Buzz off.....

[Parlourman]

I've got a buzz on my newly built dreadie which is - frankly - giving me the sh*ts.

It's on the d string - and only when open - so assume nut or saddle?

I've put in larger gauge string to see if that helps - no joy.

I've slipped some paper in the nut groove under the string - no joy.

Saddle isn't loose - it's defo not a relief or proud fretwire issue.

Now i've run out of things to do.

Any ideas welcome!!

Steve

[Parlourman]

p.s

the buzz sounds like its more towards the saddle than the nut..............

[DarwinStrings]

I have come across odd buzzes like that before Steve, sometimes on only one note on the board. If you have excluded the nut and saddle then look for any other place that could cause a buzz like loose tuner nuts, loose tuner keys, you can get a truss rod to buzz or other things like pickup wiring, end jacks or even struts.

Jim

[Allen]

The hardest one I had to track down was a very slightly loose strap button on the heel. Only buzzed on the lowest open note, low G on a uke. Found it just by chance really when plucking and then holding the instrument close to my ear to try and find the source. In the process my hand muted the buzz by touching the strap button.

[kiwigeo]

Maybe it's those two "unusual" back braces?

[scripsit]

+1 for that: I had a weird little distortion which I thought must be some sort of wolf note, which came and went depending on how I held the guitar, but always seemed to involve a couple of fretted notes on the G string.

The end pin jack, where the pickup plug goes, was loose. Tightening it without being able to get my hand in the sound hole far enough was another story, and involved specialist tools I hadn't heard of before, but that was it.

Try strumming the D string and touching things like the end pin, washers under the machine heads and so on.

Kym

[Dekka]

Change the tuning away from 440 . This will help you to identify if it is related to frequency or if it is a mechanical buzz, I.e., hardware.

[kiwigeo]

+1 for that: I had a weird little distortion which I thought must be some sort of wolf note, which came and went depending on how I held the guitar, but always seemed to involve a couple of fretted notes on the G string.

The end pin jack, where the pickup plug goes, was loose. Tightening it without being able to get my hand in the sound hole far enough was another story, and involved specialist tools I hadn't heard of before, but that was it.

Try strumming the D string and touching things like the end pin, washers under the machine heads and so on.

Kym

I had a look at Steve's guitar the other day and couldn't see anything obviously wrong. There's a little bit of buzz but its only on the open string. There's a fair bit of neck relief dialed in but I don't see how that would cause a buzz on only one string.

Steve has only had the instrument strung up for a short period so I suggested he let it settle down before playing with setup.

+1 to Dekka's suggestion.

[auscab]

I had a buzz problem , well I had a few of them , but one was a loose truss rod nut.

One thing I want to try out next time I get a buzz is a Noise direction finder.
Have you ever stuck a cardboard tube to your ear and waved it around in the suspected direction of the sound ? when it hits the right direction you will know about it.
I used to do it in a HQ ute I was fixing up, while I was driving with my left hand forming a short tube I was amazed how well it could show up noises on the left side of the car.

Imagine sticking a tube or two that goes into one direction, into an old set of ear muffs ,

Or just hold an empty toilet paper roll to the ear.

[Jeremy D]

On my first build I had stew mac golden age tuners. I went mad trying to figure out a strange buzz. Turns out the buttons themselves are ever so slightly loose. I pulled them off and glued them back on with thick viscosity CA. Worked a treat.

[peter.coombe]

Some buzzes can be right bastards to track down. Something is loose, but finding what is loose is the problem because there are so many things that can be loose, and touching other parts of the guitar that are not causing it to buzz sometimes can stop the buzz. I just spent a whole day tracking down buzzing on guitar number 1. It was a complicated buzz, buzzed on open strings only on 2 strings, buzzed on fretted notes on other strings. Replaced the nut, replaced the saddle (which was a bit loose). Buzz went away, phew, rang owner, fixed. 48hrs later it came back, not so fixed after all - AAAHHHGGG!!. Eventually traced it to the endpin jack of the pickup. That was something I had checked early on and it seemd to be real tight. Oh well, we live and learn.

[Parlourman]

i'm still at a loss.

Last night I replaced all the strings, have checked the pegs and tuner heads - nothing seems to make a difference.

I have the ibeam fitted - but the buzz was there before.

Now i'm listening to it - maybe it does sound like a fret!? - but not sure - it's only when open.

Driving me potty.

[DarwinStrings]

Tweak the truss rod to exclude it if you have not done so, other than that happy hunting.

Jim

[Parlourman]

Maybe it's those two "unusual" back braces?

give it a while - every one will be doing it!

[Kim]

Check that the 'bottom' of the saddle is flat and also the bridge for any wood remaining in the slot that is not guitar which may be preventing the saddle from seating properly. Also check that the strings (any one of them could be causing the issue) are not binding in the nut slot and that they're not riding a little high on the off ramp to the tuners. Also check that the nut itself is well seated well. If need be, tap the face of the nut with a wooden block slid along the top of the frets to dislodge it so you can have a good look see.

BTW Don't let yourself be fooled by where it 'sounds' like the buzz is coming from. Its a guitar and by design the body is meant to amplify sound, especially from around the bridge area, so 'D' buzz could be originating from anywhere.

Good luck

Kim

[kiwigeo]

Check that the 'bottom' of the saddle is flat and also the bridge for any wood remaining in the slot that is not guitar which may be preventing the saddle from seating properly. Also check that the strings (any one of them could be causing the issue) are not binding in the nut slot and that they're not riding a little high on the off ramp to the tuners. Also check that the nut itself is well seated well. If need be, tap the face of the nut with a wooden block slid along the top of the frets to dislodge it so you can have a good look see.

BTW Don't let yourself be fooled by where it 'sounds' like the buzz is coming from. Its a guitar and by design the body is meant to amplify sound, especially from around the bridge area, so 'D' buzz could be originating from anywhere.

Good luck

Kim

Kim, I had a quick look at the nut on Steves guitar the other day. The only comment I made to Steve was that the slots were a bit on the deep side. I didn't pull out the saddle but the in the slot fit seemed snug and string break over same and angle down to the pins all looked ok.

[Parlourman]

Wife: "what do shall we do tonight?"

Me: "i don't mind really, but I thought I might just try and check out that buzz again - i'll only be 10 minutes"

mmmmm

I think i've sorted it. After many attempts.

The grooves in the nut were fine (the right width/depth etc) - but i'd left the remaining material proud of the strings. (ie the strings were 'buried' in the nut.) Martin had pointed out they looked a bit deep. I levelled the nut surface, till the strings were at least halfway proud. Did the trick.

So good call Martin. And also Kim - I would have sworn the buzz was coming from the bridge, not so it seems.

Thanks all

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Good to hear you solved the problem Steve. I think you would have worked it out yourself as you mentioned that you were going to address the slot depths.