Fret Buzz

baseline · 2009-11-20T13:02:45+00:00

I am sure this has been mentioned at some time on the forum, but I am so fed up with the music shops and lutherers that have worked on the guitar, that I want to get rid of it. I have sent my Cort electric in for fret buzz 4 times to different shops. Every time it comes back its fine for a week and then it starts, it’s a one piece neck and body and I was told by the owner of the music shop that its much better that 2 piece guitars, I am starting to think that it might be a problem with this guitar, When I took it in the first time they simply cranked the neck rod, it was fine for a while, the last time I sent it to a guy in PTA who is a “specialist” charged me 500 bucks set the neck and dropped the action a little, this was about a month ago, I took it for a test spin last night its so bad you can’t play anywhere on the neck without getting that frigging buzz. So where too from here I won’t sell the guitar on unless it’s right. “ Bad Karma” any suggestions thanks Steve >☹

AlanRatcliffe

Many believe the older the better and some apparently have stock over 100 years old. I know they like air-dried wood in preference to kiln-dried and certain types of wood like ebony they recommend leaving much longer than maple and spruce.

Gearhead

In general there are two things that make wood bend by itself: humidity changes and releasing stored tension.
They both boil down to the same effect: the piece of wood at hand HAS stored tension, in other words the piece looks straight but the one side is fighting the other wanting to bend to some other direction. This tension is stored in the wood by the growth process (having to support the tree in an incline, in strong winds or supporting a branch) and since the surroundings of the tree play such an important role your mileage may vary.
If you remove that part of your straight piece of wood that wanted to bend it left, the piece is going to bend right. Right?
If you then saw it straight and the humity changes you will see it bend left or right depending on whether it became more or less humid.
So if you want to get stable neck, you might want to start off with a piece of the tree that never wanted to bend or you might want to take two pieces that you know are going to want to bend equally but opposite ways. Sounds simple but is not ☹

Gearhead

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Many believe the older the better and some apparently have stock over 100 years old. I know they like air-dried wood in preference to kiln-dried and certain types of wood like ebony they recommend leaving much longer than maple and spruce.

When you leave any piece of wood under a certain tension long enough, it is going to creep towards getting less tension. So if you let a piece of wood cure for a long long time, it will loose some of its stored tension. Some. Kiln drying may speed up the curing process but it is not as efficient in loosening stored tension. Time.....

Wizard

To paraphrase what's been said here, a tree trunk is stable ... with the rings of growth around a central core.
Once it's cut, however, this equilibrium is broken.
In general a plank of wood willl try and warp around the part that came from the centre of the trunk.
... which is why quarter-sawn wood is more stable since it's a slice of wood from the edge of the trunk towards the centre.

MikeM

Explaining that, a tree truck is pretensioned on the outer rings which helps it not get damaged from swaying so inbetween the middle and the outer is the most stable technically.

baseline

X-rated Bob wrote Where is the buzz? Any position on any string? A certain string? A certain fret or range of frets?

Is it constant? Does it come and go? Has it started buzzing again since the weather got wet?

Have you tried Andy McGibbon's Guitar World or Music Connection in Randburg?

Hi Bob. NOt as yet, but i am pulling my hair out at this stage i am Tired of paying for incompetence, so if you say these guys are good ill take it through to them. the buzz is on the low E A D strings

Bob-Dubery

Steve R wrote
X-rated Bob wrote Where is the buzz? Any position on any string? A certain string? A certain fret or range of frets?

Is it constant? Does it come and go? Has it started buzzing again since the weather got wet?

Have you tried Andy McGibbon's Guitar World or Music Connection in Randburg?
Hi Bob. NOt as yet, but i am pulling my hair out at this stage i am Tired of paying for incompetence, so if you say these guys are good ill take it through to them. the buzz is on the low E A D strings

OK... but think on the other aspects. All frets? A range of frets? Did it start buzzing when the weather changed? This is all good info to help the tech understand what the problem is.

baseline

Alan Ratcliffe wrote When it comes to stability, two or more piece necks are better as they are generally stiffer. I also believe that a stiffer neck is not only brighter but loses less vibration on it's way to the body. One piece bodies are my preference, but I don't recall ever seeing a Cort with one - not even the masterpiece ones.

