petermoffat
Right, so I got great advice when I was looking to buy, and have spent the last few weeks putting in some serious time practising!
Tonight, while trying to learn Lightning Crashes, I tried some barre chords for the first time, and noticed that there seems to be a distinct buzzing sound. Could this be me fingering the chords wrong, or action being too low?
When I bought the guitar, I was told it had been set up, but now I wonder. How would I know if the action is right?
Would I be able to adjust it myself, or is there someone in Sandton I could take it to?
DaFiz
Just to test the height I clip a cable tie to the exact length an put it under the saddle and retune the old strings. ?
If it works buy a new saddle and sandpaper it down the that height (or less) before fitting a new set of strings. ?
Press each string in each fret individually to ensure it's buzzing, it could be you're not pressing the barre chords hard enough. :-\
Jericho
Barre chords an intermediate guitar skill...so it's most likely that you just haven't mastered that technique and are causing the strungs not to ring out. It most likely has nothing to do with the guitar set-up...if it did, all your chords would be buzzing.
Gearhead
The easiest way to test if the action is too low is to play every string on every fret, while obviously fretting properly close to the fret. If this buzzes across a large area of the fretboard, especially towards the higher frets, then there is a need to raise the action on the bridge saddle. Lots of buzzes around the middle (4-10th fret) are signs of too tight a trussrod. Also (you've guessed it) a higher saddle or a looser truss will not cure any buzzes on the lower strings . If it only buzzes in a couple of places here and there, a crude way not to notice anything wrong would be to raise the action. This will however turn those barre chords into a nightmare quite quickly. A fret dress would then be in order.
Bob-Dubery
If you get the buzzing ONLY when attempting a barre then it's probably you. Barres are difficult at first, and it's to be expected that you don't get it right first time.
Bob-Dubery
IIRC you're in the Jo'burg area. It's been very dry here. If your acoustic has a solid (IE non-laminated) top then it may be that the drop in humidity is causing the buzz. This can happen when the wood dries out - and especially the top. It may shrink a little, which MAY result in the bridge lowering a little, which MAY cause a buzz.
If you want a setup done or a checked then my recommendation is to take it to Music Connection or to Andy McGibbon's. Both shops have good technicians with properly equipped workshops.
But find out about your guitar. If it's a solid top then it may just need some humidifying.
