Guitar setup question - I'm stumped

ElectricPhase

ElectricPhase

Fractal Fanatic
I usually do my own guitar maintenance. Simple stuff...nothing involving fret files. 🤪

This time, I'm completely stumped:
  • guitar was playing perfectly
  • switched from 9-46 to 9-42
  • loosened the trem springs to re-level the bridge for the slightly lower tension
  • B string starts buzzing on open and frets 1-3
  • raised the action on the treble side from 4.5mm to 5mm
  • no change on B string; E string starts buzzing in the same place
  • lowered the action back down to 4.5mm
  • E string stops buzzing, no change on B string

What could be going on here?
 
Sounds like you need to adjust your truss rod. If you are buzzing before the 8th fret you will need to add a little bow to the neck (with the truss rod adjustment screw). I am guessing you will need to turn the truss rod adjustment away from you (toward you high E or 6th string) with the guitar in your lap and the neck pointing to your left side. You only need small amounts of turn like 1/8 of a turn at a time. Let is sit for 20 min. Test and do another slight turn of the truss rod until no more buzz.

James
 
jamesmarshall said:
Sounds like you need to adjust your truss rod. If you are buzzing before the 8th fret you will need to add a little bow to the neck (with the truss rod adjustment screw). I am guessing you will need to turn the truss rod adjustment away from you (toward you high E or 6th string) with the guitar in your lap and the neck pointing to your left side. You only need small amounts of turn like 1/8 of a turn at a time. Let is sit for 20 min. Test and do another slight turn of the truss rod until no more buzz.

James
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have thought such a small change in string tension could affect the neck. Neck relief is currently at 0.15mm....standard for my guitars, but I'll try increasing it slightly.
 
Definitely truss rod. Since no work was done to the nut, buzzing from12 fret down is usually a minor relief. You have slightly less tension providing the relief on it's own. Therefore the neck relaxes and straighten, just enough to buss. Turn your truss wrench 1/8 of turn toward the high E side and let it settle before expecting results. Bigger turns that create instant results will drift toward too much relief after settling. Bridge adjustments are for frets 12-21, 22, 24, depending on what you have.

Sorry if you knew all this. Guitar setups are one of my "professional hobbies". Good luck.
 
You just need half the thickness of your high 'E' under the 7th~9th is area when you fret the first and 14th. Judge by eye and only use feeler gauges if you have a perfect straight edge but I don't recommend it because the quality of straight edge you need is high and expensive. Just eye under the string will tell you more than enough to get this adjustment right. don't be tempted to make this gap bigger because it gets seriously detrimental to performance very quickly in either direction. This gap works best regardless of string gauge, action or even playing style what ever they might say on the Gear Page.
 
I go by eye and feel. Capo the 1st fret and hold down anywhere from 14-17, some say where the neck goes into the body. There should be the gap as Andy Eagle mentioned. I increase it lowly until the buzzing stops. This will give you he lowest action possible while getting rid of your issue.
Other root causes for fret 1-5 buzzing can be a badly cut nut(sometimes only rears its head after a gauge change) or a high fret(poor install, lifting, etc)
 
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