewine Dan, that has great tips for setting up your guitar.  It gives a step-by-step to rule out the truss-rod, and move on to saddle height, which yours sounds like it's sky high.  I like high action too , but I know what you mean, it's frustrating.  A newly professionally manufactured guitar shouldn't need a shim either, so I haven't a clue what else you could do but repeat the setup.  The book comes with plastic radius tools as well.  Good Luck.

 

[CrackedPepper]

I think pabloman is on to something.  I'm 90% sure that the fretboard extension did not crack because I put this particular pickguard on after the neck was installed.  Getting the pickguard under the fret board was really tight.  It would not surprise me if the pickguard pushed the extension up some.  The problem is definitely at the last fret so this theory makes sense.

I'm going to use a cabinet scraper on the pickguard this weekend and remove a few millimeters of plastic beneath the extension.  Post of results to follow.

 

[pabloman]

When I put the neck on my body the pickguard was already installed. There was a hairline crack, almost unoticable. I mean just about microscopic. I trimmed the pickguard but i guess the damage was alredy done. I ended up having to really file down the last couple of frets. In the end I was able to make it work. I can't explain it but now I don't like the neck at all. I think it is just because I know its not perfect. I don't know. I'd like to get rid of it but I don't feel right selling it. It plays perfect and You would never notice. Anyway good luck. It sounds like a sexy neck. I hope it works. But keep in mind you might just have to lower a fret or two.  ccasion14:

 

[GoDrex]

I can't explain it but now I don't like the neck at all. I think it is just because I know its not perfect. I don't know.

It plays perfect and You would never notice.

you can probably overcome this issue. :icon_thumright: