I have a year old deluxe ash strat with a maple neck very sparingly used.After a set up I still find buzzing on the higher frets above the 12 fret.I dont like to raise the string height beyond this as it spoils the feel.I was wondering if new guitars would generally buzz until the frets wear out as we play.Is this right?This start has a great feel & great for slides but the neck seems to be very straight with hardly any bow.(No room for credit card & driver license to get between the strings ).This is how it was set up when it came from Sweetwater.com .I gave it a slight bow by loosening the truss rod a little.But I love the neck feel & dont mind it being straight as long as it has no buzz.
Your ideas & tips would be appreciated

No reply so far!
Well it so happens that many guitars I own tend to buzz beyond the 12th fret.Even the new fender I have.I tightened the tremlo springs a bit & it seems to help.Someone said too much relief can cause buzz beyond the 12th fret.Let me know what you think.

It sounds like the neck pitch is off. Not the neck bow. Probably down to the microtilt adjuster being raised.

Neck bow affects frets 1-9, 10th fret at the most.

The only answer to your problem is to re-pitch the neck correctly or if thats sitting flat on the neck pocket floor (i.e. no microtilt raise) to raise the string height or get a upperfret drop off mod done to your guitar. Thats where the higher frets 15-22 get progresively lower.

Raising the saddles is the easiest solution. Upper fret drop off hampers upper fret playing and still requires a decent string height and precise fretting to maintain clarity.

Theres an outside chance you could have a fret raised. A very outside chance being as though the guitar is only a year old.

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[quote= get a upperfret drop off mod done to your guitar. Thats where the higher frets 15-22 get progresively lower.
"nikininja"]I[/quote]

I checked the micro tilt & it's at the zero point where the neck is lying flat.I guess that's pretty much the factory default right?
Can you explain what you meant by upperfret drop off mod?

The upper frets get progressively lower. Its a technique use a lot by high end classical guitar builders.

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There is at least one U.S. replacement parts company that build their 'strat' necks that way; so the drop-offf is built into the board, rather than achieving the effect by differential fret-stoning.

I must say, I was unaware of the pros/cons. Niki, perhaps you could set-up my guitars? I'm not particualry clued-up on these things, but it strikes me that some 'techs' know even less than me about the subject: I remember showing a strat to the tech employed by a well-known (and very large & well-stocked) shop in Brighton, the strings were way too high at the nut. he seemed to have absolutely no idea about how to go about optimizing it!! I've read about it but am unwilling to learn the techniques on my precious instruments - Shouldn't the height at the 1st fret be only a tad higher than the height at the 2nd fret with the strings fretted at the 1st??

AdrianDavid.

I'd be happy to set your guitars up. As I live quite a distance from you, I'll only do it if your there, its not done till your 100% happy. I'll show you how to do it and then you wont need my services any longer. Teach a man to fish and all that shabang.

I really dont blame the shop tech for shying away from nut work. I've done loads (including weird designs) and still get shivers when presented with it. One pass too many with the file and you can ruin a new nut. Not really a problem to me, I've still got bits of cow leg kicking around ( ) and can carve a new one in under a hour. Its still manages to get me thinking 'here we go' though.

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Thanks Niki, Where are you based? I might just take you up on that offer!

I have no idea about about when and how to adjust neck angle, or how even to recognise that it is required? I more than happy to make minor adjustments to bridge saddles and truss rod, but I don't really have the experience to know how to get the absolute best out of these tweeks

I tend to have by bridges flat to the body, either by simply tightening the screws in the bridge cavity, with or without blocking; as for the rest I simply try and get the action as close to Fender specs as I can, with correct neck relief for the camber, combined with saddlle ajustment for action and intonation. At these specs however, they often still choke-out on bending, and often rattle like a dog!

Trying to 'set-up' to a formular will never fully work though IMHO, perhaps no two necks will ever form quite the same profile of curve when subjected to the pull of the strings, wood being a very inconsistant material.

