RR1Diagnosis, what do you think could be the cause of this Buzz?

[xenophobe]

That's why I don't take my shit to a guitar tech, I can do all the guitar tech stuff myself. If you have a problem neither you or a tech can fix, pick up your smartphone to navigation and say "luthier" and go to the nearest real luthier to examine.

I don't know about you all, but I do know when a neck needs work. Usually it's just a few frets somewhere on the neck on a portion of where the neck wood raised/lowered/expaned differently than the rest of the wood and needs a minor fret level to fix. If you can't determine the problem and a tech can't fix it, give it to someone who does, IMO.

I can do minor repairs, finicky neck/truss adjustments, intonation, etc... I can usually tell within a few minutes of playing a guitar, even if it has a horrible setup, if I can set it up correctly or if it needs to go to a real luthier. Sometimes it takes hours and several different attempts to set up a guitar before you notice a minor issues... it really depends on the neck. I currently have 3 guitars at a real luthier cause I can't fix the issues, or don't want to risk doing work on $$$$ guitars.

[ginsambo]

So you are saying that when you pull the bar back the high E goes dead, but only when fretted from the 4th fret upwards?
- so you can pull it back on the 0-3rd frets and it doesn't go dead?
- and when you play an open E it buzzes or rattles?

Ok for a start it sounds like your action is way too low, but it also sounds like either your neck is backbowed, or it has popped a fret which is sticking out around the 5th-14th fret areas or your neck heel is twisted clockwise relative to the headstock when sighting down from the headstock end.

Get a straight edge, like a long steel rule and put it on your frets. Also sight the neck from the headstock to try and get a more precise idea of what is going on. You can also use a shorter steel rule and go along your frets and see if it rocks anyway, which will indicate a high fret.

Also check the relief on the neck on the 8th and 12th frets by depressing the high E on the 1st and last fret. Whilst fretted at the 1st and last frets, you should be able to tap the string down towards the fretboard a little at least with your third arm, indicating some relief, it shouldn't be touching all the frets when fretted at the 1st and highest fret simultaneously and as others have advised above adjust your action and relief accordingly.

Not wanting to overlook the obvious, check your pickup heights as well. as they can fret out strings when pulling the bar back if they are too high and that is a nice and simple fix!

[ginsambo]

I just get my tech to dress the frets now, tried a set up and he set the neck straight... uggh. But he is great on fretwork leveling and crowning and cheap!

You didn't say whether this problem has suddenly occurred or whether it come on gradually. If it's sudden what have you changed? Stored the guitar in your boot? Maxed up the heating?

It's weird but this time of year things do move. I don't know why but they do in the UK also, I don't know why because our year round temperature is 55 F and humidity is up at 85% come spring summer and autumn, it only get colder in winter...and occasionally in summer too but rarely freezes day and night so the humidity is still up. So high humidity all year round is a given. But of course turning the central heating (Convection radiators kind of fierce on guitars like woodburners) on drops the humidity down to 50-60% and that can have an affect when a guitar is used to 75-80%.

I try and get frets dressed once a year, usually it's only the highest frets on the low strings that I can't reach and don't play that need filing. Every two years the whole thing might need a level and crown. It's funny how things come on quickly though. I went to play one Pro Mod last night and the D string 2nd fret was completely fretting out, on Saturady it was fine. Now the action is low but not extremely low. The weird thing is that the humidity meters are telling me nothing has changed, it's still damp as hell and cold. So I figure despite the evidence, perhaps the neck has straightened up a bit due to a delayed affect as I've had the heating on for the first time for a couple of nights. So I check the relief and yes, it has straightened out a little, still relief but not as much as it was. Then I get to check the 2nd fret and there is literally nothing left of it around the D/G string, no crown what so ever and the surface of the jumbo fret is just about as wide as the base of the fret. I must be the cowboy king or an uber mean motherfucker - it was new last year. So I don't know if that fret is saveable, I don't want to have to grind all the others for the sake of one fret, but it goes to show how long you can get away with it, before suddenly a slight change in you heating or something and the whole lot turns to shit. Must be kind of like going bald, you only get to noticing it when it's already gone so far...and then within as few months you are suddenly 'Balding' overnight and you are left thinking, where did that come from?

Anyway I must be a candidate for stainless frets if I am wearing jumbos out that fast, but I do wonder whether, psychosematically speaking they will 'feel' harder tough. I quite like the squishy feel of nickel.

Agree with Xenophobe on that, it's like a car, you can do the servicing yourself, change an engine, a clutch, rear oil seal, maybe the pads or even a balljoint, but every now and then it's gonna need the tracking and headlight alignment done and an MOT certificate and you get someone who works on guitars all the time to do that. But also like a car, it helps if you know what the problem is to start with, even if you do not have the tools or patience to fix it.

I just calculated that I must play that guitar for 30 days continuously a year, some 730 hours. Surely that seems too short a length of time to wear the frets out?

[JACKSONFREAK]

Zeno just for the record the only differemce betweem a "Tech" and "Luthier" is a certificate. Ability to correctly diagnose and correct an issue is up to experience and training. I've had customers and friends complain about bad work from both techs and luthiers. Just cus a person has a title a more prestigious title doesnt make them capable of doing the job right. Just saying.
Gil

[xenophobe]

Zeno just for the record the only differemce betweem a "Tech" and "Luthier" is a certificate.

/facepalm

Can a "guitar tech" create a masterpiece violin or cello from a stack of lumber?

Ummm. Not likely.

I guess you don't know what the word luthier means.