I have a 1987 American Series Strat. I just had a full set up done a few months ago. The set up included pulling the tremolo back to be flush with the body.

Recently, the high E string has started to fret out when I play bends at the 3rd thru 5th fret. I have a similar problem on the B string as well. Also the high E string sounds a little dead when I play around those frets.

My question is, in your opinion, could I correct this problem by adjusting the saddle height a little, or is this more likely a fret wire problem. I know that it is hard to diagnose without seeing the guitar up close, but any experiences or opinions are welcome.

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

Has it been rainy lately?

If you just had a full set up bring it back and tell them it did not do this before I brought it in. Either way very easy to fix.

Hi Finterra,
I'm all for professional set-ups, but I'm also all for personal knowledge of how its all supposed to work together to make some nice sounds.

I think if you check out the setup guide on http://www.fender.com/support/
this could help you and if you do want to do some setup, you can see that its pretty cost effective for the most part. A capo, some feeler gauges, a six inch ruler will take care of quite a bit on your set up.

Anyway......it could be several things, so start ruling things out and you should get a better idea of what exactly the problem may be.

Hope that helps a little bit!!
Best regards,
rob

Ooh - feels impudent posting after no lesser voice than Rob Schwarz of Fender. But I'm a brazen fool, so here goes...!

Hi finterra: you're talking about notes choking on low frets. So if you raise the action at the saddles you are going to have to take it way up in the air at the bridge before it makes much difference down the other end of the string. That wouldn't be too good.

I suspect you have a different issue. We haven't seen your 1987 Strat, so we don't know what condition the frets are in. But if it hasn't had at least one refret in 22 years then they are sure to be wearing a lot by now, most particularly on the lower frets, and most particularly on the treble side.

That will be taking some of those frets lower, so the string starts choking on the ones higher on the 'board. You very likely have grooves developing in the frets where you play the most chord shapes. Take a nicely focused picture of that end of your fingerboard and show us, why not?

An alternative possibility is that the string slots in the nut are cut a touch too deep on the high strings. Did you ask your tech to attend to that when you had your recent setup? Might he have thought he was doing what you wanted by taking them down a bit? Perhaps he did it just a fraction too much, and now there's been a little extra wear and the strings are sitting that few thou too near to the frets.

My money's on the previous option, though: worn frets.

Any more info you can give will help advise you further.

Good luck - C

Hi BigJay: I'm hypothesising that maybe finterra said to his tech, "please make my action feel as low as possible". If so, the guy might have just filed the nut slots down a touch as part of the package - and he might have done it that vital fraction too much.

But like you, I think the condition of the frets themselves is the most likely cause. Especially if this is a guitar that is suddenly getting a lot more playing than it has had for a long while. Then possibly the fret wear just passed that crucial point...

Cheers - C

If it has a vintage radius of 7.25 it is more likely to choke also. Have the frets done at 9.5.

Impudent? Impudent you say?!! (peeks at Webster online) Aha!!!
Now you have incurred my wrath!!! ..........ok ....I'm good now.
Thanks Ceri!! All good advice on here.......However, I'm sticking with what I said pretty much.....but I'll add this: since everything works in synchronicity all of that stuff plays a part. It could be that the neck is too straight or perhaps even overbowed....which would lead to buzzing on the low end....as opposed to when a neck is underbowed, which normally causes buzz on the high end. So....back to...check everything make sure its all good...including the stuff you mentioned, Ceri. Bridge-nut-neck-strings-height----perhaps even pickup height....all works together.

PS a smaller radius (or one more round--like 7.25) DOES require higher action then a flatter radius (like a 12"---or 17" - think Metal Style guitars)
where you can get the string height pretty low without rattle or buzz....but still...it can be done.

Best regards,
rob

Hi Rob:

Ha! Excellent - yes of course! Didn't even think of that one...

Thank you! - C

Me again!!
Hi ya Big Jay,
There's a wealth of information online about this and writing about it can get quite lengthy....so I'm gonna be lazy (sorry) and share a link that I personally think explains and pictures it pretty well: http://www.ratcliffe.co.za/articles/radius.shtml

And yes, optimally, the bridge pieces will follow the curvature of the frets as you sight down the neck....a good bridge crown plays a decent part in the formula as well.
Ok....gotta switch back to other parts of the Customer Service thingie.

Hope you 're all doing great and thanks for posting and all!
Best,
rob

BJ,

Your posts often leave me wondering if you are questioning people's comments to challenge their accuracy (you doubt the comment or disagree) or if you really want to know the science behind their comments (you believe them and want to understand why). My guess is that it is a bit of both. I too like lie to know the science behind things but I don't get much satisfaction out of discrediting people, with some exceptions of coarse.

I believe that a smaller radius will be more prone to buzz and fret out due to the additional curvature of the frets unless you use higher action to accomodate. The smaller the radius, the more the fret height changes in the area under the string, and you have to adjust string height for the highest part of the fret under the string.

As far as fret out, again I think it relates to the curvature and the greater changing heights of the fret under the string. My guess is there is inconsistencies in the fret heights along the radius that become more pronounced in smaller radius because when you bend, the part of the string that moves the most is the part of the string touching your finger. The rest of the vibrating string is not moving at the same distance, and since fret heights change in relation to the string on smaller radius necks fret out issues are more likely to pop up.

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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