Weird fret buzz help.

johnl

Had a weird buzz on the G string of my Les Paul on all frets (but not the open string) - adding an absolute ton of relief gives me buzzing just between the 7th and 12th frets (which to me is amazingly confusing as I expected the opposite). Using a straight edge I can't see any high frets, certainly a credit card on any 3 frets between the 5th and 15th doesn't rock. Can anyone suggest anything else I could check please? I'd take it to a tech but I'm abroad at the moment. 

MattNovak

Start simple, by changing the string?

FelineGuitars

Okay - could be a couple of things:

*assume you have tried a new string  to eliminate a rogue string casing the issue*

1) the bridge could be collapsing making the D and G lower than the other strings 
2) You need some fallaway added to the end of the neck via a careful fret dress, and return the action to nearly straight (low relief)  and set the action to the desired amount

King85

Check all your screws too, I've had two instances of buzz that turned out to be a bridge saddle screw not seated correctly and my locking tuner not being tight

johnl

Thanks guys - really appreciate the help.

Adey

Is it "fret buzz" or just "buzz"? Sounds like it could be something loose perhaps? (unless the bridge is collapsing, but then lifting it up ought to cure the problem in the short term).

ICBM

Capo it at one of the first few frets and see if it still does it on the remaining frets further up. It could be the string buzzing between the nut and the fretted position.

Voxman

If its just the G string it sounds like the nut slot for the G string may be worn down and a tad too low. It may need a new nut although it can be built up - check you tube or with the techs here but I think superglue and bicarbonate of soda might do the trick if the G slot is too low. 

gary_mac

Voxman said:

If its just the G string it sounds like the nut slot for the G string may be worn down and a tad too low. It may need a new nut although it can be built up - check you tube or with the techs here but I think superglue and bicarbonate of soda might do the trick if the G slot is too low. 

I initially thought the same, but then read the OP again and John stated that there is no buzz when playing the open string.

Danielsguitars

I'm thinking nut or saddle assuming the nuts not too low

Philtre

Voxman said:

If its just the G string it sounds like the nut slot for the G string may be worn down and a tad too low. It may need a new nut although it can be built up - check you tube or with the techs here but I think superglue and bicarbonate of soda might do the trick if the G slot is too low. 

I've done the superglue and bicarb trick on a buzzing nut slot on a Telecaster. It set as hard as fuck, and then I realised I didn't have a nut file so had to file it down with an old guitar string. Worked, though.

Adey

If there is "fret buzz" all over the place and on multiple consecutive frets (as I think the OP is saying), then it doesn't sound like it is the string buzzing against a fret to me, and it doesn't buzz with an open string.... Unless the nut is cut high and the action is really low so that the string is slightly choking on fret(s) when the nut is out of the equation.

Maybe lift the bridge might help???

johnl

So - now that the weekend is upon us and I've had more time to check it.

- Stuck a new set of strings on but still have the same buzz.
- With less relief it buzzes on every fret (but never the open string) with more relief the buzz starts around the 8th fret and stops after the 13th
- Capo on any of the first few frets doesn't make any difference
- Tried taking the string out of the groove in the saddle and resting it on the saddle itself just in case the groove was too low - still no difference.
- Raised action to the point you'd need to take a taxi between the string and the fretboard - better but not really playable.

I've got the nut it came with (there's a bone nut on there now) so my next thought is to stick the old nut on and see if that makes any difference.

Adey

So it's not "fret buzz", but something is buzzing from what you say. If you have raised the action right up and it still buzzes it can't be the frets causing it. Something loose on the bridge?

ICBM

johnl said:

- With less relief it buzzes on every fret (but never the open string) with more relief the buzz starts around the 8th fret and stops after the 13th

That sounds like it has an s-bend in the neck, with a hump roughly between the 9th and 13th frets. I looked at a friend's guitar with exactly that problem this morning...

No buzz on the open string means it's not the nut - if anything it's higher than it needs to be - so don't bother changing that.

johnl

ICBM said:

johnl said:

- With less relief it buzzes on every fret (but never the open string) with more relief the buzz starts around the 8th fret and stops after the 13th

That sounds like it has an s-bend in the neck, with a hump roughly between the 9th and 13th frets. I looked at a friend's guitar with exactly that problem this morning...

No buzz on the open string means it's not the nut - if anything it's higher than it needs to be - so don't bother changing that.

Thanks @ICBM - on a Les Paul is that something that can be rectified?

ICBM

johnl said:

Thanks @ICBM - on a Les Paul is that something that can be rectified?

It may just need the frets dressing, if it's not too serious. Unfortunately if it's really bad - but I don't think it will be if it only affects one string over a few frets - it may need the fingerboard planing, which involves a full refret. It sounds like you've tried all the other options now.

MattNovak

Check the tuner on the G string - make sure all the nuts etc are tight? Seems silly but worth a go.

johnl

Interestingly if I take all the relief out of the neck I can get a straight edge to lie flat and certainly seems to be in contact with every fret - I'm guessing that either a high fret or a bent neck would mean I had at least some higher or lower frets. I'm taking it to another tech tomorrow and if all else fails I'll ship it to Feline. Hopefully UPS won't put any more bends in the neck....

johnl

Update on this - The problem just disappeared whilst I was drinking tea and idly noodling on the guitar whilst browsing the forum. I can't say which of those 3 fixed it but it was definitely one of them.

Philtre

johnl said:

Update on this - The problem just disappeared whilst I was drinking tea and idly noodling on the guitar whilst browsing the forum. I can't say which of those 3 fixed it but it was definitely one of them.

Not only can @ICBM correctly diagnose every single guitar and amp problem on these forums but he is also able to do remote repairs by psychokinesis.