I'm new to the forum and need help from the experts. I have a Blacktop strat that just won't set up correctly. I have been to three different guitar techs and so far no good. I had it adjusted after the neck developed what can only be described as a need to become a bow and arrow. Now I get horrible fret buzz no matter how many times it gets adjusted by different techs. The bridge is flush to the body and I find that the trem bar now hits the volume knob when i go to use it. My 96 MIM strat is set up the same way and I have no problems with it. Any help would be appreciated.

96 MIM Strat with JB jr bridge pu
Reverend Volcano
Blacktop Strat
Les Paul Studio Deluxe
Les Paul Studio

Try taking it to an authorized Fender technician. I could be wrong, but your truss rod might be the issue. Is it still under warranty? Might be time to exchange it if you cannot get it to play right.

The trem on mine is flush and it plays just as good as my other 2 guitars.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I'm going to say that it's time to learn how to do your own setups. I am not a guitar tech by trade.....I'm an engineer. But I learned pretty much by researching, youtube'ing and practicing on cheap guitars (pickup a used Squier for under $100 to learn). Once you understand how to set it up, you'll be able to analyze what's going on and fix it yourself.

Ignore the trem bar....you can always bend it (I've done that).

The first thing to actually do is to listen to it through an amp (headphones are fine). A buzzing fret acoustically means nothing. Listen through an amp. If there's buzzing, figure out what fret(s) the buzzing is on. If only the lower frets, the neck needs relief. If the upper frets, the neck may have too much relief or the saddles may be too low. Are all the strings buzzing or just one? If just one, it could well be a single saddle. Also, the saddles need to be level (near equal weight on each adjuster screw) and a bit of graphite under the screws helps.

If the neck is twisted, then you need pro help to fix it. If it's a new guitar, be ready to exchange it if you have a free period to try it out. Oh.....use graphite on the nut under each string and something under the string tree (I seem to use different things there....graphite, chapstick, vasoline....they all work). And graphite as best you can on the saddles under the strings.


Good luck and let us know what you find.

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2002 mim Telecaster
Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster
Mexican HSS Stratocaster
6 non-fender guitars
2 kids (not for sale)
1 wife (uh....no comment)

This isn't the first time it has happened. When I get it back playing perfectly it gradually goes back to playing as bad as before. Also, the buzz is noticable enough that you can hear it through the amps. (I eliminated the amps as the cause because I have heard it through more than one at home and in the store.)

At this point, I'd suggest contacting Fender to find out where the nearest Fender Authorized Tech is located and taking the guitar to him/her. It may be a warranty new neck issue. If it were easy, most likely the other tech you've taken it to would have fixed it by now. If it's getting set up to play well and then things move around to start playing bad, something is moving around and not stable. Without the guitar in hand no way to know what's going on but a Fender repair shop should be able to get it figured out.

Jeff

Thanks I will.