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Post subject: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042 str?
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:09 pm
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To me it seems unexpected that there is no way I can get near 'factory spec' of 4/64th w/ stock strings and have minimal string buzz. I think I've become proficient at getting the least amount of neck relief to minimize buzz on the lower frets/lower strings, and yet enough height at the bridge to prevent string slap on the upper frets. I'm afraid w/ this strat that I bought as a new model in June 2013 the best I can get is 6/64ths, in fact a tiny bit higher than that, so may 6.25/64th if you will. I took the guitar back to Guitar Center's Fender trained tech and he did actually much worse than I did, returning the guitar w/ no buzz on the lower frets but horrible slap on any fret over about the 12th fret. I think he rushed the job as he seems really savvy. I really really want the action down to no higher that 5/64th, but I'd love to see 4/64th. This fits my playing style the best and I'm bummed that I can't get anywhere near factory spec! The store manager at Guitar Center told me pretty much all strats buzz some, and mine still does too at 6.25/64th, but very little and it's fine in that regard. But I maintain getting action lower is absolutely impossible.

So, here are my current guesses about choices:

1. Pursue a warranty neck exchange. This option doesn't sound great as I could end up doing this more than once and maybe never get what I'm looking for.
2. Take the guitar to SF where their is a Plek machine in operation at SFGuitars, and I think they come highly recommended. Question: would this process void my warranty?
3. I have some nickel bullets coming w/ light gauge on strings 1-3, and regular gauge on 4-6 which may allow me to drop the heavier strings down a tiny amount and keep buzz controlled.

People: anyone out there w/ experience w/ Plekking for something like what I'm describing? Have you been able to get: minimal buzz, 4/64th action, using .009-.042 strings?

Thanks in advance!


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:29 pm
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noel wrote:
The store manager at Guitar Center told me pretty much all strats buzz some


Well the store manager at Guitar Center is WRONG. None of my guitars buzz. A well set-up Strat or Tele does not need to have fret buzz.

I used the tried and tested method, .0012 inch feeler gauge and capo to get the relief set exactly right then set the action, works every time for me BUT it's just possible you might have the old "rising tongue" problem at the neck joint.

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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:40 pm
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Watch the MAN fixing things ...

Microtilt



Truss rod and tilt



Caution: the guy has been known to use colourful language at times.

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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:52 pm
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Hi noel,

What model Strat do you have?

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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:10 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Hi noel,

What model Strat do you have?


Jeff Beck Artist


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:31 pm
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You didnt say what your relief was. I find that the less relief you have , the less likely you are to get buzz free lower action. I have 2 strats , a MIA AVRI 59 thinskin with 6105 frets that have a relief of .009 and a low E action of 4/64ths and a MIA Standard with action at 3/64ths with a tiny bit of buzz near the nut not heard thru the amp. It has a relief of ,010 . I use 10s btw and my trem is at 1/8 gap per Fender. Sounds like you may have some issues. Have you taken it to a luthier for evaluation?


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:53 pm
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Have you tried the Micro-Tilt?

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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:23 pm
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budglo wrote:
You didnt say what your relief was. I find that the less relief you have , the less likely you are to get buzz free lower action. I have 2 strats , a MIA AVRI 59 thinskin with 6105 frets that have a relief of .009 and a low E action of 4/64ths and a MIA Standard with action at 3/64ths with a tiny bit of buzz near the nut not heard thru the amp. It has a relief of ,010 . I use 10s btw and my trem is at 1/8 gap per Fender. Sounds like you may have some issues. Have you taken it to a luthier for evaluation?


Relief currently is set at 0.010 which is spec for my neck radius. Trem is 1/8" gap. The best I can get right now w/ .009-.042 is 6/64th action.

I took it to a Fender certified tech however I'm pretty sure he rushed the setup out the door because I wanted to use the guitar for the weekend. He added too much relief and then set the bridge saddles down to about 5/64ths but string slap was intolerably bad on anything above maybe the 11th fret or so. So by the time I moved saddles up to remove the slap action was now up to maybe 7.5/64ths. So I ended up undoing his work and restored back to the best I have been able to achieve as described above. It's not bad but really I want to get close to 4/64th if possible even if it means plekking or manual planing and filing or whatever the technique is.


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:37 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Have you tried the Micro-Tilt?


Yes, this actually exacerbates the problem unfortunately. I may try putting a shim in the opposite side than micro-tilt affects to do the opposite of what micro-tilt does. In fact I've tried this but the shim was a little too thick. I need to try this approach again to see if I can then drop the bridge saddle height a little more and hopefully get closer to 4/64th. This should make the highest frets relatively lower, I hope. I seem to be heading for a plekking or hand-done fret planing.


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:04 am
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To state the obvious (I notice I do this often...): has the neck been checked, i.e. can you adjust the neck straigth as an arrow (lowE side, centerline, highE side) and are all fret tops then perfectly level?


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:26 am
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Noel ,

Just need a good set up by a qualified luthier . Fender guitar never buzz.


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:32 am
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jmattis wrote:
To state the obvious (I notice I do this often...): has the neck been checked, i.e. can you adjust the neck straigth as an arrow (lowE side, centerline, highE side) and are all fret tops then perfectly level?


Nope, the neck has never been verified to be straight other than just looking down the neck which I've done myself. I've thought about pursuing a warranty evaluation but at the moment I adding a few thousandths of shim under the neck heel opposite where the micro-tilt adjustment is and did improve things I'm hoping about 1/64th. I say hoping because I broke the #2 string last night detuning it so I could take the neck off and it broke so I haven't finished making changes since adding the shim but it looks preliminarily better.


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:34 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Noel ,

Just need a good set up by a qualified luthier . Fender guitar never buzz.


I did go check out 3 Fender American Standards at Guitar center, and one used Jeff Beck model and all did buzz in places, but they likely had not gone thru the setup procedure.


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:40 am
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noel wrote:
stratele52 wrote:
Noel ,

Just need a good set up by a qualified luthier . Fender guitar never buzz.


I did go check out 3 Fender American Standards at Guitar center, and one used Jeff Beck model and all did buzz in places, but they likely had not gone thru the setup procedure.



What do you want to say ? All Fender guitar alway buzz ? Sorry but you are wrong .

IMO not many guitar in store are well set up . And in the winter it is worse.

A set up should be do with the way you play , if you play hard , you may need a higher action than if you play light .


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Post subject: Re: Action <6/64th at the 17th w/ minimal buzz on .009-.042
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:48 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Noel ,

Just need a good set up by a qualified luthier . Fender guitar never buzz.


For a very liberal definition of "never".

There are dozens of things that can buzz on guitars, including Fenders. Most of it can easily be fixed, but some require larger changes. Nut buzzes and truss rods buzzes generally require a good luthier to fix, and sideways string-on-string buzzes might not even be fixable, but may require a different playing style, string gauge or guitar.


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