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December 2005
Posts: 117
| I just restringed my guitar, and noticed a buzz that I have heard before. I used to get this same buzz, I believe, with the strings I had on before last. I'm pretty sure they have all been the same kind.
It is strange. It is a buzz, almost a rattling type of buzz, that only happens when striking the strings horizontally, not when pulling the strings away from the fret board and letting them go. It's annoying when strumming. It buzzes when the string is first hit, then about a second later it disappears and sounds fine.
It sounds pretty much only on the lowest string, from about the 5th to 10th frets. If I press them down REALLY hard, the sound goes away, but I've never had to press that hard before. It's like the sound of not pressing down the string hard enough, but it happens when I know I am.
Anyway, the only thing I can think of that may have changed is the positions of the shims, because they always fall out when I'm restringing. |
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January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | Just out of curiosity nonis, what sort of guitar do you have. I've got an 1860 that I removed a couple of shims from to change the action and I haven't had a problem.
But in my case my shims are completely hidden away and it's impossible for them to fall out.
Sorry, I realise this doesn't help answer your question and as I'm not technical when it comes to guitars (I just play them) I'd suggest to keep pressing REALLY hard until someone can help you |
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October 2006
Posts: 5576
Location: big island | is it possible it is not a string buzz but a vibration within the guitar like the battery box or something else? |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| I thought it might be a vibration, but I have checked so many things for vibration, and it sounds like it is coming from the saddle area, although it's hard to tell. Also, if it were something vibrating from the pitch, playing that note on any other string should cause the same effect, right?
It's a 1778t. I haven't removed any shims, by the way. It came witha white and a black shim, and if anything I only switched them around when they fell out. |
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January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | Get you adjustment bar out. Unscrew the plastic cover, and make a slight neck adjustment, using the adjustment bar, like an allen wrench. Move it a little, and then test for the buzz. |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| Adjusting the truss rod? I tried moving it ccw a quarter turn, and that didn't help. |
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May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | Check the washers under the nut on each tuning peg. These work loose and can cause rattles like you describe. Easy fix to, just tighten the nut a bit. |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| How do you tighten the nut?
Edit: I just reread your post, and yu mean the nuts on the tuning pegs? I was thinking the nut (That's the thing at the top of the neck that all the strings cross... like the 0th fret, right?) I'm stupid. |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| I don't think it's coming from the tuning pegs. It's the same sound that you get if you take the lowest string and slide if off the edge of the fret a little, so it's not on the level part, but on the beveled edge part of the fret. It's not quite as severe, but that's the same sound. |
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January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | It could be anything from a brace that has come loose from the top (doubtful but possible) to the output/preamp wire resting against the back of the guitar (the latter happened to me).
If it really sounds like it's coming from the bridge, leave one string on that will buzz, put you hand inside the guitar underneath the bridge and feel around to see if that reveals the culprit. If that fails...... |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| I found out what it was. I tried many things. It turned out one of the tuning pegs was loose, so I tightened that. It turned out the thing that the electronics plugs into was loose, so I screwed that in a little. The buzz was still there. So I had someone touch each brace while I made it buzz, and there it was! The brace furthest on the bass side is causing the buzz. It's not loose, but if you touch it while playing, the buzz goes away.
Does anyone know how I go about fixing this or getting it fixed? |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Locate the spot again... Then shove a matchbook cover into it, between the brace and the top!
Simple, huh?
NO! NO! Really, wait for one of the Bottom-Feeder Luthiers to answer.
[then they might tell you the same thing] |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Locate the spot again... :mad:
Doubled-up. And you can't just delete anymore... excuse me. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | What?
I thought I saw a searchlight in the clouds with a two digit BIN! It's gone now, I think Crimson got it.
Anyway, "the buzz" is one of the perpetual posts that defy all typing skills. So, here's what I've learned.
A buzz that sounds like one location can actually come from anywhere else.
Things to check going from the easiest to fix to the most expensive.
Pray for immediate patience and fast solutions.
Straplocs - check tightness to the instrument and ensure the scew inside is tight. Remove the strap and see if the buzz persists. I add washers and such to some of my straps to keep this assembly from buzzing.
Tighten the tuners.
Look at the Nut and ensure the strings go through and not just on and that there isn't too much slop. Nut buzz is isolated by the use of a capo/cappoe.
Is the neck straight? No high spots?
Move and readjust inside wires, battery boxes or preamp cans. Remove the Preamp. There are two holding screws on the LX that can be too tight or too loose.
Take apart and reassemble the saddle and shims ensuring good seating.
Loose braces can be found by a visual inspection using a mirror and bright light. You can also apply pressure with the heal of your hand to different spots and see when the buzz stops.
Glueing braces is best left to authorized repair Techs and Luthiers. But try everything else to see if it really is the brace. |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| I have been trying everything else. I will check again, though. How much does one of these repair guys usually charge for something like this? |
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March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Is it possible that one of those shims that always fall out is tapered? If it is & you put it back wrong end up that might cause the problem. |
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Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 117
| I have two shims. A black one and a white one. Neither one is tapered. The black one has grooves on one the back of it, but it's even on each side. I put the black one on bottom and the white one on top, and I tried switching them and turning them around. I just restrung, hoping the shim positions were the problem, and realized that it unfortunately wasnt. |
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January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Rent a buzz detector as a last resort. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Is that anything like a "BuzzKill"??
. . . I've met far too many of THEM . . . |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| So... if I'm positive that it is the brace, what should I do? Should I try regluing it, or should I take it in to a guitar shop and see if they'll repair it, or what? How much does that cost? |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | you can fix it... if you can reach it to apply glue and "clamp" or brace it while it dries...
you'll need a DeepThroated clamp or... fashion some cut to length flexible struts that you can slightly bend and wedge 'tween the bowl and the brace or... and this is my personal favorite, though I haven't tried it yet (far as I know it's an original idea) use a medium sized party balloon or ball, place under the brace and inflate gently...
or is a pretty cheap and easy fix for a luthier my guess is under $30 |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Oooh, Ooooh!!! I LIKE that party balloon idea!
That is a fine bit of Applied Engineering to Problem Solving. Give that man a raise! |
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August 2006
Posts: 2804
Location: ranson,wva | i made some fiberglass brace jacks with a caul epoxyed to both ends and a ball of modeling clay on the cauls. the clay keeps the bottom from kicking out on the bowl...works pretty good. i used them today to glue the braces back in my 1624 that got busted last night......jason |
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December 2005
Posts: 117
| Well, I took it in to White House of Music here, and the guitar tech guy had a look at it. He said that it was because the frets were really unlevel, and so I'm paying 110 dollars to get the frets leveled and the guitar re set up. That better fix it! |
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October 2004
Posts: 256
Location: chicago | The most recent buzz I had was.....well maybe not the most recent! The 1/4" jack nut was loose and it vibrated thru the body so you could not easily locate it.
www.guitarsoffire.com |
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Buzz caused by shim position?
