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Post subject: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 3:48 am
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Hello guys,

I would like some feedbacks about a problem affecting my 2012 Am Std Strat. It's a sort of buzzing sound I can clearly hear unplugged, it seems to affect the high e string (the smallest in diameter) both open and around the 12th fret and the unwound G string around the 12th fret.
It does not sound like a fret buzz.
I can hear it very clearly by fretting the 12th harmonic on high e string, it sounds like the normal string vibration is affected by something else.
What is driving me crazy is that it's not always there, I mean sometimes i pluck the harmonic and is there, sometimes it's not. That's not all! Let's suppose I pluck the harmonic and it's ringing fine as it should, if I just move the guitar and/or rotate it the weird tone appears! :shock:
I just need to rotate the guitar from normal playing position to horizontal position and the weird tone appear/disappear while the harmonic is ringing out.

I tried everithing I could with no success, last but not least I changed string gauges from 0.10 to 0.11, no improvements.

I'm leaning towards a vibrating component (a screw, pickup, spring, tuner.....), do you have similar experience?
Could you suggest me something to check?

Thanks in advance!
Alberto


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 4:23 am
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Loose truss rod nut , frets height , nut string slot ,Intonation

See a qualified luthier


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:12 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Loose truss rod nut , frets height , nut string slot ,Intonation

See a qualified luthier


Truss rod is "engaged", micro tilt screw is tighten to the neck just a little, I tend to exclude fret height due to the fact that also the open string gives me issues. Intonation is spot on (how can that affect the string vibration in order to produce a warbling sound?).
About nut slot, I tried also to play notes by muting the string between the nut and the fretted note and muting the string between the nut and the tuners, no improvements.
Wouldn't this put the nut out of the equation? :shock:


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:21 am
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I don't know your experience with guitar set up or to fix guitar . There is something you do not see or you think is alright and it is not

Check if all tuner's big nut are tight to the peg head .

See a qualified luthier ,


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:41 am
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stratele52 wrote:
I don't know your experience with guitar set up or to fix guitar . There is something you do not see or you think is alright and it is not

Check if all tuner's big nut are tight to the peg head .

See a qualified luthier ,


Thanks, I miss something that's why I'm asking here.
I would like to avoid a luthier if possible, because I would like to find the root cause by myself and increase my understanding.

I'm good with all the mechanical settings, I know little about the electrical part.
Yesterday I installed fresh strings and checked the tuner screws too, they are tight.
I have the hexagonal screw of the output jack which is loose and I'm going to fix it tonight, however the warbling sound is there even if I rest my fingers against it....


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:59 am
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I had a buzz on a Stratocaster guitar second hand I bought.
I had a lot of experience on guitar set up and repair .
I see everything was good . I have all tool to take reading and knowledge .


The only thing I can't see ; the truss rod vibration inside the neck .
It was the truss rod need to be slackened and tightened many time in the first year .

Since ten years now ; No more buzz , It is my best guitar and I have a lot of great guitar


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:02 am
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guitarman1984 wrote:

I have the hexagonal screw of the output jack which is loose and I'm going to fix it tonight, however the warbling sound is there even if I rest my fingers against it....



Hexagonal screw on output jack ? What is that ?

There is only 2 philips head screws and output jack's nut


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:07 am
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stratele52 wrote:
guitarman1984 wrote:

I have the hexagonal screw of the output jack which is loose and I'm going to fix it tonight, however the warbling sound is there even if I rest my fingers against it....



Hexagonal screw on output jack ? What is that ?

There is only 2 philips head screws and output jack's nut


I meant the output jack's nut, it's loose and I'm gonna fix it tonigth.

What did you do to fix the truss-rod nut in your strat? Yesterday during the string gauge change I slightly turned the truss-rod (1/8 turn), it was not loose.


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:52 am
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guitarman1984 wrote:
stratele52 wrote:

I meant the output jack's nut, it's loose and I'm gonna fix it tonigth.
This may do some hum . Remove the two philips screws to hold the jack when tightened and see if wires are twisted

What did you do to fix the truss-rod nut in your strat? Yesterday during the string gauge change I slightly turned the truss-rod (1/8 turn), it was not loose.


