Hi all. As the title really.
I ask becuase i keep getting a re occuring buzz on my 62 hot rod strat. Had it for about 6 weeks now and in that time i ve set it up once and its been back to the shop twice for setting up to cure this buzz. On mainly d,g and b strings all the way up the neck, but not when open strings. One set up up it goes ok for about a week then returns as before. But sooner following a string change. I play it for at least a couple of hours each day and re string it once a week before a studio session. Changing one string at a time, unless i oil the fret board which ive done twice since i ve had it. Its always kept in the same room at a steady room temp.
I like the string height around 2mm, which isnt excessively low and the neck relief is around .014" which feels, and is excessive. No visibly high frets. Pup heights as fender spec. Ive tried them lower in case of string pull. Been round every screw on the guitar and nothing loose. Nothing loose around tuning pegs?
I understand the they have to settle in for a time but the constant ressurection of this buzz is really starting to bother me. Love this guitar and when it aint buzzing is phenomenal. Even the 57/62 pick ups have grown on me.
Any suggestion please forumites.
Just to add. I use Fender super bullet strings. Could the bullet end of the string not be a good match in the vintage tremolo block a be a possible cause? Grasping at straws i know but running out of ideas?

Thanks all in advance.

Can one the mods please move this thread to the stratocaster section. I put it in the wrong one. My mistake

Happy new year.

if your truss rod isnt slipping and nothing is moving, then id do a light frett dressing on it, also check the curvature of the neck compared to the strings, by looking down the neck from the body side, look out for what i call the banana effect, where the base of the neck needs to be shimmed one way or the other, so that it is parallel to the guitar body or slightly higher on the headstock side of the neck pocket compared to the bridge side of the neck pocket, im sure youve already checked that, but my strat had similar symptoms and re aligning and shimming the neck sorted it out...

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blues - its a religion...

The neck does appear to be parallel in the pocket. And there is ample string height for the strings to be clearing the frets. Whats throwing me is thats it fine after a set up, but all goes so wrong soon after.
I know you cant really compare but my CS strat is set up identical to my 62, fine initially but then lasts a week before its buzzing like an angry bee.

Sight unseen, it would only be a lengthy list of guessing so I'll recuse myself. I will say this though, stop slopping the oil on the fingerboard as once a year is quite enough.

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You dig?

By hearing that, these are my thoughts. There have been a few techs here who have been known to do band-aid fixes when someone brings a guitar in for buzzing. I've found that there are a few who want to just relief the neck until it stops and send it back out the door.

The shimming previously talked about is one scenario. The other would be that the frets just aren't leveled correctly. It sounds like a high fret somewhere to me. I would take a small straight edge. Somewhere about 3"-4" long and check for any individual frets that are rocking. I usually check with a 12", 6" and 3" straight edge just to see if there are any discrepancies in fret heights.

I personally don't buy into the idea that relief is always the answer. I won't tolerate anything but a very minimal amount. I have too many good necks around here that I keep as straight as anything, and no buzzing can be heard anywhere. That being the case, I won't let anyone give me that as an excuse or a band-aid fix.

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Ill check the frets with a straight edge once the new years day hangover cleared.
Just a thought though. If it was a high fret, the buzz should go once your fretting above the offending fret. But i get the buzz all the way up to the 21st fret.

Definately not a high fret. Been up and down frets and all good. Only at the 17th fret under the high e is there one with a fraction in it. And it is a fraction. But my problem not on high e. Just d,g and b. All the way up and down the neck.

Hi dc01: out of curiosity, who is the tech who has worked on this guitar for you? Or, which shop?

Cheers - C

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Bob in pmt Romford. Always been well pleased with what he has done for me before.

Have you thought about replacing the nut? It's a possibility that the furrows have worn to deep. I'd check the frets first but the nut would be a good place to look.

Ah, OK. I was going to suggest you give Charlie Chandler a call. His shop, Guitar Experience, is down in Hampton Wick - but that is stupidly far for you. Still, he does techy work for many of the biggest names in the guitar world who live over there, so highly recommended. ...If you fancy a long drive.

Alternatively, if a second opinion would be useful Steve Macari of Macaris Guitar Shop in the Charing Cross Road is well worth talking to. They know what they're about in there. Macari also lately took over the old Music Ground premises in Denmark Street. Music Ground used to have a very good guy working in the basement - I don't know if he's still working for the new owners. Either way, Steve's an excellent guy to talk to about this sort of thing. I'd phone first to be sure of finding him in before coming all the way in from Romford, though.

Some possibilities, at any rate. I suspect this issue is beyond sorting out over the internet.

Good luck - C

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Cheers Ceri. I'll look into it mate. Ta for the suggestions.

Though just to speculate wildly (and probably pointlessly) it sounds like something is moving neckwise once the guitar is set up, over the next hours or day or two, doesn't it? If it's something like that then perhaps the tech needs to keep it for a few days and recheck the measurements several times and make any trussrod or other adjustments accordingly.

Maybe, just maybe there is actually something wrong with the neck itself: an extended stay with the tech would allow him to assess that, too. And just supposing you are into the realms of repairs or replacements then I guess it would be best to stay dealing with the shop where you bought it. Warranty issues get kinda fiddly once more than one shop is concerned.

Hmm. Tricky.

I don't know if you are aware but Forum user Martian (above) has more experience with this technical stuff than most of the rest of us put together. The very fact he doesn't want to express an opinion speaks volumes - but still I'd be fascinated to know the list of possibilities in his mind. Impossible to diagnose without the guitar in front of you... but you can't help wondering!

Best of luck with it, and if you get it sorted we'd be glad to hear how.

Cheers - C

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Yes, it seem as if something is moving following the set ups its had.
I ve already taken my gear out the case for an extended stay at the shop. I do think for the time being i am better of sticking with them as it is not even 3 months old yet and ill still get any warranty honoured by them without any problems as i do have a good relationship with the most of the staff in there.
I did get the impression that Martian is well versed in these type of things. As you say, impossible to diagnose without the guitar in front of you. But i would be interested to hear his opinions to a possible cause. Assuming of course that the set ups its had is initially done well to begin with.
Ill let you know the out come when resolved.