How much Fret Buzz is normal?

[SigmaB]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

It's a King V KV2. It's a neck through with Floyd and Locking nut. Buzz is predominately on the bass side with the 6th being slightly worse than than the 5th string. Buzzing pretty much occurs at every fret for the 6th string.

[LarryL]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="yellow">
I do think that by having a slightly/moderately higher action, the tone is better to my ears, buy maybe that is subjective and psychological to a certain extent. Also, what may be good for me may be horrible for you, and vice versa.

</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't even think it is subjective. Low action with more buzzing kills sustain. Plenty of people like low action for playability reasons but I've never heard someone say they like it because it sounds better. Of course if you are playing through a triple rectifier or SLO100 then you probably won't notice it much. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Heavy gauge strings and high action tends to be the formula for good tone if you play hard, especially as you turn the gain down. If you have a light touch it's easier to get away with low action.

As others have mentioned it's more about finding something you are comfortable with.

[Tune_Up]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

You might try these guys, they're in Winchester not Lexington, close enough though. They may be able to help you with your fret buzz.

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/

[~K~]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
<font color="yellow">
I do think that by having a slightly/moderately higher action, the tone is better to my ears, buy maybe that is subjective and psychological to a certain extent. Also, what may be good for me may be horrible for you, and vice versa.

</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't even think it is subjective. Low action with more buzzing kills sustain. Plenty of people like low action for playability reasons but I've never heard someone say they like it because it sounds better. Of course if you are playing through a triple rectifier or SLO100 then you probably won't notice it much. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Heavy gauge strings and high action tends to be the formula for good tone if you play hard, especially as you turn the gain down. If you have a light touch it's easier to get away with low action.

As others have mentioned it's more about finding something you are comfortable with.

[/ QUOTE ]

wow I've been waiting to see how long b4 someone would post this ... you should be able to get good low action without fretbuzz... fretbuzz will affect your tone/sustain ... if you can't hear it your not paying attention ...

[charvelguy]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

Fret buzz is definite undesirable. I started to say something last night but decided to hold off until he posted more info on the guitar. How noticeable it is would be relative to your amp and tone..on a strat with single coils into a fender or marshall.. it just kills any pure note with rattles and overtones..ehh.

I would shim the nut on the bass side a .001-.003 and see if that helps first.

[bluebullet]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

shimming the nut will only stop open string buzz once you fret a note the nut height is irrelevant.just raise the bridge slightly.

[SigmaB]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

yup, no need to shim. I have no buzz when played open.

Tune_up Thanks for the link - are you in Kentucky?

I understand that sometimes a little buzz will be there, but I'm just wanting to reduce what I have - it's honestly not that bad, but bad enough that it is annoying.

[charvelguy]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

ahh, or course.. my bad. (effects of an uncaffinated brain) He said it was up the neck on the bass side. You guys know what you're doing. Putting relief in the neck sometimes does take it out.

here...you can check out these links:

Buzz problems

Guitar Repair

[RR05xx]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

I have noticed that a good tech can set up a guitar with 9s and little or no buzzing even with low action. It is a pain and sometime requires individual string shims on say a floyd. However, in the north east, I have also found that MAINTAINING the low action/light gauge string guitar without buzzing can be tricky because of the vast variations in temperature and humidity. The guitar will then need to be tweeked frequently (which I fine to be a PITA).

[SigmaB]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

HAHA - you don't have to be in the northeast to deal with that. I live in Lexington, KY. Last week it was in the single digits here, Today it's almost 60 degrees, By Saturday back down to the low 30's. It's the most crazy weather I've ever seen.

[RR05xx]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

Well then you are screwed like a lot if us. If you want low action, your best bet may be to check out the links shown and learn to actually do some of this stuff yourself! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Weather has a lot to do with playability IMHO.

[thetroy]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

You can always just raise the bass side of the bridge. Takes all of 5 seconds and a 3mm wrench. Just how high/low is the action anyway? On my Soloist, at the 12th fret on the 6th string, my 1.38mm pick just barely fits between the string and the fret without bending the string.

[charvelguy]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

That is pretty low. Anything under 2mm from fret top to bottom of string is low. Our weather is much the same here as Kentucky..within 10 degrees at least.

[Jared]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

KIller advice here from all. I just have to throw in that, on the latest Malmsteen I owned, you had to raise each saddle to its highest possible level for there to be no fret buzz. It was awful. If I could of achieved low action on that guitar, that would of been my axe for life, but it was TOO damned hard to play fast on the lower frets, and thats why I sold it.

[LarryL]

Re: How much Fret Buzz is normal?

If your saddle height ends up being too high on a vintage trem. you can always adjust the neck angle with a shim in the neck pocket. It will allow you to lower the saddles but shouldn't have an effect on the buzzing.

As for the original post, you also want to look down the neck after you adjust the truss rod. Usually you want a slight bit of relief, not dead straight. If you have any warping of the neck you might end up with a hump or bump that causes the buzzing you are talking about. I've had a few Jacksons like this. All of them were bolt-ons with the oiled neck. It's probably less likely with a neck-thru KV.