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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

728.0. "Another Buzz Question" by PCCAD2::RICHARDJ (Bluegrass,Music Aged to Perfection) Wed Jul 20 1988 15:20

    Ok, this is another string buzzing problem. I know about note 508
    but I'm not satisfied.
    I have an Alverez Yari that I bought six months ago at Macduffs
    in Shrewsbury six months ago. I paid $375 for it which I still
    think was a good deal. The guitar has great action and had great sound
    up until I put new strings on last week and ended up with buzzing
    on the A and D string. I put on Martin light guage strings. The
    buzzing seems to come from the bridge not the neck. Last night I
    tried raising the bridge with no success. Its getting real frustrating
    because other than the buzz I realy love this guitar. Any suggestions?
    
    Jim
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728.1check this outSUDAMA::SUDAMALiving is easy with eyes closed...Wed Jul 20 1988 15:4232
    One question is, what gauge strings did you have on it before?
    Changing to a lighter gauge than what the guitar was originally
    set up for is most likely the cause of the problems. If the buzzing
    is really at the bridge, it is possible that the strings are rattling
    against the sides of the notches in the saddle. I think this was
    described in another note (probably by me). The notches are often
    cut like this:
    
   	_______      _______
              |      |
               \----/

    with the width just fitting the size of the string. If you put on
    a lighter gauge string it may be too loose in the notch. The proper
    fix for this is either to go back to heavier strings, or replace
    the bridge saddle and have it set up for the gauge you are going
    to use. A temporary fix (which may be good enough for you, and which
    would help to determine if this is actually the problem) is to place
    a small piece of folded paper over the notch and lay the string
    in on top of that. It will serve to raise the string height slightly
    and also buffer it against the sides of the notch.

    One other possibility is that you have defective strings. I have
    put strings on before that had similar buzzing problems, and nothing
    I did seemed to make it go away. I took the strings back to the
    dealer, who swore that he had never heard of such a thing being
    caused by the strings, but replaced them anyway. Presto! Buzz was
    gone. I hope your life is that simple. My theory is that if a string
    is not wound tightly the core could rattle against the windings,
    or the windings could rattle against each other.

    - Ram
728.2truss rod adjustment???PLDVAX::JACQUESWed Jul 20 1988 15:4916
    Let's see now. If you changed from a medium gauge string to light
    string, you now have less tension on the neck than before. Perhaps
    you need to add a slight bit of tension to the truss rod to compensate
    for lighter strings. I would just turn it about 1/4 turn and try
    it like that. Loosen the strings, give the truss rod 1/4 turn, and
    retune. Also, make sure that you are actually tuning to A440. You
    can grab an A440 off a piano, or any other reference that you have
    handy (ie. pitchpipe, harmonica, etc.) and tune to it. Guitars will
    act strange of they are not tuned to the same pitch all the time.
    In fact, you probably should check this first before making any adjustments
    to the truss rod. 
      
    Good luck
    
    Mark Jacques
    
728.3How to check the truss rodDREGS::BLICKSTEINYo!Wed Jul 20 1988 16:5915
    I doubt it's the truss rod if the buzz is coming from the neck.  In
    fact, it's unlikely that this guitar even has an adjustable truss rod.
    
    There's a simple test to see if the neck is set properly.
    
    Hold down the low E string at both the first and highest (20th
    or whatever) fret.  If you can see a tiny little gap between the string
    and the 12th it's fine.  If there's no gap (usual cause of buzzing)
    or if there's too much of a gap, the neck isn't set right.
    
    But many (perhaps most) acoustics do not have adjustable truss rods.
    If the neck goes out on such a guitar, you might as well bring it
    to a repairman and have him do it.
    
    	db
728.4Its A MiraclePCCAD2::RICHARDJBluegrass,Music Aged to PerfectionThu Jul 21 1988 12:1213
    RE: all
    Well the Buzz is gone. I lossen the truss rod 1/4 turn and the buzz
    was still there just a little bit, but not enough to bother me.
    I came back a  couple hours later and the buzz was gone completely.
    I guess the wood (mahogany neck), has to adjust with this warm humid 
    weather. I had called Macduffs and the guy said that its usually
    the truss rod, and the buzz sound will sound as if its comming from
    the bridge or right over the hole. Also, a bad string can also cause
    the buzzing on the brass wound strings. So all the imputs were right,
    I'm just glad I found the right thing.
    
    Thanks To Everyone
    Jim
728.5Me too?VAXWRK::INGRAMThat was then, This isn't happening.Thu Jul 21 1988 13:5521
728.6Sometimes that's intentional!CSC32::G_HOUSEThat's MR. Squid Head, to YOU!Thu Jul 21 1988 14:256
    That's one thing that I've noticed some stores do, tuning the guitars
    down a little to give the false impression that it has a better action
    than it does. Before I buy anything anymore, I use a tuner to get it to
    the correct pitch in the store to be sure of what the action is like! 
    
    Greg 
728.7Live And LearnPCCAD2::RICHARDJBluegrass,Music Aged to PerfectionThu Jul 21 1988 16:4010
    re:5
    I guess the sound travels up the string. Its probably like a front
    wheel bearing that goes bad in you car, the sound travels throughout the
    frame and sometimes sounds like its comming frome the rear. It realy
    scared me, because I was afraid I might of got a screwing when I
    bought the guitar, because they said the guitar came from a Music
    store that had folded, and they picked it up cheap. The guitar list
    for $700.00 and I paid $375.00 for it. 
    
    Jim