I suspect setting-up is a bit of a 'black-art', as much dependant on feel and experience, as it is on measurement!

I can attempt set-up 2 guitars to exactly the same parameters, one will choke-out on bending a given string at a given fret, the other won't!!!

My wife insists I'm a bit of an 'optimizer', never happy until things are as good as they can be!

Thats exactly right. Its as much about feel as it is about the ruler. I've set my guitars up to equal measurments, yet they all feel very different. Despite all having similar specs as regards radius. Fender necks are CNC cut but the final sanding is done by hand, hence the variation.

Now the important thing is that my hand is not your hand, my sense of touch is not your sense of touch. Your guitar has to be set up for you. So your input is vital for your guitar. You have to reach a point where your happy with the guitars comfort and its functional. Myself I go for a decent string height on all but the high E. That sits quite low to the board and compensates for my stubby fingers. I compensate that by bending on the B string. A radius gauge is of absolutely no use to me on a bridge setup. My bridge radius starts out at 16" on the bass strings (to allow for my heavy handed chording) and finish's up at something like 5 or 6" at the B to highE to compensate for my chipolata fingers. That just would not suit you after all its your high E that chokes on bends, you obviously use it.

Based on your ongoing problem it seems your problem may be fret level or neck tilt. Yes new american guitars can have fret level problems though their few and far between. The easy way to spot that is to look for a point where the rattles and string chokes dont appear. Example if the guitar has string buzz upto the 17th fret you can be fairly certain the 17th fret is a tad high. If it was the 15th fret high the 16th fret wouldnt buzz, would it?

I dont think that is all the problem however. You'll find its a few little things all contributing and making it seem like a bigger problem.
The little foxes spoil the vine, is the applicable saying.

I live in south lincolnshire, 30 miles east of nottingham. If ever you want to email me just click the email button below this post. Its there to be used.

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Tried emailing, but the system asked me a load of bollocks about servers and would'nt send it! Maybe something to do with hotmail?

I'm not sure I'm allowed to do this, but my email is:- adbraham@hotmail.co.uk

I'd be very grateful if you could get in touch Niki

thanks!

Adrian

Adrian,Your knowledge on the subject is awesome although the thread deviated from where it started.I can't fly to England since I'm in the US.However I will also email you regarding my guitar.I hope it's okay.

Adrian The email is sent.

JC as I said before anyone from these forums can contact me. Thats why I include my email address in the email button.

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I'd raise the string..it probably wouldn't be but 1/2 to 1 full turn of the adjustment screw

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08 Fender Highway One Tele-Sunburst
09 Squier Custom Tele II-Blonde
04 Squier Standard Strat Antiqueburst
07 Washburn D10SCE natural with Rosewood backing
Fender Mustang II amp


Experience is the best teacher

All of you are helping me out on this one... I have had the same issues for a year now with my Stratocaster.

I have ventured off utilizing the neck/tilt to compensate action. I have also adjusted the neck probably more than I should have over the course off time.

I set the intonation after making adjustments having some sucess however, it does not last...

My concern is that I seem to understand the mechanics somewhat, but I do not know where the starting point is most of the time. By not being an experienced tech I begin confusing myself. It appears that I set the neck tilt properly and the neck is correct yet the strings still remain closer to the fret board. At this point I will adjust the saddle to bring the strings up to 4/64. Does this sound about right?

I was extremely frustrated after a Fender dealer set it up and it appeared to worse. He certainly did not use the recommended specifications in doing so.

It made my day before heading to work to see you all interacting on this topic. Thank you! Please help.


Tbahr8
NYC

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American HSS Mahogany Special Stratocaster-Limited Edition 2008
American HSS Special Stratocaster (Black) 2010

nikininja, I am having problems contacting you by e-mail.

Please send a reply to tbahr8@gmail.com.

Thanks for the help!

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American HSS Mahogany Special Stratocaster-Limited Edition 2008
American HSS Special Stratocaster (Black) 2010