I don't fix truss rod nut , I fix truss rod . I do a guess , slackened and tightened truss rod nut .
And no more buzz . Buzz come after few weeks , I do same thing , slackened and tighned . I do that few time in a year . After no more buzz , it was 10 years ago .

Yes it was tight before I fix it . I take a guess because I know every thing is allright on the guitar . I have lot of experience

Don't do that if you can't take a reading with feeler gauge for good neck relief


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:08 am
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Quote:
I would like to avoid a luthier if possible, because I would like to find the root cause by myself and increase my understanding.

That's a good approach. IMHO, the key to learning is to know what you have, and do a diagnose based on that.
So (first things first): what's your nut slot height, relief, action, pickup height now? :wink:

The open string buzz hints to nut problems, the 12th string buzz to too much relief - and remember; nothing guarantees you only have one issue... (As a sidenote: my 1st guess is the nut...)
And: how's the neck & how are the frets in general - humps, worn spots, low areas, low/high frets..?

But if you're sure the setup is spot on, and you've checked and double checked every screw&nut, it just may be a "vibrating component" problem. (I once spent well enough time buzz hunting, turned out to be a little piece of string in the bridge...)
Get a piece of foam rubber, put it under the strings on the headstock, then try under the trem springs.
Check the pickup height adjustment, and while you're at it, do an allround check under the pickguard - someone in the forum found the buzz was caused by a bad solder joint.
Check that the saddle height adjustments screws are OK.

The truss rod is also one possible culprit - but IMHO not often.


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:28 am
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You have to learn how before ;

Buy a ( or some ) good book ;


http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Rep ... tar+set+up


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:31 am
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Try to make the noise happen. As it does, touch each intonation screw spring. I'd be willing to bet that one of these is you problem.

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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:24 am
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jmattis wrote:
Quote:
I would like to avoid a luthier if possible, because I would like to find the root cause by myself and increase my understanding.

That's a good approach. IMHO, the key to learning is to know what you have, and do a diagnose based on that.
So (first things first): what's your nut slot height, relief, action, pickup height now? :wink:

The open string buzz hints to nut problems, the 12th string buzz to too much relief - and remember; nothing guarantees you only have one issue... (As a sidenote: my 1st guess is the nut...)
And: how's the neck & how are the frets in general - humps, worn spots, low areas, low/high frets..?

But if you're sure the setup is spot on, and you've checked and double checked every screw&nut, it just may be a "vibrating component" problem. (I once spent well enough time buzz hunting, turned out to be a little piece of string in the bridge...)
Get a piece of foam rubber, put it under the strings on the headstock, then try under the trem springs.
Check the pickup height adjustment, and while you're at it, do an allround check under the pickguard - someone in the forum found the buzz was caused by a bad solder joint.
Check that the saddle height adjustments screws are OK.

The truss rod is also one possible culprit - but IMHO not often.


Thanks for the inputs.
What I can say now without having the guitar in my hands is that the nut slots are cut properly, not too deep. The buzzing with the open string is not due to the too deep nut slot but is coming from somewhere else. It's not always buzzing even if I pluck the string several times with the same force.
I'm going to try something more tonight.

Could it be the nut slot too narrow for the heavier string? I still don't figure out how is it possible that by rotating or moving the guitar while the harmonic is ringing out, the weird rattling suddenly appears and disappears. :oops:


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:28 am
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Martian wrote:
Try to make the noise happen. As it does, touch each intonation screw spring. I'd be willing to bet that one of these is you problem.


I'll try that too. With palm muting on the bridge I couldn't stop the overtone but it might I was not touching the little springs


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Post subject: Re: Buzz-overtone on AmStd Strat is driving me crazy
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 9:31 am
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stratele52 wrote:
You have to learn how before ;

Buy a ( or some ) good book ;


http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-Rep ... tar+set+up


Thanks, I read lot of set-up guides and I believe I have a fairly good competence. My other Strat and Tele do not show this strange behaviour, and I'm setting all my gears by myself.


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