I know the feeling!

Just spent £1200 on a Malmsteen Signature Strat. Used capo and feeler gauges to set neck relief to 0.3 mm, and set action at bridge saddles down to 1/16" (4/64") top three strings, graduating down to 5/64th (2mm) at the bottom E string gradually, all highs measured with a steel engineering rular at the 17th fret.

Horrible buzz on most srings on most of the neck! Nut slightly high, but that should not be causing the problem.

Worse, there is a slight differnce between neck relief at 8th fret (capo on 1st fret), between the top and bottom E strings, probably 0.1 to 0.15mm. Perhaps this indicates a slight neck twist? Th Low E side had less relief than the high E, it would probably ber better if it were the other way round, as the heavier strings probably need more relief for un-impeeded vibration.

I'm beginning to wish I'd bought the Cheap Korean Ibanez JS model with a fantastic buzz-free low action that I saw a couple of weeks back!

I think I'll take it to the tech in Danmark St in London!

With regards to microtilt adjustments, I dont believe any have been made, it looks like there is no angle on it at all. how do I check to be sure?



good idea, never thought to measure this to check if the relif was different on one side of the neck to the other. man, this thread has me really worried about the guitar. never had such trouble or worry with any other guitar i owned.

Hi schmintan: just looking in and found your latest posts on this.

First thing: a difference of 0.1 mm on that third fret test for the nut is nothing. As Niki says, it doesn't sound like your nut is an issue (though you need to do the test for all six strings to be sure, not just the bottom E). In any case, if it was slightly high then that would coincidentally reduce buzz, not the reverse.

So what we're left with is buzz above the 12th fret on the bottom two strings, yes? Shimming your neck ain't going to help with that: it would lower the nut end relative to the tongue of the fretboard, lowering the action in that area and if anything making the problem worse. Leave your microtilt alone.

As Niki says (again) many people like the strings a little higher on the bass side to accomodate the wider arc they make as they vibrate. Imagine two curved lines one above another, as a cross section of the radius made by the fingerboard and the strings. Now tilt the top line so's it's lower on one side (the treble) than the other. That's how many people's strings end up being set.

Taylor acoustic guitars are set up with something along those lines, though done in a more ingenious way...

Tell us, by the way, are you more of a strummer or a picker? Heavy strumming will certainly lead to disproportionately more buzz on the lower strings and so need a higher action.

Still, we want to make this as close as possible to the Ibanez, don't we? And no reason why that can't be done (excepting the difference in fingerboard radius).

Before you even think about fret leveling check that issue through for yourself. Take a two foot steel ruler and lay it edge on along the neck in between the strings. You'll need to check each of those five between-string positions in turn. (With the strings slackened) use your trussrod to make the neck absolutely flat against the rule, so's it is touching the first and last frets and all those in between. Now look extremely closely to see if there is a gap between any fret and the ruler, or conversely whether one of the frets is sitting high and so making a gap above those on either side of it.

There's a more scientific way of checking that last issue, a high fret, but for that you have to have a specialist tool from Stewart-MacDonald (their fret rocker). Make do with your steel rule for now.

Very unlikely that you have uneven frets on a new guitar, but if you do this test will show it.

And by now we're kinda running low on options, far as diagnosis over the internet is concerned. This is a brand new American Deluxe Strat, right? Within which case we're reaching the point a professional needs to look at it. If you are within the first year of purchase then take it back where you bought it - or to any Authorised Fender Dealer - and get the thing checked out. A Deluxe should play perfectly straight out the box. If not, get it sorted under warranty. That's what it's there for...

Let us know how you get on, please; and good luck.

***

Adraindavidb: your issue is much easier to sort. If you have indeed got a warped neck (pretty rare) then a forum ain't the place to solve it. Take that guitar straight to a well respected (ask around) guitar technician for serious treatment.

Sorry!

Cheers - C

I dont have a 2 foot steel rule at present. il try to get out of work early this week to pick one up in a hardware store, however ive identified two luthier's not too far from me, that one from Navan you pointed me to and another guy called Tony Thompson, a luthier of 20 years expirience based in Arklow, Co Wicklow. He doesnt have a workshop anymore due to financial difficults but still has a basic workshop at his house and comes highly recommended.

Im going to make an appointment with one of them after Easter to look at the guitar. Its still 100% playable, and im just nitpicking with the action now but would like it to do what it says on the tin, so to speak.

Thanks for the update Ceri. Il post further updates when i have something to report.

Kind regards all.

When you make an appointment, try make sure the tech will let you sit in when he does his work. Most reputable techs will do this. Ironically, it seems to me the best techs, do the best job describing what they do, even though it may hurt them for repeat business.

But I guess, they earn your trust, so you will come back to them for any bigger jobs, and/or refer new people to them. i am also willing to bet, that most people don't develop the initiative to do their own work anyway.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I understand the procedure, which seems straight forward enough. But, with the EJ Strat the adjustment, as you know, is at the bottom of the neck. So to set the relief you must remove the neck. Would you suggest taking the guitar apart turn the screw a bit, put it back together wait a few days and see if that works? In my case I feel there isn't enough relief. Or should I just raise the strings at the saddles to give me more "room"...?

Hi mjh365, welcome to the Forum.

Well, yes: that's exactly right. That's why you set the relief first.

At the factory they aim to set the relief, tune the guitar to pitch and then perhaps have to do it again - a maximum of once. But then they set up guitars all day long and know by experience just how much to turn that screw.

Sometimes after a few hours or days the neck has settled a little and the relief needs a tweek one way or the other. In fact, you usually don't have to take it right off: just slacken the strings right down then undo the neck bolts half or three quarters of the way, which should allow the neck to rise out of the pocket enough to get at the screw.

Some people like that method and some don't: a matter of choice.

The essential part is, once the relief is set, leave it. Go on to the other parts of the setup. The people who have the troubles are always the ones who tinker with the relief a bit, then the action, then the relief again - back and forth.

Follow the logical sequence and things should go much better.

Good luck - C

I've never known a neck take more than a hour and a half to settle after truss adjustment. Make the adjustment and get the strings back to tension, leave it alone for a couple of hours then check it again.
Must admit heel end access is horrible. I have the belief that it was designed that way to discourage people from tinkering with it.

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No no and no

Hi Ninj: not seen you around much in daylight hours this week. I hope that means work opportunities are looking up...?

Cheers - C

That's what I thought, but I wanted to confirm it. I'm not usually one to mess with things, but it seems my neck "moved" a bit. It got straighter. I think I will turn the trussrod a little then put it back together. The EJ neck is very nice right out of the box. No buzzing, low action for a Fender, and a pleasure to play. Even for a hack like me. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Mike

Nothing that fortunate mate. Family member has been ill. I'm pretty much convinced to quit construction even when things do improve. I'd rather live on factory wages than have to suffer this every 15years

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No no and no

Oh, that's not good to hear. Best wishes to your family member: I hope things turn out well.

Mojo - C

PS And to mjh365: no probs. Cheers...

yeh dont mess with stuff youll just screw it up

Yeah she's fine now, back home and making her presence felt. it was my baby daughter. Man theres no worry like daughters.

Still i found a nice 2.0d xtype for sale whilst at the hospital.

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No no and no

Glad to hear Ninja Junior is on the mend. Warm feelings to her and you.

As to the X Type: you know what they say - it don't exist here without pics.

Man - I needed that car so much last week for my photos...!

Cheers - C