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Post subject: Re: Excessive Fret Buzz?
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 2:14 pm
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rwdavis2 wrote:
Sooo, I've been making adjustments. Put about 1/2 turn total of relief into the neck and got a little bit of noticeable bow from fret 5-12 or so. Maybe 1-2mm at most, I think but I can see some space now. I haven't taken an exact measurement. Re-checked and adjusted the string height. Bass side is 5/64, treble is 4/64 per Fender specs. The buzz is much alleviated but not entirely gone. I'd say I've gotten rid of about 70% of it. Much better. Intonation is till dead on but it needs another check tonight after last night's adjustment. I put on new strings as well.

...I really don't want to raise the action much higher so I'm wondering if I have a neck tilt problem that's causing the remaining buzz. I have a couple books on the subject but I really don't want to start taking it apart (doesn't scare me though). If I do I would assume the shim would go above or at the top most screws looking at the guitar with the neck vertical.

I also wanted to thank everyone for their help on this one.

If you decide to shim the neck, from what you have described, one (1) strip of masking tape, as shown below, would probably do it.

Personally, I would shim a neck in this manner, even if your Fender guitar has a micro adjustment at the rear neck plate, although only loosening the screws is necessary with the Fender micro allen key adjustment at the rear neck plate.
Actually, I think that the micro adjustment is only good for adjusting the top of the neck backward, now that I think about it.

For every strip of masking tape, reassembly and adjusting the bridge height and tuning of the guitar is necessary.
Then check each fret on each string for buzz and adjust the bridge accordingly.
One strip of masking tape above the top neck screws will make a huge change in the geometry of the neck from the nut to the bridge saddles.

Generally speaking, the truss rod should not be used for string height/buzz adjustment, unless the guitar has been previously set up to your satisfaction before, and begins to buzz, or begins to lose its action, over time.

You want the neck to be fairly straight with strings tuned, and the bridge saddles set fairly low.
If you can accomplish that with fairly low action and without string buzz, you're there.
I'm not a big fan of using capos and feeler gauges to measure string height.
Use your eyes and what feels right.

Measure from the contact point of the nut to the contact point of the high E string at the bridge saddle, with a tape measure, setting it at 25.5 inches, which is the Fender scale length.
String and tune the guitar.

The intonation at the 12th fret should then be very close for the high E string, which can then be adjusted slightly.
Then set the intonation at the 12th fret for the rest of the strings and recheck every fret for fret buzz.

Re-tune each string after every intonation adjustment or bridge height adjustment.
Any change in bridge saddle height will affect intonation and tuning.
Any change in the intonation adjustment will affect tuning.

Sometimes, living with a very slight buzz rather than raising the action, if it cannot be heard when amplified, is acceptable.
However, if you invest the time and effort, and follow these instructions, I think that you can end up with low action with no buzz.

All of this assumes that your frets do not have excessive wear and that your Fender neck has not been damaged in some manner.
Good luck!!

Image[/quote]


Last edited by MickJagger on Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:25 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Excessive Fret Buzz?
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 2:34 pm
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MickJagger wrote:
rwdavis2 wrote:
Sooo, I've been making adjustments. Put about 1/2 turn total of relief into the neck and got a little bit of noticeable bow from fret 5-12 or so. Maybe 1-2mm at most, I think but I can see some space now. I haven't taken an exact measurement. Re-checked and adjusted the string height. Bass side is 5/64, treble is 4/64 per Fender specs. The buzz is much alleviated but not entirely gone. I'd say I've gotten rid of about 70% of it. Much better. Intonation is till dead on but it needs another check tonight after last night's adjustment. I put on new strings as well.

...I really don't want to raise the action much higher so I'm wondering if I have a neck tilt problem that's causing the remaining buzz. I have a couple books on the subject but I really don't want to start taking it apart (doesn't scare me though). If I do I would assume the shim would go above or at the top most screws looking at the guitar with the neck vertical.

I also wanted to thank everyone for their help on this one.


If you decide to shim the neck, from what you have described, one strip of masking tape, as shown below, would probably do it. I would shim a neck in this manner, even if your Fender guitar has a micro adjustment at the rear plate.

For every strip of masking tape, reassembly and adjusting the bridge height and tuning of the guitar is necessary. Then check each fret on each string for buzz and adjust the bridge accordingly.

Generally speaking, the truss rod should not be used for string height/buzz adjustment, unless the guitar has been set up to your satisfaction before and begins to buzz over time.

One piece of masking tape makes a huge change in the geometry of the neck from the nut to the bridge saddles.

[/quote]
This is the second neck tilt suggestion I've gotten/read about. When I made the original truss rod adjustment I took it too far (.02) and then dialed it back (.01) to where it's now at Fender specs. The buzz is really not too bad and far better than it was. but I may try a tilt. Back in my younger days I was taking my guitars apart all the time and adjusting them and re-doing the electronics. At worst I can take it to one of the many guitar shops here it to get it back to spec. Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Excessive Fret Buzz?
Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:37 am
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Neck tilt is only needed when you can't have proper action with saddles.

rwdavis you need to adjust truss rod very slowly and wait many hours before another adjustement. Neck could take long time to stop moving. If it is OK after many hours , wait 24 hours before say job is finish.


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Post subject: Re: Excessive Fret Buzz?
Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:25 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Neck tilt is only needed when you can't have proper action with saddles.

rwdavis you need to adjust truss rod very slowly and wait many hours before another adjustement. Neck could take long time to stop moving. If it is OK after many hours , wait 24 hours before say job is finish.


Thanks, At each truss rod adjustment I waited about a day, which seemed to be necessary. I made 3 adjustments for relief and then took 1 back.


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Post subject: Re: Excessive Fret Buzz?
Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:58 am
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rwdavis2 wrote:


Thanks, At each truss rod adjustment I waited about a day, which seemed to be necessary. I made 3 adjustments for relief and then took 1 back.



Good , take your time . When neck bow are alright and with a proper standard action , if always fret buzz , you probably need a fret owning. Fret mau be not the same heigt. See good luthier.


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