I've had my Deluxe HSS Strat for a little over a year and I've been pretty disappointed with constant fret buzzing. It was made in Mexico, but I know there are a bunch you guys that just love your MIM Strat. Maybe I just got stuck with a lemon.

I've tried fixing the problem myself by adjusting the truss rod and raising the saddles. Unless I set the action very high, I still get some buzzing. I even took it in for a professional set up and it still buzzes.

The only other thing I can think if doing is trying heavier guage strings. I'm currently using .10 gauge so I guess I'll try .11. Does anyone have any other ideas? Also, does anyone currently use .11 guage strings? If so, what kind would you suggest. I basicly play in a group that plays classic rock. Thanks -Mike

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

I also have a deluxe HSS american though. I started getting buzz after I went from .09s to .10s. It's at the shop as we speak, he told me it was in the bridge as it buzzed with the string open and with it depressed on any fret. I asked him to see if he could fix the problem and restring it with .09s again.

I really don't have any buzz when playing open strings. It pretty much happens when I play on the lower frets. So I adjust the truss rod and add more curve. But at that point I feel ther action on the upper fretts are too high. But if I lower the saddles the upper frets start to buzz. Its a catch 22.

Thats why I'll look into heavier gauge strings.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

The truss rod is primarily to control back bow or forward bow. It affects the lower register (headstock half of neck) the upper register can only be adjusted by string height (saddle and bridge height) or if there is a bad neck angle by shimming or using the neck micro tilt.

Now that said most people do not adjust their guitars correctly or go about it in the correct manner, you shouldn't adjust the truss rod or string height or neck to fix a problem you should do it to get the guitar playing optimally.

The best method is to set the neck perfectly straight and check it with a straight edge over the radius of the neck. Check there are no high or low frets or warping as this will need correcting otherwise first to get your guitar playing the best it can.

After that check the nut slot height (just to be sure open strings have enough first fret clearance) then the only thing you need to do is check the string height at the 12th and last frets to ensure there is enough clearance.

If the saddles cannot be raised high enough to clear the lower register then you can shim the neck (or use the micro tilt).

Now you should be aware if there is any problem in the setup of the guitar. If you notice that you are getting buzzing when playing down the strings you can double check where on the neck it is occurring.

If its the lower register then by adding a slight bit of forward bow relief (see the below guide) you can clear the lower register and allow heavier attack without buzz. You will need to recheck your measurements each time you make a change.

The key to the whole setup is taking measurements which you really need a 6" steel rule in 64ths to measure string height and a feeler gauge to measure relief. You will only every achieve a rough approximation doing it by eye.

Heavier strings have less elliptical string movement. Heavier attack creates more elliptical string movement.
Ultimately depending on your play style you may need to raise the strings or add more relief which will reduce buzz caused by string movement. But only after you have verified you have a straight neck to start with.

http://www.fender.com/support/stratocas ... _guide.php

Buzz can be subjective as if the guitar is setup to one players preference for string height another player might find too noisy.
If you asked for a no buzz setup from a setup tech then take it back and get him to tell you whats wrong. If he has no idea get your money back then take it to a Luthier that does electric guitar setups or a Fender repairer.

Thanks Shockwarrior, I'll follow your steps and see what happens.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

I haven't read everyone's postings on this topic, but you might want to have the frets checked out. If frets are not "dressed" properly you will get buzz.

Paris

Bring to a GOOD luthier. Don't waste your time if you don't have tool and if you don't know realy how to.

Any GOOD luthier is able to fix it.

Is not a rocket science and all Fender ar good guitar and easy to fix

I have a MIM strat that I bought a few months ago and it had buzzing problems. It turned out that I had three high frets. It cost me $110 to get a fret job but it plays good now.

I did end up adjusting the truss rod to make the action a bit lower. I still get the buzzing on quite a few frets. But I'd rather have that then having the action too high. I mostly play using overdrive and distortion pedals so the buzzing really can't be heard. But its just annoying knowing that its there.
I pretty much use the Strat as a backup to my Explorer. However, when I can afford to get looked at by a professional luither, I will. The last guy that looked at it must not have been that good.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

The trust rod ajustment is not there to adjust action. But to keep the right curve to you neck.
And you can't do that by your eyes. You need straigt edge.
A set-up should be made properly or else nothing will work well.

And like paris said, your frets could need to be dressed properly.
Yes, find a good luthier.

After that your Stat will be your main guitar ( you will love-it)

One more time.

Never ever ever adjust action, or try and alleviate nut slot problems with your truss rod. The truss rod is purely there to put a bow in your neck. So when you hit a note and the string vibrates it has room to vibrate in the middle of its talk length. As you fret up the neck talk length is lessened as is the width/depth of string vibration. When you play open strings you use all of the talk length of the string. You can adjust the neck flatter if you are softer in your attack of the strings and the fret tops are parallel to the fingerboard.

How do you check that, you ask. Like this.

Make yourself a notched straightedge. Simply buy a 38" aluminum rule. Lay it across the fretboard from about 1/8" away from the nut towards the first fret. Mark where the fretboard ends just past the 21st/22nd fret. remove and cut off the excess. (you can use the excess to make a LP scale straightedge).
Put the rule back over the fretboard and mark each side of each fret. Then cut notches in between your marks. You'll end up with something like this.





Set your fretboard straight with the notched side (as per picture 1). Lay the rule across the fret tops and check the distance between the fingerboard and underside of the rule (as per 2nd picture) with some feeler gauges. As long as the fret tops are all in line, it doesn't matter if the upper frets are a couple of thou of an inch lower than the lower frets.

You can also use the rule to check your fret tops are in line. Simply set your neck straight. Then lay the rule across the fret tops and try to slide a thin feeler gauge between the rule and the frets. I suggest if you can get the feeler gauge between the two anywhere that you take the guitar for a level and dress.

It is worth learning to level and dress yourself. Reason being we all have favourite places to play. Those area's wear faster than area's we don't play.

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No no and no

nikininja, good idea to make a straight edge but what the accuracy ?
Enough for trust rod adjutment ?
I'have the one sold by Stew Mac and accuracy is +/- .0015" Yes it is very expensive but I'm sure what I do

Stratele

Is the lacquer on your fretboard that accurate? Is the plane of the wood that accurate? I think not.

It's plenty straight enough, as straight as it needs to be.

I have my own views about Stewmac and their morally grey methods, used to sell overpriced tools that you can make or buy exactly the same, for less than half the price.

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No no and no

Then came the compound radius fretboard.

The pro set-ups which I have had done seem to have had to flatten the upper frets to eliminate annoying fret buzz.

And where do you find this crunchy Muesil nut cerial?

Thanks for all the help and information guys. I'll try using a straight edge to check the fret heights. I guess I was a little confused about the function of the truss rod.

Being a carpenter by trade I'm sure I can pin point what frets are too high using a straight edge. But I'll leave it to a professional luither to fix them. I had a feeling the guy I used to fix this problem wasn't a real luither. He was just a guy that worked at my local music shop that fixed any minor problems. I guess that was my fault. It only cost me $30 so I don't think I have it in me to go back and complain. Besides, I don't think I want to use him anymore. He meant well.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking