Sympathetic Vibration in Body

[Down and Dirty]

I finished this beautiful roasted swamp ash chambered with an F hole and forearm and belly contours Tele with a black to clear coat a few months back. After 2 different bridges and two different necks, I can't figure where the buzzing with a fretted E, either the D string 2nd fret or the A string 7th fret, is coming from. Even tried detuning a half step, but the buzzing still persists, now at the 3rd and 8th fret. The only thing I and a few friends can come up with is it is a sympathetic vibration in the body. Has anyone else had this happen and what can I do to get rid of this buzzing. No it is not the neck. Two different necks with buzzing in the exact same place, very long odds. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rick]

I've had lose wiring vibrate, but that was on jazzmaster.  There's not much room in a tele, but it might worth looking at the wiring and packing in some foam.  It was only certain notes that caused it, so the guitar has a resonant frequency.

 

[Sadie-f]

You could use the technique of putting a sound conductor rod against various parts of the body as you play. In an engine this is a simple method for isolating the source of sounds, so to tell whether a tic is noise in a valve train (relatively inexpensive to fix), or a loose connector rod bearing, the tip of a screwdriver is alternated between the head and lower end of the engine block to determine location.

Obv use something that won't mar the surface, a lucite rod, maybe the eraser end of a pencil, even a chopstick could work.

 

[Down and Dirty]

Thanks for the ideas. Tried packing the F hole with a T-shirt. Didn't help. Not giving up yet though. Thanks

 

[Rick]

It’s not going to be an empty hole thats sympathetically vibrating. 

 

[Jeremiah]

Is the buzzing being picked up by the amp, or do you just hear it acoustically?

It would be worth checking the pickup mounting springs and bridge saddle springs. Possibly also the pickup covers.

 

[Down and Dirty]

I appreciate the help. First I know an empty hole won't vibrate. Was just trying to add a little mass back to the body. 2Nd, there aren't any pickup mounting springs, just that tight rubber tubing, and 3rd it is just acoustically and not amplified.

 

[rauchman]

Going out a limb here, are you using a string tree on the neck?

On my first Warmoth build...Tele, I tried going without a string tree and I was getting a buzz here and there on the neck.  I put a string tree on for the B, E strings, buzzing went away.

 

[Down and Dirty]

Thanks for the help

 

[Rick]

:rock-on: