I have a problem that's driving me crazy. I bought a 2001 American Standard Strat from a guy that didn't know how to play guitar. I don't know why he had a guitar this nice but anyways...
The guitar has zero wear on it; it's practically brand new. New frets, no scratches, dings, etc.
The beautiful rosewood fretboard has a nice swirling or curving grain to it and is very dark and rich. I like it alot.
The problem is the fret buzz. It's buzzing on the 2nd, 3rd frets and up, mainly on the frets closer to the nut. Whole step bends do not fret out anywhere. It plays great, just with the aforementioned buzzing. Also, the stock pickups are bright, harsh, ice pick in the forehead, and they accentuate the buzz exponentially when plugged in. Right now I don't even play the guitar plugged in.
I've taken it to a professional at my local shop for a setup- still buzzed. I set up the guitar myself to Fender's specs- still buzzed. I tightened the truss rod to make the neck lay flatter and raised the action- still buzzed. I also did the opposite, loosened the truss rod and lowered the bridge saddles back down- still buzzed.
My 2006 Highway One plays like a dream, no buzz, and the action is pretty low. I'd describe it as medium low, nothing crazy.
I also own a PRS SE Custom 24 with the action about the same as the Highway One, and it also has no buzz and plays great as well.

Should I get the nut replaced maybe? It's just that this guitar is practically brand new, meaning that it came from the factory like this.
I'm debating trading it in on a new American Deluxe or maybe even an American PRS. I don't know what else to do. I know you guys know all about this stuff, so thanks in advance.
Sorry this was so long, I just wanted you all to know where I'm coming from.

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2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

If you tried all the aforementioned solutions and you're still getting fret buzz take it to a different luthier or tech. Use a straight edge to check your frets. It could be a problem with the nut but I doubt it. If the guitar has been stored for a long period it could be more of a fret problem as in fret sprout. If the neck is warped or twisted in any way it will show up with the straight edge as well. Are all the strings buzzing or is it restricted to certain strings? It came set up with 9s so a heavier gauge string could be the culprit. As far as the icepick bridge check your second tone potentiometer. If it is only wired to affect the middle pup its a simple mod to add the bridge pup to that pot. Also check the height of the strings to the magnet. It should be 5/64ths on the bass side and 3 or 4/64ths on the treble side. Let us know how it turns out.

You can check the nut height. Just fret the 3rd fret and there should be a tiny space between the string and first fret. If that is OK then (assuming you did all that you stated above correctly) probably just needs a few frets leveled. If you are not comfortable with leveling frets, take it to a good technician and tell them what the problem is.

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My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.

Go to see a good and real luthier, fret buzz is very easy to fix. Your local professional is a professional ....joker

If the fretted notes buzz, then the nut is NOT the cause of the buzz. Tuning issues, open string buzz, and weird sounds like pinging and open notes that don't seem to ring true or sound muffled....that's a nut problem. You need someone to look at the fretboard. You either still have not had the guitar set up right, or there is a few high frets (for whatever reason) that need to be leveled and recrowned. In fact, a good level and recrown is not a bad idea anyway! After a good repair man gets his hands on your axe, it will play like butter. Good luck!
PS I never measure my setups...I set everything to what each guitar can handle and for what feels right to my hands. The same setup specs will not work on every Strat, much less every player some may play without buzz, others won't even come close. Action is all about how the guitar "feels" when you play it...so set it up that way! And, fret buzz not audible through the amp is fine! Don't get too picky or you will drive yourself NUTS

There are many, many problems that can cause that, but only a well trained tech can fix them. Take it to someone else.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Thanks for the advice guys. I will take it to someone else. In fact, the guy that usually does all my setups quit this place and opened up his own shop. I just didn't know it until I arrived at the shop. I thought it would be rude to just turn around and walk back out!
It must need a fret leveling/crowning. I am certainly no expert, but I can usually do minor adjustments and setups myself. This one just has me stumped! I know most guitars buzz a bit, but this one is pretty bad. It's way worse than my other guitars.
Thanks again everyone. I'll take it to someone else.

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2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

There is a difference between fret buzz and fret rattle. Fret rattle should not come through the amp, unless you pick hard to make a slap like effect.

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My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.

I am glad you posted this thread.

My 2008 MIA has always had buzz on the 5 and 6 string starting about fret 4 and moving up. When I plug it into an amp you get a horrible slapping metallic sound.

When I bought this guitar new, it came with the bridge floated up real high. The bridge would swing both ways up and down as the two mount lugs for the bridge were jacked up so that no part of the bridge touched the body. I did not know any better at the time. The shop owner is a big metal head guy and I guessed he thinks everyone wants to dive and bend like a metal guitarist. Now I know it had to be set up that way as that was the only way to get the buzz out.

Any way I just got an email from a tech at a different shop that has the guitar now. He says the neck is twisted and we can send it back to Fender under warrenty as a defect. I am sure about that. I have had the guitar a couple of years.

I was always suspicious of the origins of this guitar. The factory card attached to the neck did not have and inspectors signature. I think it was a purchase that was returned to a shop due to defect and put back in someones inventory and I happend to get it.

Never been happy with this guitar.

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I remember when we were free!

Sounds like a bowed neck.

Have you checked that there is enough relief in the neck. Hold down the first and last fret on the D string and check the gap between the string and seventh fret, it should be about 0.3mm of the top of my head, with a set of feeler gauges.

If there is no gap then the truss rod is too tight causing the nut to be lower than the middle frets causing your buzz.

Loosen the truss rod until you get your 0.3mm gap. If you go too far then the buzz will move to the middle frets as they will lower than the frets at the neck join.

Here's a website link to a local luthier to me that mentions the cause of fretbuzz...

Scroll down to near the bottom:

http://www.dajosguitars.com/faq.htm

Question: I can hear my strings buzzing when I play. What causes this?

Answer: Here's the short list of potential causes:

FLAT SADDLE TOP
NO BREAK ANGLE ON NUT
UNEVEN FRETS
FRETS TOO LOW
LOOSE FRET
LOOSE GEAR
WINDING FUZZ TOUCHING SADDLE
BACKBOW
LOW NUT
LOW SADDLE
LOOSE STRING BALL
LOOSE TRUSS ROD
POOR RELIEF
DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE STRING
STRINGS TOO LIGHT
FLAT FRET
ACTION TOO LOW
NUT SLOT CUT IMPROPERLY
DEEP SADDLE NOTCHES
STRING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Hi there, previous posts- all good advice.
If you're buzzing close to the nut.....it's a sign that the neck may be too straight or overbowed.
If you're buzzing at the high end of the scale closer to the pickups....its a sign that you may have too much relief (I call it under bow). Fender necks work best with a little bit of relief.

But i agree...with the other posts....good advice to get it to a good service center....of course i recommend a Fender Authorized Service Center even for work not covered under warranties. They're familiar with our products. Simple as that.

If your buzzing is limited to the frets mentioned, it also could be that you have a high or low fret.

Nuts that are cut too low....buzz open....not usually when fretted.

let's see...what else? nahhh thats it.

Hope it all works out for ya.

Best regards,
rob

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rob Schwarz
Director,Fender Customer Service
Proudly serving Fender Customers
for over 30 years

Im no luthier. But check your pick up height. The magnetic pull of the magnets can pull a string down to buzz on the frets if set to high. Worse on vintage stagger pick ups.
I foolishly messed with my CS strat and made this happen .