Can a guitar develop a fretbuzz......

StanleyAccrington · February 2016

......behind a fret? Like....guitar has developed a buzz on third fret of big e string...nowt mega...can still hear the note being played. I look at frets and string clearance from fret 3 upwards and can't see any obvious rattle areas when fretted at fret 3. For reasons that I can't really explain....I bunged capo in first fret.....and buzz third fret has gone. Am I in the guitar Twilight Zone? (cue programme music).

earwighoney · February 2016

It could be down to a number of things. Humidity changes, or your neck has moved slightly and might need a slight tweak.

ICBM · February 2016

StanleyAccrington said:

......behind a fret? Like....guitar has developed a buzz on third fret of big e string...nowt mega...can still hear the note being played. I look at frets and string clearance from fret 3 upwards and can't see any obvious rattle areas when fretted at fret 3. For reasons that I can't really explain....I bunged capo in first fret.....and buzz third fret has gone. Am I in the guitar Twilight Zone? (cue programme music).

Yes, that's entirely possible and is very likely what's happening - the string is vibrating against the first fret.

It's quite common but more usual to find it further up the neck. You can usually cure it by adjusting the relief slightly, either to lift the string clear of the problem fret or to bring it more tightly into contact, but that's not going to work so close to the nut. The only real solution is to change the nut height - obviously down is the only practical direction without replacing it or filling the groove, and it must be very close to too low already, so be very careful.

Unless the problem has started because of fret wear, in which case dressing the frets should fix it but is a bigger/more expensive job.

StanleyAccrington · February 2016

Thanks.....so maybe I could check the clearance at first fret with feeler gauge (not pressing down on third fret method). Then the nut height would be the clearance at first fret.....plus a thou or two!!

ICBM · February 2016

StanleyAccrington said:

Thanks.....so maybe I could check the clearance at first fret with feeler gauge (not pressing down on third fret method). Then the nut height would be the clearance at first fret.....plus a thou or two!!

No, it's the fretting at the third fret method you need - the clearance under the open string is irrelevant. What you'll probably find is that there's almost no gap and it audibly rattles when you tap it.

The difficulty is to reduce it to the point the string is in full contact with the fret - and hence doesn't buzz - *without* making it rattle when played open. Probably worth trying, but a new nut or a fret dress may actually be the best solution, depending on whether the frets are worn.

StanleyAccrington · February 2016

Thanks for the replies...guitar is doing my head in. It plays pretty nicely if I capo the first fret. So I either detune a semitone and play everything with capo on fret one.....or....I probably need to seek out a local luthier.

earwighoney · February 2016

StanleyAccrington said:

Thanks for the replies...guitar is doing my head in. It plays pretty nicely if I capo the first fret. So I either detune a semitone and play everything with capo on fret one.....or....I probably need to seek out a local luthier.

Before taking it to the local luthier there are several things you could try, this is all from personal experience I have a guitar with a similar issue but it's the 5th fret to the high E string.

1. Check the relief

2. Stick in a soundhole humidifier if the guitar is too dry (this is what caused my guitar's gripe)

3. Change the strings (try a set with a slightly heavier Low E)

4. Try a new saddle (if you have a spare)

I agree with ICBM though, it may be that the guitar's nut has worn down at the lowest E. Depending on the make and model of your guitar, it could be an easy replacement.

Jalapeno · February 2016

Check the relief, and adjust truss rod accordingly
Then - Check for Saddle /Nut wear
Then - Check fret wear - likely to be a fret buzz cause unless one fret has risen up rather than worn

None of these should be expensive from a Luthier.

StanleyAccrington · February 2016

Thanks again. I checked the relief and adjusted it to about 0.20mm (it could go down a tad more but gonna leave it for now). This gave a string action of 1mm high e and 1.75mm on low E at fret 12!!! Too low so shimmed up the saddle by 2mm (those long matches are 2mm in width). Giving a 12 fret action of e 2mm and E 2.75.....give or take a gnats bo***ck. Purely temporary for now but I'm going to have a go at a new saddle.....before the matchstick gets crushed!

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Can a guitar develop a fretbuzz......

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