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  • Tech advice needed - 6 string electric guitar with fret buzz

Hey guys.

I have a used 6 string electric (Cort VX 2V) with a Floyd rose bridge.
The strings were knackered so I replaced them with a heavier gauge, I usually tune down to D or C.
Initially everything was fine but I have developed a serious fret buzz, from 12 up to the point where it's totally muted.

Ive checked the truss and adjusted it with no joy. I decided to check the action and the bridge. Raising the action didn't seem to help. I decided to open her up and found this....
Can anyone here give me any advice on how to get this sorted?
Greg.

GregM Ummm...that's a novel way of blocking out the trem system (Setting it to a fixed position). I'm a fan if you don't plan on using the trem, though that method is about as Junkie as I've seen 😆

Usually peeps either set the bridge (strat style w/2 post) flat against the body or use a block of wood in a floyd rose style trem to keep it in a fixed position. I guess wood was in short supply 😁 Likely if that's how they blocked out the trem, what other decisions did they make?

That said, what can you do from here - depends on how much guitar tech skills you have/want to develop. Easy answer, take it to a decent tech.

If a tech is not a option - Changing string gauges and tuning does mean re-visiting the setup. WIthout seeing the guitar it's tough to diagnose. I suspect your neck angle is choking the notes > 12th fret. The fix? Read up on shimming a neck - is a art form as it's one part of playability (relief (truss rod adjustment), action (saddle & nut adjustment)). But not for the faint hearted, it takes me multiple attempts to dial it in usually.

There might be something odd going on, perhaps a fret is slightly higher than the rest or there's a bow/twist to the neck (it happens). Also heavier strings means the nut slots might need deepening, though that's not contributing to your issue as described

Good luck!

    Post a image of the guitar from the side so we can see the distance between the frets and strings.
    If setting the action higher does not help it is most likely a high fret or a bowed neck, or both.
    The strings should not mute if the neck is relatively straight and your action is about 2.5 mm at the 12th fret.
    Try and use a ruled to see if the neck has a bow in it.
    Gap in the middel under ruler at around 8th fret and it has a forward bow, no gap but the ruler can make like a seesaw on the neck and it has a back bow.
    You only want tiny bit of relief, or nothing if you prefer, depends on your playing style and action. All personal pref, but you dont want the grand canyon in the middle of your neck.

    GregM
    What gauge strings did you fit?
    First, remove that plate blocking the trem.
    Then remove one spring, keeping three.
    Try to set up the Floyd at recommended height above the body.
    Now you can look from the side to check neck angle, I have posted here about shimming one of my guitars' neck, to sort out an action problem. If you have a long enough straight edge, lay that on the bridge and nut as reference line.
    Tell us more as you go along.
    Good luck, these things sometimes take patience and time.

      Thanks guys for the really constructive feedback.

      I've started with tweaking the truss to straighten the neck and there's a very slight improvement. I assume I won't be able to adjust the action if that bracket is still attached?

      I'm hesitant to do too much and stuff it up even more but I'm feeling a but more confident and will give it a bash this weekend.

      Really appreciate the sound advice 👊

      • V8 replied to this.

        GregM I assume I won't be able to adjust the action if that bracket is still attached?

        Action = Start with bridge saddle screw(s) & (if you must) nut.
        It might be necessary to use a shim to raise the neck (I just did one for my Cort)

        For now I'd leave the bracket in...it does a job, if weirdly. Umm, figuring out how to setup a floating floyd rose bridge is not easy - for now get it playing as a fixed bridge. Modulator's advice above is sound, find a straight edge and see how the saddles, neck and nut line up - that's a good starting place to dialing in a setup.

        If you want to float the bridge again, get someone with some experience to help ya. They can figure out wtf they were ''fixing" with that bracket - maybe a post broke or something.

          V8

          Thanks bud.

          I managed to get it about 90% right and I'm gonna leave it at that for now 🤣🤦

          Combination of straightening the neck and slight raising the action seemed to do the trick.
          I suspect something is broken, I couldn't tune it without the bracket fixing the bridge in place. I'll never use a whammy so ain't much bothered about that.
          I generally play an Ibanez 7 so this guy is really my number 2. Just so fun and easy to play once you put the 7 down 😉

          Thanks for the advice again

            GregM I managed to get it about 90% right and I'm gonna leave it at that for now 🤣🤦

            Been there, broke that 😁 🤦‍♂️

            Floating trem's are a total pita - unless you've a decent one and you know how to set it up. There's a trick to balancing the tension of strings vs tension of springs to get it to sit flat as you tune up and not drag the bridge up as you tune. I've never quite mastered it, though my mate is a expert - I take floyd's to him and deal with mockery that ensues. If you are in Cpt and a want a floyd done, Ollie @ Claremont Bothners is about as good as you'll find.

            GregM Just so fun and easy to play once you put the 7 down 😉

            C standard with some fat strings? Hell yeah 😀 Happy to hear it's playing, I've been messing with my Cort shredstick to get it back into some kinda playing shape too - almost there!

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