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Post subject: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:19 am
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My Tele has fret buzz from about the 14th fret and up. I prefer my Tele over all my other guitars not only for it's sound but it's feel and playability. In other words, I am really hoping I don't need to raise the action at all to solve this problem since I am in love with where it's at now.

I did the look down from headstock inspection and the neck appears to be straight. It is a well loved '72 Tele Custom so the neck definitely has plenty of that beautiful wear on it but I wonder if maybe some type of fret job will do the trick?

What are everyone's thoughts on this?


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:42 pm
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It sure sounds like your neck has a slight bow in it.You might measure the string height at different frets along the length to prove it one way or the other.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:50 pm
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Rossfloss wrote:
My Tele has fret buzz from about the 14th fret and up.
...I am really hoping I don't need to raise the action at all to solve this problem since I am in love with where it's at now.
...The neck appears to be straight.
It is a well loved '72 Tele Custom so the neck definitely has plenty of that beautiful wear on it but I wonder if maybe some type of fret job will do the trick?

It's possible that you may need a fret job if the frets are extremely worn.
But given the extensive range of your problem from frets 1 to 14, I would first try to shim the top of the neck outward.
I recently built a guitar (See: Complete Telecaster Build Pictorial) where I needed to shim the neck outward at the top.

When I initially strung the low "E" string onto the guitar, at what I considered a reasonable bridge height, the string laid flat on the frets.
The neck required three (3) strips of masking tape placed above the top neck mounting screw holes on the butt of the neck, to shim the top of the neck out to the proper distance. This resulted in a perfect neck position for adjusting the bridge saddles for a low action set-up that feels and plays great without fret buzz.

When shimming your guitar, start with one strip of masking tape. Then reassemble the guitar and check it.
You will need to adjust the bridge height each time and check for fret buzz on each string at each fret while adjusting the bridge heights.
If you need additional shimming, disassemble the guitar and add another strip of masking tape.
Each strip of masking tape will provide a surprisingly substantial change in the neck geometry.
I recommend reassembling the guitar each time a strip of masking tape is added.
Good Luck!!

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 1:28 pm
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Sorry all, I meant it has fret buzz from the 13th fret to about the 16th fret on the A, D, G, & B strings. The high E will fret out on bends too.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 2:11 pm
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Rossfloss wrote:
Sorry all, I meant it has fret buzz from the 13th fret to about the 16th fret on the A, D, G, & B strings. The high E will fret out on bends too.

If your neck is streight, raising the bridge height will likely be the only way to solve your problem.
You could try to shim the neck forward, but it may not produce results.
If that is the only area of fret buzz on your neck, I doubt that a fret job is necessary.

You may want to get a fret rocker to check for high frets.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... eo#details

Or you may just want to get a fret board sanding block and level the frets in that area of the neck.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_su ... locks.html

Otherwise, you may want to consult a professional guitar tech to have the frets leveled in that area of the neck.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 1:42 am
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you are right .
Nitro Muscle Mass


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:18 am
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hiya,
Before you shim or sand or file or anything like that, I would advise going with the basics and making sure that the neck is bowed correctly. Click on the support button at the top of this page and you can find the setup guides. Also you may have a low fret or high fret that is causing the buzz.....also, although its rare on high strings, check your pickup height as well.....sometimes if they are too high it has an effect (doesnt sound like it in this case)

I hate to disagree, but i dont really see shimming as a "normal" solution to fret buzz..if your action is high....and your bridge saddles almost flattened out.....a shim is probably in order.
just my half a cent's worth.
All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:05 am
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Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
hiya,
Before you shim or sand or file or anything like that, I would advise going with the basics and making sure that the neck is bowed correctly. Click on the support button at the top of this page and you can find the setup guides. Also you may have a low fret or high fret that is causing the buzz.....also, although its rare on high strings, check your pickup height as well.....sometimes if they are too high it has an effect (doesnt sound like it in this case)

I hate to disagree, but i dont really see shimming as a "normal" solution to fret buzz..if your action is high....and your bridge saddles almost flattened out.....a shim is probably in order.
just my half a cent's worth.
All the best,
rob


One thing I've never completely understood is what is the difference between adjusting the truss rod from the headstock and from the neck joint? For both of them it just says if the action is too high you need to tighten it. So where do you find the equilibrium between them? Does it mean the action is too high on a certain section of the neck?


