I'm in NY. How much do you want to sell it for?

I know he does not want to hear it, but it sounds like a truss rod issue to me. It could be the neck shim thing too, I know nothing about that though.

Fret issues tend to be isolated to a few spots where the fret wear is more extreme, like an area that you play a lot and bend a lot. My case its always around the 15th fret at the high E.

_________________
Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

I agree with you about not wanting to hear about the truss rod, nut, etc. Playing around with these MAY treat symptoms but NOT causes as your problem doesn't lie there.

Sight unseen, logic dictates that a guitar which has been constantly played since 2002 and having standard sized frets at that, would definitely be needing fret work to some tangible degree by now and possibly, accompanying fingerboard work.

Consider: Under normal playing conditions, some areas of the fingerboard get played more than others. Also, everyone has their favorite places where they habitually play on the neck more so than on other areas. Consequently, the frets and the fingerboard will wear unevenly causing all sorts of buzzing with the radical adjustments of a supposedly, 'meticulous' set up.

Why little or no symptoms before these three setups?

Again, once the rod, the saddles, etc. are all dramatically shifted, that's when the symptoms really manifest because prior to this, everything was wearing down/in unevenly in some kind of synchronous malady. It's like that old joke, "Doc, my arm hurts when I do this." (Patient raises arm over his head.) The doctor replies, "Well, don't do that." So, the impairment was always there, just waiting for its arm to be raised. Remember, you were performing periodic and for lack of a better word, "modest" maintenance rather than a full blown setup. Or, to put it another way, the guitar was traumatized with all these components' being radically redirected to where the guitar is now crying, "Uncle".

Any experienced tech would be able to pick this off right away, alert you to it and counsel you as to what I have said above about symptoms vs. causes and why a 'meticulous' setup with outstanding results would be impossible without addressing the fret issues prior. I hate to say it but many techs know many customers will go for a setup with no problem but when they hear, "fret work", they panic and refuse it. On the other hand, if the customer says, "Do the best you can without fretwork", then the tech is covered and in essence, absolved of a perfect job. Of note too, is the fact that most customers have SOME basic knowledge of the workings of truss rods, intonation, etc. Yet, when you talk frets to most, all they know is, it is a large expense and something they know very little about which scares them; I'd be scared too for all the obvious reasons!

Contrary to popular belief, no chapter in a, "how to" book shall help you master fret work, no matter how well written or illustrated it is. Superior fret work takes many years of practice after many months of superior professional elbow training and guidance. Inferior fretwork will destroy an instrument. Granted, fretwork isn't brain surgery but look at it this way: By merely reading a well written and illustrated pamphlet on say, driving, cannot make you a seasoned driver.

My profound apologies to anyone whom I may have offended as this was surely not my aim. I'm just trying to put some things in perspective.

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You dig?

My ventura needed major work a couple of years ago. The headstock broke at the neck joint(Yes it has a joint there). I was lucky as the glue gave and the wood did not break. The frets were way gone years before I ever retired the guitar. It had dead notes in various spots, and you had to raise the action to high to make them go away. I actually learned to play and not use certain notes, as it was my only guitar. Then after the neck broke it sat in my closet for 10 years on a guitar stand.

I took it to a local luthier and he fixed the neck (You can't even tell where it broke, as he refinished the cracked area), replaced a worn saddle, reworked and re-attached the nut, leveled and crowned the frets and set it up for $200. It was the best $200 I ever spent. The guitar never played and sounded better.

I will never do pick taping again either, its hell on frets, as you hammer the string to the fret mercilessly at the speed of light...sounds cool though

_________________
Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

thank you all for your help. I believe im capable of learning how to fix guitars. The fear i have is learning through trial and error. I wouldn't want to try and then error my guitar. So i have no choice but to trust people who supposedly know more than me in this department. Unfortunately i got burned 3 times already by 3 different guys. Im not only frustrated and depressed about this...im very angry too. I will suggest working on the frets but fear its just gonna cost me money...without getting my guitar to sound the way it use to.

Sorry to hear about your guitar. Could you disclose the three shops you had your guitar serviced.

Thanks

This is good advise - Many good suggestions in this thread. Also good suggestion about Dans' book; I have it and it works!

UPDATE: First off, id like to thank all you guys who commented and helped me out. I recently brought my guitar to a tech recommended to me. This will be the 4rth tech now. He showed me that some frets were uneven and that my nut was a bit low. He is going to fix the frets on the guitar as well as raise the nut up a bit. He will also increase the gauge of my strings so that there is less vibration. I should be getting my guitar back by the end of the week. I hope this solves my fret buzz problem...if not..i guess i tried everything at this point..so its off to buy a brand new one.

Sounds like you are getting it sussed! Let us know how you made out.

Hello all.
So here is the latest update. I sent my guitar to the 4rth guy. He told me he will redo all the frets..and adjust the nut accordingly. He just called me today and said that although it sounds better...it didn't resolve all the buzzing.
I would ask for 800 dollars for this guitar. If anybody is interested. I do professional music recording..and a buzz here or there is detrimental to a recorded piece. Some of you many not care for buzzing bc you for the most part just jam or play. When it comes to recording...the buzzing can get in the way of everything.

I've done everything with this guitar. They adjusted it from head to toe. They did a setup, adjust the trust rod, redid the frets, adjusted the nut, the saddle etc.....and still there is buzzing.
I'm very disappointed...and out a lot of money for nothing. I love fender but not sure i want to put up with this again.

Thanks to all who helped!

Just got it back from the 4th guy today...fret buzz is still there.
Thanks for all your help