• From: New Phila
  • Registered: 2007-12-27
  • Posts: 67

Topic: fret buzz?

Question, when I play the 5th, 4th, and 3rd string they are fine. When I fret them around the 2nd and 3rd fret and strum them the string rattles against the 21st fret. Is this normal? I had it set up by a local guitar man, charged me 30 bucks and said there ya go.

The neck doesn't appear to have any twist, warp, or bow to it at all. My little sisters boyfriend told me to just adjust the truss rod and it will correct that. But I was to the understanding that the truss rod was only to be used to make sure the neck was straight, which it is. If I would use to truss rod to get rid of the buzzing it would pull the neck out of alignment. 

I guess I should be more clear. With the amp on and the guitar plugged in it doesn't buzz though the amp. It is just when I have the amp either low or off that I hear it the most.

Is this a common thing? Does this mean there is something that needs to be set further? Or is this just an electric guitar?

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: fret buzz?

well if you use the 21st fret a great deal this could be a concern have you tried fileling the fret down?i have in the past but its your guitar and i would advise caution before resorting to that,get some more opinions there are a lot of technicians on chordie who may provide another sulution

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

3 Reply by Oldnewbie (edited by Oldnewbie 2008-02-09 16:14:55)

  • From: Woodbridge, VA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-19
  • Posts: 245

Re: fret buzz?

I had this problem with mine, que.

I found that if I loosened the truss rod (which allows the neck to be pulled more when the strings are tight) it went away.

This will raise your action some, so you need to find the right balance between no buzz and playability.

I had thought about filing a fret, but didn't have the guts. (I'm scared to do anything like that with my box, because, if I screw it up, I can't afford a new one right now).

I'm not sure you would be able to see a neck that was slightly bowed. Maybe just loosen it a little and see what happens.

Edit - I just realized this was in the "Electric" forum. Sorry for that. I was talking about my acoustic. Maybe the same for electric, I don't know. Never had one.

Just play

Oldnewbie's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: fret buzz?

Hi que522,

I would suggest you took it back to the guy that did the work on your guitar. It sounds to me as if you may have a sightly raised 21st fret or the action has been set too low, unless you have changed the strings since it was set up. Putting on a lighter guage set of strings can give this effect too.

However someone more qualified than I may be able to suggest something different.

Hope you soon get it sorted,

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: fret buzz?

Roger Guppy wrote:

Hi que522,

I would suggest you took it back to the guy that did the work on your guitar. It sounds to me as if you may have a sightly raised 21st fret or the action has been set too low, unless you have changed the strings since it was set up. Putting on a lighter guage set of strings can give this effect too.

However someone more qualified than I may be able to suggest something different.

Hope you soon get it sorted,

Roger

roger is right take it back to the tech and have him raise the saddle and check the fret to see if it is high.

Bootlegger.