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

[AussieTerry84]

The high E has this really annoying open string fret buzz, like it just ruins open chords.

I've raised teh action, did nothing.
I've switched the Locking Nut around.
When the string is tuned to D-D# there is no buzz only once its in tune to E standard.


I'm thinking it could be Truss Rod?

Anything else I should try?

[Ward]

Adjust the truss rod, should be able to correct it that way.

A few of mine get that same high E buzz with humidity changes each year. A little truss adjustment sorts them out.

[decadence5423]

Yeah it's probably going to be the truss rod, it's easy to check. If you take the guitar and hold the first fret and last fret down there should be enough bow in the center to barely fit a credit card in there.

You get buzz from the neck bowing too far away from the strings and you end up trying to compensate by lowering the bridge, which brings the frets too close on the ends. Or the neck bows towards the strings and the frets are too close in the center.

[SausageofPower]

That's...odd. Open strings are almost always indicative of a worn nut. I'm not sure how drop tuning would make that better though. Did you try shimming the locking nut just to see if that's the cause?

Edit: Err, yeah. The truss rod could do it too I suppose. Though typically that's indicated on fretted notes too, not just open strings. *shrug* That's what I get for giving input when the coffee hasn't hit me fully yet. ;p

[j2379]

yep i have to agree, open string buzz is usually not the truss rod. if its tuned lower to D-D# which is lower looser strings more string movement the buzz should be worse not better. is it a floyd, could be spring buzz, that only rattles at certain frequencies?

[xenophobe]

Put your ear next to the neck and keep striking the open string that buzzes until you locate where it's actually fretting out. It's not difficult to tell, when your ear gets closer, the noise will be louder. You should have about .5mm of clearance at the first fret with an open string, maybe a touch less depending on your play style. It sounds like your nut should be shimmed a little.

Check your frets and make sure there isn't a lot of fret wear. Some guitars can have horrible amounts of wear, but still not fret out. It's really a case-by-case thing.

As for having a flatter or a neck with slight bow, that all depends on your preference of play... a perfect neck will play just as well flattened out or with the more classical neck bend of about 1-1.5mm in the middle if you fret the string out at the first and last. When you need to start adjusting the neck bend to try to get rid of fret buzz, you might be dealing with a more complicated issue.

[AussieTerry84]

Took it to a guitar tech to look at he wasnt able to fix it at the shop where he was contracted out to, they didn't have the correct files.

He believes its to do with the saddle needing to be grooved for the High E, also tried to sell me for a setup saying the intonation was out but when i checked once i got it home it was fine haha, $100 for a floyd setup no thanks!

[DalyTek]

Is it a RR1 with a Floyd or a RR1T with a Tune-O-Matic? You don't groove the saddles on a Floyd, and the TOM should already be grooved unless the bridge has been replaced.
Open string buzz does not necessarily indicate nut issues, only if it buzzes open but not when fretted at the first fret. If it's buzzing open and when fretted, it's either truss rod adjustment or a high fret.
If the buzz goes away past a certain point on the neck, it's almost definitely a high fret.

No matter what, I'd definitely not let that "tech" touch your guitar again!

[AussieTerry84]

Yeah he filed abit of paint out of the groove, buzz only happens when the High E is open.

Oh and yeah its a RR1 FR


I reckon the nut just needs a shim.

[AussieTerry84]

I got some business cards to see if it does need shimming, can i shim just the one end or does the whole nut need to have equal shimming?

[AussieTerry84]

Ok i've got some time to look at it, when i fret the 3rd fret the string doesnt touch the 1st fret wire, could the buzz be coming from the saddle? What could be causing it down there?

[AussieTerry84]

I've put abit of business card under the nut its got rid of majority of the buzz, still a lil bit of buzz left.

When i pull the whammy bar back on the high E from 4-5th fret onwards the string goes dead is that normal? What could be the cause?

[DalyTek]

Sounds like maybe the bridge is a little too low on the high E side?

[horns666]

Sounds like maybe the bridge is a little too low on the high E side?

Yeah...take it up a about a full turn with your FR allen wrench. Right where your whammy bar is. If that resolves it but too high..back it down a half turn.

[JACKSONFREAK]

If you have a ruler or something to measure string height start with a measure ment of 4/64ths on the treble side and see if it still buzzes. It could be a high fret or two. If it buzzes at the first open but not when fretted at the first fret. The first fret is high or the nut is too low. The relief should be about the thickness of a business card between the 5th and 9th frets. With that set and you still have fret buzz in places but not all over than you have high frets and they need to be either tapped back into place if they are coming up or leveled and re-crowned. Tarnished frets can also change the clearance of an other wise buzz free fret and make it buzz. I've had this problem a few times.
Gil