[NetKnockout]

I have a buzz, >sigh<... "The action on the strings looks fine to ME", she says with an inexperienced twinkle in her eye...

Problem is only on the 5th and 6th strings and only when the strings are pressed down in the 9th, 10th or 11th fret??? ~Nikki

[allthumbs]

Your action might be too low. Have you changed to lighter strings recently? You should check your string hight following the instructions in the Guitar Tech Forum.

[RockerWilly]

You might be hitting the strings to hard, on the A and low E strings they are bigger in diameter you have to hit them easier than the rest.

[NetKnockout]

Yes, I actually did switched to lighter strings, except the 6th string. When looking real close you can see an ever so slight bow starting at about the 8th fret and moving through to the 12th fret, but it is so slight that I am not even SURE that it really is there... Though, you can see the string slightly touching the actual metal of the fret that it is in and the one in front of it when the string is fretted within the 9th, 10th and/ or 11th. (Does that make any sense?)

Well, I attempted to check the action as directed in the other "Buzz Post", though I don't know what "440 concert pitch" is...: ( Though with it in tune, I placed the capo, (clamp, not the strap kind) and followed the instructions, and again it seemed fine! The two cards together fit in the space with ease.

[CanuckTodd]

Hey NetKnockout...
I guess you picked your handle because you are a good boxer huh? : )
Just kidding, it's nice to see another human and not just an icon in some of these posts.

I had some fret buzz problems when I switched to lighter strings. It was bugging me so much I took it into the repair shop and it turns out the action was set way too low.

Here's a good website with fretbuzz info:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luth...buzzintro.html

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Lighter strings can cause a buzz for 2 reasons:

1. Because they require less tension to tune to pitch (btw, concert 440 is 'normal' tuning, E, A, D, G, B, E. Some people use alternate tunings and for the sake of guitar repair or tech tips, it's good that we all start at the same place, what the instrument was designed for. That's not to say that some guitars don't sound or play good, or even better, with alternate tunings but 440 is about the best reference point from which all adjustments are made.) it's possible that your headstock/trussrod is pulling back more and giving you less relief than you had before. You've checked your relief and say it's good but maybe it was a tad higher before?

2. Lighter strings, because they tune to pitch with less tension, vibrate in a larger arc requiring more clearance space from the frets to keep from buzzing.

There's 2 methods of approach I'd take here. One is to get a good straight edge, like a metal or even a plastic ruler that's only about 6 inches long or so. Place the ruler on the frets inbetween the 5th and 6th strings with the center of the ruler on the 12th fret. Now see if the ruler will rock back and forth using the 12th fret as a pivot, like a see-saw on a playground. Obviously, the movement won't be as much but you're checking to see if your 12th fret is higher than the other frets. If it is, take it in to a shop to have them level and dress it.

If the 12th fret isn't high and your action can tolerate it, I'd attempt to adjust the saddles up a bit to kill the buzzing. Well, I say that assuming it's an electric. Is this an electric?

[NetKnockout]

I know this is going to sound weird, but as I said I didn't change the 6th string, it is still a medium gage/ weight (?)... And it is the worst... Oh, and my guitar is an acoustic-electric, A Takamine G-Series...

[coldethyl]

That's a nice guitar ya have there NetKnockout!

Neil

[allthumbs]

switch back to mediums. That might fix it.

[NetKnockout]

Nikki <----- smiles @ Neil....: )~

[coldethyl]

I noticed those keyboards in your pic. Do you also play keyboards Nikki?

Neil

[Ultimate Garage Band]

I guess I missed that the 5th and 6th were still mediums. You can either put mediums back on the entire guitar or raise/shim the saddle, or better yet, get a new saddle. I'm going to guess your factory saddle is plastic and this would be a good opportunity to upgrade to bone or tusq. You'll really notice a difference in tone and volume plus you'll the lower action and lighter strings you're looking for.

[allthumbs]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

I guess I missed that the 5th and 6th were still mediums. You can either put mediums back on the entire guitar or raise/shim the saddle, or better yet, get a new saddle. I'm going to guess your factory saddle is plastic and this would be a good opportunity to upgrade to bone or tusq. You'll really notice a difference in tone and volume plus you'll the lower action and lighter strings you're looking for.

I told one of our members that and his tech said the difference in tone and volume would be minimal and it would be expensive to do. Go figure.

[Ultimate Garage Band]

that's a lazy tech. One day I got an Oscar Schmidt dreadnought in that was just dead. I first started with a new set of strings, still dead. So I took the plastic saddle off and sanded a bone saddle down to fit and that guitar came to life. Not worth the money? How much does someone charge to install a bone saddle? If she brought her guitar to me and wanted a new bone saddle and set up to play 12's at most I'd charge $40 and for that money she'd get:

Truss rod adjustment, if needed
Fingerboard cleaned and oiled, if needed
Bridge plate cleaned and oiled, if needed
Any needed fret polishing
Body cleaned
New saddle installed
New set of strings

If all I had to do was install the new saddle and put on a new set of strings it'd be closer to $25. Every guitar I've put a bone saddle in to replace the stock plastic one was a noticable improvement.

[coldethyl]

UGB, I've had a look at the tags that I got with my Ibanez acoustic and it says that I have Ivorex II nut and saddle and Advantage bridge pins on the guitar.

Is that good?

Neil