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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:22 pm
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Hi BigJay: two quick and easy tests, and then we can take it from there.

I doubt it's the pickup heights but to be sure simply lower them by a turn on all six height adjustment screws. That way you can easily put them straight back where they were without difficulties, once the test is done. Does that sort the issue? Yes/no - now you know if it's the pups.

Next. If the strings are buzzing just near the dusty end try a temporary shim to see what happens. That'll give us some information to work with.

Slacken the strings, then loosen all four neck bolts just a few turns, till a small gap opens up between the back of the neck and the floor of the neck pocket. Then insert a small shim in there at the front of the neck pocket (the end nearest the tuners). This is the opposite to the way necks more often need to be shimmed: we're trying to just tilt the neck forwards a touch to see if that gives the clearance that makes the buzz go away. For the shim a calling card perhaps folded in two or a similar thickness piece of card will be fine. This is just temporary!

Then tighten the neck bolts, retune and give it lash. Let us know what happens.

One more thing: do you have The Guitar Player Repair Guide? Best few dollars you will ever spend on your guitar, for this and so much more...

Cheers - C


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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:26 pm
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It can cause some weird buzz's. It ususally manifests itself on the two E strings first. It could well be that youve raised the pole pieces too high. Sink the pickups flush with the pickguard and see if it persists.

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:29 pm
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Before trying what Ceri suggests (very good suggestion) I would try to flatten out the neck a little more. Fender specs are more or less an average starting point and your guitar may need to be fine tuned more.
Personally I push the limits when setting up my own guitars.

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:36 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
Before trying what Ceri suggests (very good suggestion) I would try to flatten out the neck a little more. Fender specs are more or less an average starting point and your guitar may need to be fine tuned more.
Personally I push the limits when setting up my own guitars.


Chet, since you're around I bet BigJay could benefit from that coin thing of yours for pickup height setting. And your output v sustain advice - kinda feel that stuff has your copyright on it!

:) - C


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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:38 pm
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Ceri wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
Before trying what Ceri suggests (very good suggestion) I would try to flatten out the neck a little more. Fender specs are more or less an average starting point and your guitar may need to be fine tuned more.
Personally I push the limits when setting up my own guitars.


Chet, since you're around I bet BigJay could benefit from that coin thing of yours for pickup height setting. And your output v sustain advice - kinda feel that stuff has your copyright on it!

:) - C


Thanks Ceri!

BigJay do a search here on the Forums for my "Nickel Method" posts.

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:25 pm
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BigJay wrote:
Thanks, Chet. I'll check out the nickle trick. I love those little tricks.

Regarding flattening out the neck, wouldnt that effectively lower the strings relative to the frets? Wouldnt that cause buzz by lowering the strings to the frets?


Let's see if I can explain this and get it right. If you capo both ends of your neck to measure relief you have both ends of the neck that are close to the strings and the middle that is farther away from the strings. When you are playing your guitar as you move up the neck (towards the pups) the string gets closer to the frets, if the angle is large then you will fret out or buzz at the higher frets. By flattening out the neck that angle is less and there should not be any fretting out or buzzing. HOWEVER adjustments need to be made not only on the neck, but the bridge too. The trem angle will need to be re-adjusted/checked, as well as saddle height. AND if you make any changes to any of those you will need to re-intonate also.

BTW: The neck relief on my guitars are set as low as I can get them and still be able to make adjustments for no fret buzz.

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:33 pm
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BigJay wrote:
Chet...Couple more quick questions about your Nickel Method....

"While fretting the low E at the last fret place 2 nickels on top of the polepiece and adjust it so the nickels just touch the bottom of the E string. Then for the high e fret at the last fret and use 1 nickel. Do that for all the pickups. Then turn your amp on at a low level and the guitar on 10 and adjust so that you get the same volume level on the E and e strings. Then any adjustments you make for tone make sure you adjust both sides of the pup the same amount of turns."

1) When you say "the last fret", does that mean at the body or the nut? Can I just capo at that last fret and then start stacking nickels and turning screws?

2) After turning "the amp on at a low level and the guitar on 10", you mention adjusting to get the same volume on the E and e strings. Do you mean tweaking height of the same pup at the E and e strings so that the volume of each string is the same (through the same pickup)?

Thanks, Chet!


The last fret meaning 21st or 22nd fret (the fret closest to the pickups).

Yes, You want to make sure that the volume level is the same on the E and e strings for each individual pickup.

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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:49 pm
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BigJay wrote:
BTW....what are you implying by the "dusty" part of the board???? Even hacks like me play up high once in a while.


"Once in a while." That was what I was implying... :wink:

It ain't a criticism: get very exhausted by players who seem to spend all their time shrieking away above the 15th fret. There's a whole neck there to be enjoyed.

The reason for the shim test is that neck bow and the relation of the whole neck (correctly adjusted for relief) to the body are two different things. Slackening the trussrod is very likely going to be the solution to your problems. But in case it isn't additional data is handy.

(Also I felt you might be amused by some further tinkering possibilities with your Strat. I sense that stuff appeals to you.)

You also need to examine all your frets one by one against a straight edge. I'd be quite surprised if you have that particular problem on a brand new neck, but it's possible.

Cheers - C


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Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:01 pm
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Straighten your neck dead flat, lay the guitar flat with a couple of credit cards under the body to lift it parallel to the neckplate. Measure from the worktop to the neck heel (it should be 1,1/4") then measure the worktop to the back of the headstock. They should be the same measurement. + 1/16 or 1/8 is ok, you dont want minus anything.

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