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Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it

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enash
Posted 2005-12-31 12:45 PM (#270917)
Subject: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 11

Location: Island Lake, IL
First I want to mention I searched the threads and could not find anything like what i am experincing...

I have a 1778T and was buzzing pretty good...so I put new strings on it cause it needed them anyways (D'Addairo EXP bluegrass) and it helped but I am still getting buzzing on the four lower strings (two high string too..but not as bad)...especially when i play the Em chord i get a terrible buzz on the "A" string...

buzzing apears to be coming from the sound holes (bridge?)

since i finger the fret up from 2nd fret it buzzes..if i play on the fret it goes away...do i need a neck adjustment?...

when i strum all the strings open there is no buzz...

my local music store is closed for the weekend so i am hoping i can resolve it at home...

thanks for any help..
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enash
Posted 2005-12-31 1:18 PM (#270918 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 11

Location: Island Lake, IL
oh one more thing...as i was putting new strings in i flipped over the guitar to clean the back and the saddle fell out as did the shims...there was three brown colored shims and what seemed to be a white shim about half as long....not sure if that was part of the package and the owners manual says there are usally only three shims...
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Jeff W.
Posted 2005-12-31 4:15 PM (#270919 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039

Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub
sounds like you MIGHT need a complete set-up, if it was buzzing before you changed the strings and the shims dropped out...

Measure the the from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the high and low E strings. Get a good instrument that measures in at least 32nd increments. The measurements should be about betwen 3 and 5/32. If you shim to that height and still get buzzing turn the truss rod 1/4 counter clockwise wait a few hours and then test it...

Before you do the whole setup thing...go through the entire guitar and tighten all nuts... bridge, jacks, knobs, tuning posts...all of them inside and out..
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JeffreyD
Posted 2006-01-01 8:55 AM (#270920 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
September 2004
Posts: 777

Location: East Wenatchee, WA
You may be in for a set-up. I downloaded the Ovation manual, got out my feeler gauges and dial calipers and ran through the well defined process (use a Capo between the nut and 1st fret or you will need a third hand).

My inspection of my Adamas indicated that there was a definate Warp, but it was barely within specs (high end). However, in specs with NO shims means I had a problem. Probably could have messed with it myself, but decided to let a professional do it.

I had a buzz on the b-string and sometimes the high e strong while playing chords involving anything with the first 2 or 3 frets, yet up the neck, using bar chords, no buzz, yet the action was too high.

By the way...like a fool, I just said do it without asking how much... What should a set-up cost?
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Jeff W.
Posted 2006-01-01 9:13 AM (#270921 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039

Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub
Originally posted by cardinalflyer:
By the way...like a fool, I just said do it without asking how much... What should a set-up cost?
depends on what actually gets done...

-if it's just setting the action and neck, $35-40

-action and fret work around $75

-action, fretwork, bone/saddle work...$100 or so
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enash
Posted 2006-01-01 10:45 AM (#270922 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 11

Location: Island Lake, IL
Thanks for the help....

I did tighten the tuners..there is a 10mm nut on the topside and they were a little loose..however the pins that the strings go thru were still a little wobbly after i tightened the nuts down..is that normal?

Also..when i took the back access cover off the little piece that holds the wires was no longer attached..looks like ovation used a two sided tape...

Cleaned the fret board with 0000 stell wool and polished it up with lemon oil..cleaned everything up with powerchord...

none of this helped...when i play it also sounds so tinny and industrial...not warm at all...

i could not check the string height cause i dont have a gauge...so i will probally take it back to the music shop and have them finish it up...
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philboyd studge
Posted 2006-01-02 9:08 PM (#270923 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 25

Location: La Quinta, Ca.
How's the humidity were the guitar is? It's best to keep it around 45%. If it's a lot lower than that the top will go down some, often causing string buzz. Extended low humidity can eventually effect the neck and frets and cause finish cracks.

Ovations are industrial strength in many ways but they're still using wood and that requires some care. Anyway, a Dampit humidifier or something like it with the guitar in it's case will stabilize it in no time if the strings weren't buzzing before.

Good luck
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Mike O
Posted 2006-01-03 2:50 PM (#270924 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 83

Location: Norman, OK
Can't be sure from your post but I'll share a buzz experience (on the guitar ;) ) I had trouble pinpointing. Like yours the sound seemed to be coming from the soundholes not necessarily the strings themselves. As it turned out the 1/4 inch jack connector has a loose ground arm in the phenolic housing it is part of. It would only resonate at certain frequencies. I taped some foam around the connector to dampen it and the buzz went away. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Mike O
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enash
Posted 2006-01-03 11:12 PM (#270925 - in reply to #270917)
Subject: Re: Fret Buzzing - cant pinpoint it


Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 11

Location: Island Lake, IL
It turned out to be a minor neck adjustment as well as my inability to fret a chord properly...

I bought a machinist ruler that had markings in 32nds of an inch and check the setup...and acording to the Ovation manual i am right within factory settings...

but thanks for your input...mine did have the wire holder come loose inside and i just glued it back in with 2-part epoxy....
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