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:07 am
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"Adjustment at headstock (allen wrench): Sight down the edge of the fingerboard from behind the headstock, looking toward the body of the instrument. If the neck is too concave (action too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief. If the neck is too convex (strings too close to the fingerboard), turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck. Check your tuning, then re-check the gap with the feeler gauge and re-adjust as needed.

Adjustment at neck joint (phillips screwdriver): Sight down the edge of the fingerboard from behind the body, looking up toward the headstock of the instrument. If the neck is too concave (action too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess relief. If the neck is too convex (strings too close to the fingerboard), turn the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck. Check your tuning, then re-check the gap with the feeler gauge and re-adjust as needed."

What is the difference? Theoretically according to this it doesn't matter, just adjust it from whatever direction you want?


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:34 am
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Hi Ross,
I wouldn't claim to be a heavy duty techie so pardon my "lay" language. My simple brain sees the neck curvature as either "underbowed" or "overbowed". Other people call it other things. So, its not really strictly about the height or action....it has more to do with how the strings interact with the frets/neck. If you have a neck with too much relief (underbowed to me) then you will likely get buzzing on your high notes...because as the neck curves back up into a U shape...the frets are sitting higher as you get towards the butt end of the neck. If you have a neck too straight....or overbowed...you will get buzzing on the first frets at the top of the neck.

As far as the difference between where the truss adjusts....I do believe that the mechanics are the same so I don't believe that there is a real difference in "how" it adjusts....nor how one "sights" the neck. I prefer to sight from the tuning keys down, rather than from the body up. But "sighting" is an overview type of thing....a way of getting a basic idea of where you are. I would measure using the capo etc to get it dead on.
Last little note....for most Fender guitars....its not desirable to have a "Straight" neck. A little bit of relief is where they play the best.
cheers,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:50 am
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Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
Before you shim or sand or file or anything like that, I would advise going with the basics and making sure that the neck is bowed correctly.

I completely agree!!
Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
I hate to disagree, but i don't really see shimming as a "normal" solution to fret buzz..if your action is high....and your bridge saddles almost flattened out.....a shim is probably in order.

This suggestion was made when my understanding was that he had fret buzz from frets 1 through 14, and that he did not want to raise the action to correct this problem. His description of the problem, as extending "up the neck," led me to believe that he meant moving toward the nut, when he was describing the problem in the opposite direction.
Under such circumstances, shimming the neck of the guitar is the only way to correct the geometry of the neck relative to the bridge. As it turned out, this was not his problem. I agree that it is not a normal solution to a fret buzz problem.


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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:14 pm
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Hi Mick!
That whole Up/Down the neck is always ^&*%$ confusing! I still have to stop and remember that the first string is the one on the bottom LOL. To me.....the first string is the one i see first...and thats the Low E ;O)

Anyway...all good...looks like we agree after all!

best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:03 am
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I'm really not much of a guru but up/down on the neck of the guitar is simple. Close to the pups is further up (high pitch) than down the neck, closer to the tuners (lower pitch).

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:49 am
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no, I know!! LOL :D

But its like shaking your head "yes" and nodding your head "No"

If you're looking from the tuners to the pickups...you're looking.......down the neck? up the neck? Up the neck in a downward fashion?

If you live in South America and are traveling to New Orleans.....are you going "down south"? No. Technically, you are going to Fat Tuesday.

I could go on.....just ask anyone here. Gonna be nice and spare you though :O)
Best regaards,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Fret Buzz solution?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:39 pm
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Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
no, I know!! LOL :D

But its like shaking your head "yes" and nodding your head "No"

If you're looking from the tuners to the pickups...you're looking.......down the neck? up the neck? Up the neck in a downward fashion?

If you live in South America and are traveling to New Orleans.....are you going "down south"? No. Technically, you are going to Fat Tuesday.

I could go on.....just ask anyone here. Gonna be nice and spare you though :O)
Best regaards,
rob

I didn't think I was teaching you a thing. .It was $@! backwards at first for me, for sure.
Thanks for you input on the fretbuzz topic

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Fender Mustang II amp


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