Starting setup and need some help.

[jdroost]

Starting to set up my conversion neck on my strat.
I have 3 stage staggered tuners installed with no trees and a Warmoth installed TUSQ nut with 9/42 strings.
I have gone over the neck with my straight edge and a fret rocker set the truss rod for some slight bow and set the bridge saddles for height and radius using this video below (actually have action set higher than I like for now). Everything seems good as far as the frets being level.

I am getting  a ton of string buzz both open and fretted. Mostly on the G string but also on the D and A.
A-lot of it seems to be coming from behind the nut (not all of it). I don't think I want anymore neck bow as when I use a capo and the last fret method to check it...it's spot on.
I am wondering if my need for light gauge strings and conversion scale is requiring me to use string trees?
I am 100% a function over looks guy..so if trees are the easy answer I don't mind having to use them...but obviously it seems redundant to use staggered tuners and trees at the same time.
I have only dusted the nut with some graphite but have not adjusted anything on it (let me know if this is a must do).
I would assume unless the stock nut is cut for 10's that the strings if anything are tight in the nut.
Currently have no neck shims installed.
Any tips or suggestions? I really want to learn how to do this myself.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVuvoj3WXs[/youtube]

 

[Cagey]

If you think the buzz is coming from behind the nut, an easy test to see if that's true would be to just push down on the buzzing string behind the nut. If a string tree would do anything, that'll tell you whether it will or not. If the buzz goes away, then you can replace your finger with a string tree, but you don't need that as much as you need the nut to be properly cut for the strings you're using. While it might seem like it would be easier to just install a string tree, you'll just be setting yourself up for a frustrating future full of inconsistent tuning problems from the nut and tree both.

 

[jdroost]

Ok...will give that a go in the morning (thanks).

I may have made it sound too much like it was a behind the nut issue only (it is not).
Right after posting I did find two slightly high frets with my rocker.
I don't think it's causing the issue...but will try a slight spot level and polish on those two.
To be honest I am questioning the accuracy of the rocker I bought off of ebay.
It was an impulse buy and I should have gone with a stew mac or something else if I knew I was going to use it on a a new neck.
I did see somebody using a razor knife blade to spot check...but I am not sure of the accuracy of that either.

If anyone has a series or single videos they trust to be good knowledge on setup/nut tweaking..please link them to me.
Thanks again all.

 

[Cagey]

Another member here thought to check the accuracy of his fret rockers and was surprised at how far off they were, to the point one of them ended up in the trash as unrecoverable. Ebay stuff. So, you're probably right to question. The StewMac tool costs more, but at least it doesn't lie to you.

 

[rgand]

I'm the guy with the bad fret rockers (both from ebay). One was stamped out and was way off and bent, to boot. That one got tossed. The other one was laser cut and I was able to straighten the sides with a gunsmithing stone and a machined straight edge to check it against.

The StewMac tool costs more, but at least it doesn't lie to you.

This is sound advice. It'll save you a lot of time and effort. I've been trying to get one neck straight for a couple weeks using those crappy ones.

 

[jdroost]

This one is waterjet cut.
Its 1/8 aluminum.
I will post a pic later..not sure if it's in good taste to name the company.
You can see the waterjet marking in the edges. I checked it with a long razor blade against a light and it showed no leakage...but still not sure.
  I have a large sharpening stone block...
maybe I should make a pass on it.

 

[rgand]

The one I tossed really showed issues once I ran it across a stone for a few passes. You can see how some parts hit the stone and others not at all.