Guitar problems...

[fret_buzz_blues]

Ok, my guitar has a lot of fret-buzz (hence my username, I wish I could change it!), and I don't really have the money to go and get it fixed at the shop, sooo, how can I solve this problem WITHOUT fucking my guitar up like last time? It has a licensed Floyd Rose, so it sucks, and I think that probably contributes to the fret buzz. It's mostly on the lower strings. So, uh, tips anyone?

[Redballjets88]

save up 500 to 1,000 dollars and buy a new guitar

[Matt White]

It'll cost you under $50.00 to get a professional set up done on it!!!

Get a paper route!!!

All kidding aside....It'll do wonders for your guitar.

[fret_buzz_blues]

Yeah, okay, I guess it's better if I get a professional to do it. But dammit, I OWE MONEY!! It's gonna take a long time to get that money...

[Redballjets88]

get a job. grocery stores hire at 15, sure they are the worst job ever but its money

[Nitro Express]

Is your Floyd Rose floating? If so, you can raise the bridge a tad if you need to. The first thing I would check is the neck for warpage. Site down the fretboard from the peghead side. All the frets should be parelell with each other. If you see some frets at an angle, this means you have a warped neck. If the neck is straight, then check the truss rod relief. You hold the large E string down at the first and last fret. This works like a straight edge and check your relief at the 12th fret. Sometimes the truss rod is set too tight and the neck either doesn't have enough relief or it's even backbowed. If this is the case loosen the truss rod 1/4 of a turn. Wait a day or so to see how the neck settles in.

If the neck relief is ok, then just raise the bridge a tad if you can. Only turn the screws out 1/4th of a turn intervals because just cranking on the pivot screws can damage the straight edges in the bridge.

Remember each guitar should be custom set to how you play. If you are a shredder who plays fast, you want low action. Hitting the strings hard will cause buzzing with this setup. If you play hard, you want the strings up higher to reduce the buzz.

[Don Corleone]

Let's start at the begining here.

1. How long has it had fret buzz
2. Before it had fret buzz had you putz on with it?

[fret_buzz_blues]

Yes, it does have a floating Floyd Rose. It's had fretbuzz for months, but my dad forgets to take me to the shop to fix it. I'm not sure if I should try to do it myself, because I'll fuck it up last time two days after I bought it (and my dad yelled at me). Thing is that I want it at a setup where it's just perfect. I'm confused about that though...

[Don Corleone]

How hight is the action on the Floyd?

[Casemeister]

Are your strings old? If so, that'll cause some fret buzz. Using heavy picks and/or hard picking action will also cause it. I like a reasonably low action but I also don't play that hard. I've found that setting the neck almost straight works best, rather than messing with relief and stuff. I like a nice, even feel, and a straight neck seems to give that. I haven't messed with my guitars in ages, though. They seem to be set where I like them.

Sometimes you have to accept a little bit of fret buzz if you want a low action. I'm pretty good at setting guitars up, but it took a lot of trial and error to get okay at it. Can't offer a lot of advice when it comes to Floyds because I've never used one. I learned setups on a Tele. Simple but elegant. ;)

[fret_buzz_blues]

Well, my guitar has A LOT of fretbuzz. A LOT. The action is low. I think I'd have to set it to a "not too high but not too low" setting.

[sammysucks65]

get an ibanez! really i am most satisfied with there guitars them and fender it must be the bridges and the nice sound

sorry cant help you besides that

[Don Corleone]

When you say "low" are the strings touching the frets? If so that's your fret buzz (you'll need to back the action up by about a fanny's hair to sort it)

[fret_buzz_blues]

Yeah...I'm gonna go have it fixed at the shop. I don't want to kill my guitar yet...

[Nitro Express]

I have a 70's Strat with a staight neck and very low action. The large E string tends to buzz. Oh I could raise the string a tad or loosen the truss rod nut and put a bow into the neck but the guitar plays so increadable I don't want to touch a thing.

Setting up a guitar can drive you nuts and you certainly can screw up your truss rod if you don't know what you are doing. The key is small adjustments.

[GAR]

I recommend Jon-D's in Alhambra.

