I have a 1987 American Series Strat. I just had a set-up / intonation / truss rod adjustment service on the guitar and I love the action and generally it plays very well.

One small problem is that when I play an A (5th fret on the high E), the note sounds very dead. I sounds like a 'plink' rather than a full resonating note. All other notes up and down the fingerboard sound fine. Also when I bend on this fret, the note doesn't seem to reach the target note ..... that is I can't seem to get it to ring as a 'B'. It also seems very dead and 'buzzy' sounding.

Is this caused by the fret wire at the 5th fret being too high ? Can this corrected by sanding the fret at that point ? If so is this an easy correction than anypone can do .... or should it be left to a professional ?

Your thoughts and opinions would be appreciated.

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2008 American Standard Tele
1987 American Series Strat
198x G&L (for slide)
Super Champ XD
Roland Cube

You should take it to a professional, he should be able to find the problem and solve it !

If the 5th fret isn't ringing true (and this can include when you bend the note), premising there is nothing wrong with the fret and the guitar is set up correctly, 98% of the time the fret directly above it, in your case, the 6th fret is high and in the other 2%, it is the fret two above, again, in your case, the 7th fret.

To correct a high fret, one does not simply sand it. It has to be measured against the others, filed, crowned and then lightly sanded and polished. I've seen more extensive damage done to frets and fingerboards by those who just whip out the sand paper and start by giving the wrong fret 'the treatment' and then the, "domino effect of destruction" ensues.

This problem can be easily and quickly corrected by a competent professional and it should not be an expensive task. I urgently recommend you seek one out.

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