Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!

Subject: Tech: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: muppitz
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 04:03 PM

I have recently purchsed a new guitar and when I got it home I discovered that when I used my capo, if I were to pretty much touch the bottom E string, it buzzed.
So I changed the strings, they were the ones that were on in the shop and I was fairly confident that they would be of a higher gauge than I use, I thought this would fix the problem.
Wrong.
I have new strings on my new guitar, of the gauge that I use and I find I still can't use a plectrum to play my guitar as the original problem remains, I think that it's catching on the uppermost fret (Bearing in mind this only happens when I'm using a capo).
Can anyone suggest a remedy, my technical knowledge is a bit limited?
I do like the guitar and apart from the one string being a pain, it plays lovely and for me to take it back to the place I bought it means an hour on the bus, which I really don't fancy.
Any suggestions?

Cheers in advance!

muppitz x

Subject: RE: Tech: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: beardedbruce
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 04:07 PM

has the fret lifted? are the slots on the nut too deep?

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 05:05 PM

Hi Muppitz ,
Don't mess about with it - take it back to the shop.
ask them to fix it - failing that you need to find a luthier
(some one who makes /or mends guitars and associated instruments).
It could be many things or a combination of some and you'll never sort it out.
Beardedbruce has only asked you two things which could be wrong -ther's loads more
Luthier /guitar doctors are not so difficult to find .
Try starting a new thread "Luthier required near xxxxxxx area "
They'll sort it out in 10 mins , and e.g. if the neck
is twisted they'll tell you get it straight back to the
shop get your money back ,or a different guitar as it maybe unplayable .

Chances are , it just needs setting up properly so
I'm afraid an hour or two back on the bus is on the
horizon - you'll be glad you did .
Best of luck.

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 05:13 PM

Muppitz, I think you are in Nottingham, UK, no?

If you got it at Hobgoblin, tell them to fix it.

If you got it elsewhere, check out the shop's reputation before you let them loose on it. I have known shops make matters worse rather than better.

If the shop does not have a good rep, ask Hobgoblin to recommend a luthier.

I suspect the neck may be too flat, the nut too high, and either the bass side of the saddle too los or the treble side too high.

If you are who I think you are, PM me, and I'll ask my daughter who lives in Nottingham to contact you and show you her Sigma that I set up for her and next time she is coming home I can either do it myself or get a local pro (one I pretty much trust) down south here to do it but the latter will cost about 30 quid.

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: Nick
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:42 AM

I had a buzzing top string after buying a new guitar a while after I had bought it and it turned out that it needed a small truss rod adjustment. Presumably it was just the guitar settling in. The shop did it on the spot in a couple of minutes.

Not the sort of thing to even think about doing unless you really know what you are doing

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: muppitz
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 02:25 PM

Thanks all, I didn't buy it from Hobgoblin but on this advice I think I shall either take it there or stick it out until the 5th of November when the guy who owns Hobgoblin is coming round to mine (Along with the rest of his talented family) for a Bonfire Night party!!

Cheers.

muppitz x

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: GUEST,Mike, Halifax UK
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:03 PM

There are a few things you could try first:-

Try tightening the tension on the capo ( you don't say which one you have and ther are many different makes on the market) so that the strings fit tighter to the neck

It could be that you have a straight capo of a curved fret board

Move the capo closer or nearly on the fret

If these dont work.. back to plan 'A'

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 10:32 AM

The experts who say take the guitar back are probably right, but before you do that, check these simple things:

1. Has the string worked its way out of the slot in the nut which ought to be holding it? I've seen this happen. If so, nudge it back with your fingernail.

2. Is excess string at either end of the guitar touching something else? I've seen that cause a buzz. Clip off the excess.

3. Try a different capo. Perhaps the present capo isn't really holding the problem string down.

----------
I know a man who was a radio-repair technician in WWII. His instructor told him, "I'm teaching you how to fix many complicated problems, but most of the time when equipment doesn't work, the solution is something simple."

I've found that to be true much of the time.

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 08:47 AM

Well, at least you will have something to burn!

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: GUEST,Dewey
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 05:54 AM

If the nut is too low, you MAY wish to insert guitar repair glue into the nut string grooves. This will raise the height of the grooves and end the buzzing, this is the "quickfix" method. One caveat however: spread very carefully and cover all other parts of the guitar against potential damage spread by the glue (people are scared to try this on certain instruments because of the potential of spreading this glue into unwanted areas). If you have a rare guitar you might not want to try this solution, but it usually works reguardless, unless there are other issues within the neck to contend with besides the problems associated with the nut.

Dewey

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: Mr Happy
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 06:12 AM

Re my worn capo thread, does the string buzz if you play it un-capoed, with your finger?

if not, it may be the capo that's the prob.

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: van lingle
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 08:33 AM

Hi Muppitz, There's nothing like playing a guitar with a setup done to suit your own preferences by an expert and concientious luthier. It's well worth the money and the effort if you take it to the right person.

Subject: RE: Strings a-buzzin'! Please Help!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 08:45 AM

Muppitz is specific, the buzz only happens when the capo is used. Therefore the fault is not that the nut is too low.

If the buzz happens every time the capo is used, it is unlikely to be a capo problem because a capo will go on slightly differently every time, so sometimes the buzz would be worse than others. You may say that if the buzz is not there if the bottom string is fingered, it must be a capo problem, but if you are fingering the string it is not left to ring on its own and the fingering will probably prevent the buzz happening.

The buzz is not stated to be limited to certain capo positions, therefore it occurs all the way up the neck.

Therefore the buzz is caused by the neck progression being insufficient and/or the bass side of the saddle being set too low. necks and saddles get adjusted this way by shops if nuts are too high, because its easier to tweak the truss rod or saddle than to cut nut slots with the necessary precision.

Hence my diagnosis above.