John DiTrapani. He's the original repairman from Pedrinis' Music working on thousands of instruments for many name players and a former luthier/factory worker at the original Gretch and Gibson factories. He won't charge an arm and a leg for a kid and I've known him since before I was a kid building guitars. Ace tech.

Also, John Carruthers on the west side, Santa Monica.

AND in your area SFValley is Norms' Rare Guitar, and Andy Brauer Rentals.

[NAHTAN]

I'm with SammySucks
Go Ibanez, you won't be disappointed

[GAR]

Originally posted by fret_buzz_blues
how can I solve this problem WITHOUT fucking my guitar up like last time?

You could mill the frets with a Fine grade file:

Loosen the strings, and tape them out of the way with masking tape. Then use a single-cut (bastard mill) file as wide as possible and just lightly drag the file down the neck across the frets from the edge of the low E side up to the 12th frets area, working up to the middle of the neck. That will take out the high spots.

Then restring the guitar to tension. If the buzzing is gone, buff the file marks out with a piece of 220 sandpaper then polish them with steel wool grade #0000 (that's four-O grade, steel wool comes graded in ohs).

THEN you adjust the forward-bowing of the neck if you still need it.

Figure out first what your trussrod takes (3/16" allen or is it a 10mm hex-nut, I don't know - if so then you'll need a 10mm nut driver or a 10mm socket) and loosen the trussrod by turning whatever tool it takes to the left.

(rule of thumb, right to tighten - left to loosen)

Then, put a towel on the kitchen table or desk you use next to hold the body up to were you can lift the headstock up to your eye so you can sight the neck down like the barrel of a gun the way you'd shoot one: now looking straight down, you'll see the neck forward bowing under string tension.

It's real easy after this point, you just tighten the nut to your right and while the tension is increased on the truss rod you'll see the fingerboard bowing start to straighten out in the opposite direction more towards a flat shape.

A perfect setup will leave some bowing, i'd say usually measured at .023"-.028" (twenty-three thousandths to twenty eight thousandths of an inch, measured in sparkplug feeler gauge clearancing) at the third fret and maybe up to 40 thou at the 12th fret.

But to find what is best to your liking and to be independant of a repair shop, that's the procedure to do it.

cost:
pack of sandpaper 220 grit, home depot $1.68
bag of superfine steel wool, $3.89
5 pack safety razor blades, $1.29
Lemon Oil furniture polish, (minwax, formbys, or 99 cent store doesn't matter as long as its real lemon oil and not some faggy perfume with tons of wax) $1-6.00

cleaning the fingerboard after the mess:

- you use the razor blade on ebony or rosewood, scratching between the frets to make the wood look like new followed up by lemon oil wiped off to dry then restringing.

maple fingerboards w/lacquer, you have to masking tape off between frets before milling and polishing and being cautious not to peel lacquer off when removing tape. And, remove tape within a couple hours no matter what happens: an errand, or wahtever may take you off the project.

[Brett]

Or Eric at Eric's Guitar Shop on Orion, near Galpin Ford. I've gone to him forever, and he does a great job on all my guitars. His set ups are second to none IMO, and he's not a rip off.

Also very close for you in the Valley.

[fret_buzz_blues]

Ok, thanks, guys. Yes, Galpin Ford is close to where I live. So maybe I'll go to Eric's Guitar Shop. What street is it on? And where is Norm's Rare Guitar, GAR?

[SNIPER]

Make sure there is 10's on it and use a clayton 1.62mm for the metal crunch.

[Brett]

Originally posted by fret_buzz_blues
Ok, thanks, guys. Yes, Galpin Ford is close to where I live. So maybe I'll go to Eric's Guitar Shop. What street is it on? And where is Norm's Rare Guitar, GAR?

He's on Orion dude, his phone is 818-780-7191. Open, Monday-Saturday.

Norm's Rare Guitar is on Ventura Blvd. between Vanalden and Reseda in one of the strip malls there, unless they've moved. I haven't noticed lately, but he should still be there.

[fret_buzz_blues]

Thanks very much. I'll have to go there one of these days.

[GAR]

well tickle my Elmo..