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Post subject: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 7:09 pm
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Hi,
I recently came across a great deal on a used, MIM black Strat (same as a couple of months ago - it was like deja vu all over again).

Bought the guitar for a song, and re-strung it with Elixir Nanowebs, but have been noticing the (to me) strangest thing.

Was doing some double-stops, and notice that whenever I play the A string at the 5th. fret, and D string at the 4th. fret together, it sound terrible. Sliding the same shape (is it a 6th.?) to any other fret sounds fine, but this sounds awful.

My tuner confirms that I am in tune, and I am not bending the strings in any way.

There is some fret buzz almost all the way along several of the strings on the guitar, and I do plan to raise the action to compensate for that, but I have had string/fret buzz on other guitars and have never encountered this sound.

The neck is straight as a die - just like the other MIM I mentioned.

Has anyone had this kind of experience? If so, why is this happening, and what would you suggest that I do about it?

Thanks for any replies.


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 8:52 pm
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Have you checked your intonation?


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 10:19 pm
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Sounds like you may need to have the frets leveled and re-crowned.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:40 pm
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I think Arjay tagged it.

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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 10:38 am
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Hi BMW-KTM, bluenotes, and Arjay,
Many thanks for your replies.

I had forgotten to say in my previous, original, message that the intonation is OK on the guitar.

However, something happened yesterday which seems to have solved the situation.

You may recall me saying in my original post that I had just restrung the guitar, and although it was playing alright with regard to being in tune, at one point yesterday after I post the message I was bending the sharp ends of the strings back towards the machine heads, and a couple of strings went out of tune.

I re-tuned, and the problems I was talking about disappeared.

Even though I had originally stretched the strings after putting them on the guitar, I think that I was experiencing a little string slippage of some sort, and this must have caused the out of tune/dissonant sounds I was experiencing, even though three of my tuners told me that everything was in tune.

However, given that the buzzing is still an issue, I think I do need - as Arjay suggested - to take a look at crowning the frets, or at the very least I might need to adjust the action, even though it is currently the recommended height.

Many thanks for your help with this.


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 12:11 pm
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On buzzing issues, do a diagnose first and treat (=adjust) accordingly. I'm all for as little relief as possible, but (depending on where the buzzes occur), you might test what adding a little relief does with your normal action.

The frets (wear, unevenness, wrong shape etc.) may be the cause of all evil here, so how are the frets now?


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:16 am
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Try another set of strings. Its unusual but I had a weird similar issue with my Tele a little while back.
Did a string change, tuned up and one string (the G) would sound weird and buzz like crazy on certain notes / chords as if the intonation was WAY out. Sounded fine played open but as soon as I'd go higher than the fourth fret it went out of whack. I changed just that string over and all was fine again.


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 3:36 am
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Friends don't let friends use Elixir strings.

Check for grooves or flat spots on the frets around that area

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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 6:23 am
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Hi folks,
Many thanks for the continued suggestions.

I will try changing my strings (I do not like the Elixirs anyway), and if that does not work, will put a little concave relief in the neck.

The frets are not worn at all, and I know that the guitar was sitting in a case, unplayed for 5 years before I bought it.


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:08 am
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I'd have a tech take a look at those frets.

And double-check the intonation

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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:21 am
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Hi de Melo,
I may do that.


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 6:55 am
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This is just my own $.02 here...mostly just reiterating what others have already said.

First and foremost, if the frets are not showing any signs of heavy wear, I would NOT have the frets crowned at this point! Having your frets re-crowned takes life out of those frets and while sometimes it is certainly necessary, there is absolutely NO reason to do it unless you're 100% sure that's the problem.

Second, I agree 100% with ninja there - "Friends don't let friends use Elixir strings". I know there's folks out there who swear by the damn things, but I still don't understand why....they're over-priced, they feel weird and they just don't sound natural (to my ears at least). While I'm normally a huge fan of GHS strings, in this case I'd suggest good ol' Ernie Ball Slinkeys...at least until you get the bugs worked out.

Beyond that, the simple truth is that 9/10's of problems with Strats, regardless of origin, cost, etc., usually comes down to the setup more than anything else! After the number of years I've been playing, I'm still truly amazed at the number of people who just don't understand the importance of a good setup...particularly with Strats. The first thing that catches my attention in the original post is "The neck is straight as a die"...that COULD be the problem right there. Strat necks do, as a general rule, need an ever so slight about of bow (most guitars need some relief...'tis the nature of the beast). -IF- you're comfortable doing your own setups, I would suggest following the Fender setup guide found on this website...trying loosing up that truss rod just a tich (only an 1/8th to a 1/4 turn), measure, then compensate for string height with your saddles if needed. If you do decide to adjust the truss rod a bit, I do very much recommend giving the guitar a day or two between adjustments (assuming you need more) to give the wood a chance to "settle in". With some of my older guitars (early to mid 90's) I often give them a week or more when doing truss rod adjustments, just to make sure things stay put.

You also may wish to check the nut as well. It's not unheard of that the nut should be worn or may have even been mis-filed at some point in the guitar's life. I've seen one or two examples where someone changed to a heavier string gauge and refiled the nut (usually a good idea), however got the string slot just a tich deeper than it should be.

There could be other issues to look at as well...some folks like to "deck the trem" for example, which requires a different setup than having the trem float. Spring tension on the trem can also be a factor depending on setup. Oh...and take a look at your pickup height as well...just did that one myself! LOL! Put some new pickups in one of my MIM's and was having an odd buzzing, but it was ONLY happening at certain frets....so I thought the issue was perhaps with the neck from the guitar having sat in storage for a while. Turned out that the bridge pickup was just a bit too close to the strings...backed off the pickup, buzzing went away (DOH!).


In short - Seriously...I'd go over that setup REALLY well before I did too much of anything else to the guitar.


Just my own opinions...please use them for what they're worth to you!


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Post subject: Re: HELP - Problem with MIM Strat
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 12:32 pm
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Hi lomitus,
I really appreciate you going to the effort and taking the time to respond to my post.

Thank you.

You raised a couple of issues which I had not thought about - the nut notches possibly being filed too deeply (never thought about that one), and/or the pickups possibly being too high (had completely forgotten that that might cause buzzing).

With the pickups possibly being too high, though, would it not usually be the case that the string would buzz at any fret, if that were the problem? This is not quite the case here.

I have another Strat (3 in total) which came set up with a slight bow in the neck, and (deliberate, I am sure, as part of the set up), but that has its own problems, and in many ways, the MIM I talk about here is in better shape than its more expensive (also MIM) brother.

I feel confident adjusting the truss rod, having done it before, but that is about all. I guess that I am being a bit cheap at the moment by not taking the guitar in for a proper set up, but will probably do that at some point as I cannot really be bothered to get into all of those caliper-measurements, and do not really trust myself to do so.

I have, though, previously have a couple of problems with others doing set ups that made things a bit worse for me, and those people were professionals.

I will keep this thread up-to-date with what happens.

Once again, many thanks for your help.

drutgat


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