Is Fret buzz only a temporary problem?

[tmjazz]

I have a couple of problems with one of my guitar and one of them happens to be fret buzz.
I was just curious, is fret buzz ever a problem that can't be fixed without making the action uncomfortably high?

[Professor1]

Fret buzz is not really so much of a "problem" as it is a trade-off. You have to decide between an acceptable amount of, or merely occasional buzz, and the string heighth you want.

Raising the action is also not the only remedy. If it is all over the guitar, then your action is probably too low. There could also be an issue with the neck relief; if the neck is too straight. The slight curve in the neck allows the strings room to vibrate. Also, if it is on open strings, then the nut may be cut too deep. Another thing to check is that you fret the string just behind the fret, and not far away from the fret, as this will certainly cause buzzing in and of itsef.

Now, the reason that I said it is not a problem is that if it is very slight, on an electric, you will never notice it plugged in. Also, light guage strings will buzz almost no matter what you do. Heavier guage strings will buzz less and let you lower the action some more. A small amount of fret buzz is fine if it can't be heard plugged in, and if the action is what you want. Measure it. You may have it unreasonably low to begin with. Also, you may find that you can easily play with the action higher than you thought you could. Buy a book on guitar set ups, or take it to a skilled technician. It can also depend on what kind of guitar you have. Scale lengths and fretboard radius all figure into what you can and can't do regarding action adjustments.

In the long run, you will be happier and save money if you learn to make the common set-up adjustments yourself.

[kawe]

Hi tmjazz!
Could you tell us more details?
What kind of guitar?
What string gauge?
How high is the action at the 12th fret?

[Professor1]

Yes, measure from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom side of the low and high E strings. Do not fret the strings at all when you measure.

Low action =1.2mm high E and 1.6mm low E
Medium action = 1.6mm high E and 2mm low E
High action = 2mm high E and 2.4mm low E

The low E side needs more room for the strings to vibrate.

[tmjazz]

Well, to make along story short, I have and Samick acoustic (lots of buzz on this one) and and Eastman AR810-CE. The Eastman was damaged through the mail (a problem that I am being compensated for) and I found out that I can keep the damaged as a project guitar. I know the Samick's action can be ajusted, but I love the low action on it...
The Eastman is a different story...
I recieved it through the mail and found that there is fret buzz on the A string when played open. I must fix this! It almost isn't playable with that kind of problem..

Samick acoustic:
medium gauge elixirs
Low E=4mm high E=3.5mm
(am I measuring this wrong?)

Eastman AR810-CE:
light gauge d'addario

[Professor1]

If it buzzes when played open, then the nut is cut wrong. Does it buzz when played at the first fret? Also, acoustic guitars often have a hump in the fretboard where the fretboard goes across the top of the guitar. Sight down the fretboard from the bridge end to check for this. When properly set up, you should be able to use quite a bit lower action without problems.

[kawe]

If only the A string buzzes when played open, the string slot at the nut may be to deep.
Just for testing: Put a little piece of thin paper etc. into the slot to raise the string a little. Is it better then?

[tmjazz]

Professor: the low E buzzes at the 1st fret, the A buzzes open on the Eastman. I checked for the hump and it seems to have a slight, almost unoticable, rise.

Kawe: the piece of paper is an awesome idea! Thanks!

Thanks to the both of you. You guys really laid it out for me!

[pinsk94]

Hello.
It is my opinion that if you are having basic problems as buzzing with open strings, I would find someone real good to look at it. When I got my heritage, the fret work was terrible. I have a straight edge in which I can check high and low spots. There were some frets that were high in the middle and low at the ends. No way this could be set up well. I had a very good luthier do some work on it. It did cost me a little over $200 but the work was outstanding. Well worth the money. It is set up with 3/64 high E 4/64 low e (12th fret) with NO buzz. Incredible. I am heavy with the pick so this makes it more amazing.
I do believe it is a compromise, but that is with a good fretboard. It the set up is suspect, you don't have a chance.

[Professor1]

I agree with pinsk94...time to have a pro look at it.

[Jaml]

Professor said:

There could also be an issue with the neck relief; if the neck is too straight. The slight curve in the neck allows the strings room to vibrate.

This is adjusted by the truss rod, right?
Would you advise this to be done by the player or by a guitar tech?
Could you enlarge upon the subject of truss rods, neck bow etc.,

[Professor1]

Jaml said:

This is adjusted by the truss rod, right?
Would you advise this to be done by the player or by a guitar tech?
Could you enlarge upon the subject of truss rods, neck bow etc.,

Yes. The truss rod acts like a counterbalance to the pull of the strings. The adjustment allows the neck to have more or less of a curve. The amount of curvature desired is very small.

Adjustments should normally be made by a technician, in small increments. Inexperienced persons should defer to a professional, as severe damage can be done to an instrument. There are several books on guitar set-up and maintenance that talk about all of this in a clear step-by-step manner. A highly respected book is by Dan Erlwine. (sp?)

[kawe]

Dan Erlewine on trussrod adjustments: "A quarter turn is a lot!"
If anybody should be interested in his suggestions regarding trussrod adjustments, let me know.

[L4sleeko]

tmjazz, you may want to try the D'addario chrome flatwound 13's. They solved my buzz problems on my L4 CES and Emperor Regent. They may fit in the nut slots better. Chow ?;^)