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Post subject: Extent of repair to fix buzzing?
Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2010 3:00 pm
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Hello, first post, so please be gentle. I just bought a Fender CD140SCE. Originally I planned to get it online, but since I was worried about manufacturing defects I decided to pay a little extra and pick it up at a store. Good thing, too, the first two had scarring on the fretboard and body (even though they were wrapped in tissue and still in their boxes). But the one I grabbed looked in good condition and sounded good.

I didn't have it set up b/c I was leaving for Mexico two days after purchase. So I just started playing it out of the box. At first, it seemed fine, but I am pretty new to guitar.

I'm taking lessons in Mexico, and while I was working through my circle of chords I noticed that anything requiring me to play first string third fret (G) would buzz. It was noticeable just fretting the note, but when I played chords it was obnoxious - more buzz than note. And it only buzzes there.

I tried wiggling the string around a bit on the saddle (a guitar I previously owned had some plastic shavings in the saddle groove, and moving the string a bit had fixed a buzz then). I tried loosening and retightening the string. No luck, and worse I dug a bit of a pit into the saddle with the string (it's so small and sharp). It's not deep, but it's there. Salt on the wound: the string snapped while I was re-tuning it. This let me check with a new string, but still it buzzes.

This makes me think it's a fret issue. The guitar wasn't set up, it's machine made, and weather in Mexico is a bit extreme (hot days, freezing nights). I'm looking for a local luthier to adjust the frets or re-fret it.

But I'm also worried about the saddle. The first string generally cuts into a saddle kind of deep, and now I've sort of sawed-out a groove around the natural deep cut of the string, about the same depth as the thickness of my e string, or maybe a little less. It's not a big change, it doesn't appear anywhere near to touching a fret or even noticeably lower than other strings, and I imagine over time strings sink into the saddle naturally. But it still worries me.

Should I replace the saddle while I'm having the frets looked at? And if so, should I look for a specific kind (most likely a luthier here will have their own type of saddles, or only one brand available but I can order one and have it sent here). Or should I just let the saddle wear down until it needs to be replaced?

Sorry if these are dumb questions. This is the most expensive guitar I've ever owned and I'm a little freaked out that it has issues.


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Post subject: Re: Extent of repair to fix buzzing?
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 8:04 am
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Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Flamthrower wrote:
Hello, first post, so please be gentle. I just bought a Fender CD140SCE. Originally I planned to get it online, but since I was worried about manufacturing defects I decided to pay a little extra and pick it up at a store. Good thing, too, the first two had scarring on the fretboard and body (even though they were wrapped in tissue and still in their boxes). But the one I grabbed looked in good condition and sounded good.

I didn't have it set up b/c I was leaving for Mexico two days after purchase. So I just started playing it out of the box. At first, it seemed fine, but I am pretty new to guitar.

I'm taking lessons in Mexico, and while I was working through my circle of chords I noticed that anything requiring me to play first string third fret (G) would buzz. It was noticeable just fretting the note, but when I played chords it was obnoxious - more buzz than note. And it only buzzes there.

I tried wiggling the string around a bit on the saddle (a guitar I previously owned had some plastic shavings in the saddle groove, and moving the string a bit had fixed a buzz then). I tried loosening and retightening the string. No luck, and worse I dug a bit of a pit into the saddle with the string (it's so small and sharp). It's not deep, but it's there. Salt on the wound: the string snapped while I was re-tuning it. This let me check with a new string, but still it buzzes.

This makes me think it's a fret issue. The guitar wasn't set up, it's machine made, and weather in Mexico is a bit extreme (hot days, freezing nights). I'm looking for a local luthier to adjust the frets or re-fret it.

But I'm also worried about the saddle. The first string generally cuts into a saddle kind of deep, and now I've sort of sawed-out a groove around the natural deep cut of the string, about the same depth as the thickness of my e string, or maybe a little less. It's not a big change, it doesn't appear anywhere near to touching a fret or even noticeably lower than other strings, and I imagine over time strings sink into the saddle naturally. But it still worries me.

Should I replace the saddle while I'm having the frets looked at? And if so, should I look for a specific kind (most likely a luthier here will have their own type of saddles, or only one brand available but I can order one and have it sent here). Or should I just let the saddle wear down until it needs to be replaced?

Sorry if these are dumb questions. This is the most expensive guitar I've ever owned and I'm a little freaked out that it has issues.


Welcome.

Not to worry! Your problem is common and remedy is simple enough.

That saddle should be addressed and not left to time.

There is a good chance that the whole saddle can be taken down a bit until that cut you put in it disappears.

You may have a reverse warp in the neck causing your malady and/or the fourth fret may be high.

You're best bet is to get it to a competent luthier or tech. You won't need new frets and if (s)he feels the saddle does have to be replaced, any decent service facility should have plenty in stock and since yours is made out of plastic, it shouldn't be expensive either.

FWIW: The drift I catch here is that you haven't had the guitar very long. These are things that the store you bought it from should have taken care of for you for free as soon as you found problems. Unfortunately now, they might give you a hard time about your 'artwork' to the saddle negating the warranty.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:04 pm
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I agree totally,

You may have a high fret or a portion of high fingerboard. All it takes is a fret leveling for a small area around your problem fret by a professional. But, do not do this by yourself unless you have the special tools for leveling or you could damage more the area around the problem fret.

Also, you mentioned the teperature range is extreem (high-low). If you have dry humidity it could cause the sound board (the top where the hole and saddle are) to flatten or concave. This in turn lowers your action (the space between the frets and strings). More humid areas are no problem as long as you don't wet the guitar. But dry seasons (humidity under 40 percent) could pose a problem resuliting in more buzzing on some parts of the neck. These problems (usually lower action) can be fixed with simple adjustments to the truss rod and shims under the saddle (near the hole) and or nut (before the 1st fret). If you have solid wood guitars (not venier or plywood) keep them humidified to prevent cracks.

Hope I didn't confuse you.


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