Hi,

I've just bought subj. What I have noticed that action and truss rod adjustments is different from what was written in Fender specifications. I thought OK it's normal and it's probably due to temperature, humidity, the fact that this is a new instrument and so on. I replaced string gauge(Fender 3250LR Super Bullets 9-46 is what I used as a replacement) and then adjusted string height and truss rod to match Fender specifications. Currently I have 0.1''(0.25mm) relief and 4/64"(1.6 mm) string height.

In this setup while playability and overall feel is very good I have an issue with string buzz. The buzz couldn't be heard through amplifier, but it noticeable acoustically with unplugged guitar. It appears almost on every fret of all strings(slightly heavier on bass strings though). I would consider the buzz as very light and acceptable, but it leads to significant(or at least noticeable) lose of sustain, especially while bending at high frets.

There are three questions:

1. Is it OK for a brand new instrument being properly set to factory specifications to behave this way?
2. Since it buzzing on all frets(except open strings) there is a doubt that the choice of reference values for action and truss rod setup was made correctly). I decided to take values for 9.5'' to 12'' neck radius as reference. In fact this guitar has compound radius fretboard( 9.5"-14"). Am I right on choosing these values?
3. Is this slight buzz is normal in general for this kind of setup?

The Fender setup guide specs are just suggestions, that's why they have the "+/-" after every measurement. Every piece of wood is different, so try dialing it in to what sounds best to you. If it's waaaay out of spec, then consider problems with uneven frets, twisted neck, or other problems luckily covered by warranty. I hope that's not the case. Maybe there was a new guy levelling frets at the factory that day. You shouldn't be having that drastic of a problem with a new Strat and should be fine. Maybe tweak the action up to 5/64" and see how it goes. My Strat happens to like action at 6/64" on the wound strings and 5/64 on the plain strings with barely any relief.

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Firstly I think you're absolutely wasting your time trying to set your action to a specific radius.
It's far more important that the guitar feels right to being radius correct.

Secondly the buzz you're encountering could be either the saddles or the pickup height. Saddles I wouldn't suspect, they cause a sitar kind of a sound more than a cut short of sustain. The sustain problem is a key syptom of pickups being too high. What can be loosely called fret buzz is another. The magnetic force of the pickups literaly forces the string to pull down onto the frets when it vibrates.
I take it you're dealing with N3 pickups rather than SCN's? A unknown quantity to many myself included. I don't know the magnet strength of them. SCN's are bad enough, I have to have mine set around .25" away from the underside of the strings fretted at their highest.

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No no and no

I really appreciate your suggestions. Thank you.

I do realize that the way how it feels and how it sounds much more important than any reference values. I just wanted to try recommended values to see how it would be and felt kinda frustration, you know.

I wouldn't suspect frets leveling, twisted neck and all other serious issues with the instrument just because the buzz is very even from fret to fret and from string to string.

Although raising the action solves the problem, I want to try to keep action at low level for playability reasons.

Yes, I have N3 pickups. I suspect wrong pickup height(very likely cause I decreased action) I'm going to move them down and see if it helps. I definitely should measure current pickups height first, to have a point to return to.

Will post my results soon.

Yeah mate, just lower your pickups for now. It may not be all the problem, it could be a culmination of pickups and bad frets for example. I strongly doubt the frets are that bad.

The important thing is to be methodical, go through things one at a time, until you find and then can eliminate the problem.

The fact that the buzz is uniform across the strings further enforces my suspicion of pickup height.
Raising the strings will alleviate the problem because your effectively increasing the distance between the string and pickup. As well as between the string and fret tops.

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No no and no

Lowering of the pickups didn't help. I still can hear slight buzz while playing unplugged. As a temporary solution I increased the action and trying to get comfortable with this.

I don't know if this will help you feel better or not but I had the opportunity to play Eddie Van Halen's striped Wolfgang when they were here in Tokyo back in '98. Eddie's guitar has the LOWEST action I have ever seen. Literally unreal. I looked at that and asked his tech how he keeps it from buzzing like that and his exact words were "they buzz enough, but it doesn't come through the amp so it's not a problem."

As for your problem, if you're dead set on getting rid of the buzzing, try raising the strings up just enough until the buzzing goes away. You could be just a hair away from it. I get some serious buzzing around the 13th fret of my Strat but it doesn't come through the amp so I don't bother with it. It drives me nuts when I'm playing it unplugged on the sofa though. hehe!!
MULLY

This is on stage at the Budokan in Tokyo.

One more thing, I'm not questioning your playing, but make sure you're picking across the strings and not into them forcing them to vibrate up and down instead of side to side.

I hope you get this all worked out.

ya gotta love the Mullyman





That face is utter glee, absolute joy at what he's doing.

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No no and no

Nice hammerpants 98, huh? So I'm guessing Gary Cherone was there.

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I have the same guitar as the OP, brand new, and am having similar issues with it. I've been playing with the setup for days trying to make everything perfect. Basically, I want the trem at about Fender spec (1/8" floating) and the action between 3/ and 4/64" without buzz. The buzz is the issue...it seems persistent on the wound strings and the G almost regardless of where I set the action (within reason...I'm not setting my G B or E string on 5/64 or higher...that's just absurd for a guitar of this quality and my desire to play with low action).

Also, I can't figure out where the front end of my 2-point tremolo is *supposed* to be set. I know the posts are supposed to be level (but am having a hell of a time trying to measure that variable), but where exactly am I supposed to set this pivot point? And could this have anything to do with my inability to eliminate (most) fret buzz at reasonable action levels?

As long you can desired action level do not tune tremolo pivot points, as they will only change action(roughly), nothing more, nothing less.

As for me, shame on me, picking is definitely a huge part of the problem. Playing around with various picking angles I'd noticed that I can eliminate buzz at all. Now I'm absolutely sure that low action not only challenge your fretboard, but also it challenge your hands This is the a good example of situation in which every self-trained person has chance to fall. Someday you discover that you have very weak skills in doing something very basic.

Finally, sustain problem was fixed by lowering pickups, buzz is acceptable(and not noticeable through amp) and I'm on my way to continue to improve my skills.

Thanks!

Hey, don't feel bad. I've been playing for the better part of 25 years, been in semi successful local bands etc... and I just realized a few months ago that my picking wasn't worth a crap. I've been working on it though. I've always had trouble with going really fast. It was like my fingers were arriving before my pick and vice versa. Turns out all these years I've had a slight up and down motion in my picking that is just enough to throw off the timing. For the past few months I've been working hard with a metronome and being very careful on my picking motion and it is reaping rewards daily. I am not ashamed to say that even after all these years I didn't hesitate to sign up for guitar lessons. In my opinion, of myself, I'm never so good that I can't stand to learn something else.
MULLY

You guess right....




and might as well add this one while I'm at it....



and those aren't Hammer pants. hehe!! They were covered in skulls and actually weren't that baggy. My thighs are huge, like 85cm's around.

MULLY
ya can't touch this!!

Perfectly valid question my man. When setting my guitars up to "factory specs" I have found a little string buz on the low E string. Mainly around the 3-5th frets. Obviously more noticable at low volumes and heavy pick attacks. I think it is a great starting point. I like action as low as possible but BUZ FREE. Buzz sounds bad and kills sustain.

When adjusting your truss rod (one of the first steps), use and automotive feeler guage and the gap should be .010" vice .1" (might have been a typo).

Fender's manuals are a little generic and you will probly get more detail from the download instructions on this website for your specific model. Also, I believe that Deluxe of yours has a "micro tilt" adjustment in the neck for even more fine tuning. Replaces the shim method.

The first time you do this, it may take 2 or 3 trys to get it right.