What you're describing sounds like a low action coupled with a slender one-piece neck (Corts generally are 19 mm at the 1st fret) and the need for seasonal truss rod adjustments. One of the main reasons I think every player should know how to adjust their own truss (beggin' yer pardon madam) - otherwise if you want to have a low action you're going to be taking it in for a tweak every single time the weather changes.

Sorry Alan. what i mean is the neck and body are one piece, it's not a bolt on neck. can you use a dial gauge to set your truss. the reason i say this you can see the movement as you are adjusting, i can make up a jig ans set the gauge up on the fretboard, and them keep a note of how much you have adjusted the neck. "just an idea"

baseline

X-rated Bob wrote
Steve R wrote
X-rated Bob wrote Where is the buzz? Any position on any string? A certain string? A certain fret or range of frets?

Is it constant? Does it come and go? Has it started buzzing again since the weather got wet?

Have you tried Andy McGibbon's Guitar World or Music Connection in Randburg?
Hi Bob. NOt as yet, but i am pulling my hair out at this stage i am Tired of paying for incompetence, so if you say these guys are good ill take it through to them. the buzz is on the low E A D strings

OK... but think on the other aspects. All frets? A range of frets? Did it start buzzing when the weather changed? This is all good info to help the tech understand what the problem is.

to be honest i did not try it until about a month after i had it "fixed" i did try it in the shop and it was fine, so it's been in it's case in a cupboard, i have Vintage strat which sits out in the music room with no adverse effect barr tuning, my acoustic is also fine, also a Cort, but the action is a lot higher, and i suppose the guitar dynamics are different.

baseline

Sorry BOB. it ranges from the 12th fret up to the 2nd , thinking about it now i think the neck has bowed. just enough to cause the strings to buzz, will a tweek on the truss rod sort it out, thanks Steve

Bob-Dubery

Steve R wrote Sorry BOB. it ranges from the 12th fret up to the 2nd , thinking about it now i think the neck has bowed. just enough to cause the strings to buzz, will a tweek on the truss rod sort it out, thanks Steve

I'm not a repair man. 2 to 12 sounds likes a biggish range to me, so personally I'd discuss it with my friendly, local guitar tech.

AlanRatcliffe

No that's exactly where I'd expect to find it. The truss just needs to be loosened a touch.

Bob-Dubery

Alan Ratcliffe wrote No that's exactly where I'd expect to find it. The truss just needs to be loosened a touch.

OK... I always thought that sort of nut to 6 or 7 is where you picked up problems with low relief. But maybe that's for acoustics with a dovetail joint, not electrics with neck thru body.

baseline

Alan Ratcliffe wrote No that's exactly where I'd expect to find it. The truss just needs to be loosened a touch.

Thanks Alan. i will try that tonight and see. what is the range about a quarter turn looser.

baseline

X-rated Bob wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote No that's exactly where I'd expect to find it. The truss just needs to be loosened a touch.
OK... I always thought that sort of nut to 6 or 7 is where you picked up problems with low relief. But maybe that's for acoustics with a dovetail joint, not electrics with neck thru body.

Talking about acoustics, i want to lower the action of my acoustic but with my recent bad Experience I am loath to send it in, but the action is quite high and you have to press like hell to get a good clean sound, more so on barr chords

AlanRatcliffe

Steve R wrote what is the range about a quarter turn looser.

1/8th to a 1/4 turn should do it. Anti-clockwise.

baseline

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Steve R wrote what is the range about a quarter turn looser.
1/8th to a 1/4 turn should do it. Anti-clockwise.

Thaks Alan, ill give it a go and see. ill let you know the outcome.

Bob-Dubery

Steve R wrote Talking about acoustics, i want to lower the action of my acoustic but with my recent bad Experience I am loath to send it in, but the action is quite high and you have to press like hell to get a good clean sound, more so on barr chords

There are guitar techs out there who know what they're doing! Don't give up on the notion of getting somebody to set up your guitar. Ask around and get some recommendations.

baseline

a little more than a quarter turn and Poof Sorted, thanks for the advise guys, next time i have the problem i have an idea what to look for.

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