B string buzz

[FloydRose4Prez]

My Floyded Strat's B string has buzz slightly when plucked open and then really bad when fretted. Sounds like it's more from the saddle then the nut. Visually inspected the saddle (with magnifying glass...nothing). Adjusted truss, new strings. I don't get it. Maybe a high fret that I just can't feel or see? It's a 30 year old guitar. I really don't want to take it to a guy - they are getting expensive here in So Cal.

[JJ119]

Did you figure out what the issue is?

[metalhobo]

you could try jacking the action up super high and see if that gets rid of it. that would help narrow it down to hardware rattling vs fret buzz.

i'm 100% sure this isn't the case for you but i thought i'd give an anecdote for fun. recently i had a guitar that had a very weird buzzing on the top three strings in low positions. no bridge adjustment could get rid of it. finally i realized the truss rod itself was buzzing. apparently it had gotten loose to the point it was no longer under tension. amazingly the relief of the guitar was still in range. the moral of the story is that there's all kinds
of weird shit that can buzz, and don't lose hope in finding and fixing it.

[Number Of The Priest]

To add to metalhobo's discovery of odd sources of buzz, I find myself humbled by new discoveries too.

I recently discovered that, for bolt-neck guitars, overtightening the neck bolts can mysteriously cause a dead spot somewhere on the neck. Solution: Tighten until they are snug enough that the neck isn't shifting in the pocket, which is what it should be, rather than overtightening because you're anal like me.

I first discovered this on a 2002 Fender American Series Stratocaster that I recently bought, disassembled, cleaned up, and restored. When I reassemble a guitar, I tend to tighten everything solidly, maybe a little too much, perhaps under the impression that a secure coupling between parts means stability, no strange buzzing or rattling attributed to loose parts, and possibly even an improvement in tone. The guitar would choke on a bend in just one spot on the neck and nowhere else. I thought the culprits were the round 9.5" fretboard radius, my preference for low action, and possibly a high fret in the problem area, although checking the area with a fret rocker revealed there were no high frets.

I saw a video online where a guitarist had buzz in one spot, removed the neck to find an unnecessary shim in the neck pocket, removed the shim, reattached the neck, and the problem disappeared. Encouraged, I looked in my neck pocket for anything, but found nothing. I reattached the neck and discovered my problem diminished. I experimented with different levels of snugness and tightness of the neck bolts until I found the right combination that kept the neck secure under full string tension while also not choking that one bend.

I recently disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled my 2009 Charvel So-Cal. I got a choked bend in one spot and was mystified because this guitar never had any prior problems, and the guitar has a much flatter radius (compound radius, but still) than the Strat described above. I experimented with the snugness of the neck bolts and solved the problem again.

Neck bolts too tight = mysterious choked note(s).

Neck bolts too loose = improper coupling and improperly set up guitar.

Neck bolts just right = proper coupling and shouldn't have any choking notes anywhere, assuming no high frets anywhere.

[john.w.lawson]

My Floyded Strat's B string has buzz slightly when plucked open and then really bad when fretted. Sounds like it's more from the saddle then the nut. Visually inspected the saddle (with magnifying glass...nothing). Adjusted truss, new strings. I don't get it. Maybe a high fret that I just can't feel or see? It's a 30 year old guitar. I really don't want to take it to a guy - they are getting expensive here in So Cal.

These are not expensive


20220528_064042_HDR[1].jpg

[FloydRose4Prez]

Thanks, guys. I will loosen the neck bolts and tighten them up just enough, like you said. I will buy that gauge in the picture above, too. If there is a high fret, is sand paper enough to file it down? Or do I need those StewMac filing tools?

[john.w.lawson]

Thanks, guys. I will loosen the neck bolts and tighten them up just enough, like you said. I will buy that gauge in the picture above, too. If there is a high fret, is sand paper enough to file it down? Or do I need those StewMac filing tools?

If it's just a little high you can but that will leave you with a flat fret which if you just do it right under the string it's not biggy. I'd buy this of amazon. it has a bass and two fret sizes jumbo and medium on it. and the maybe polish the fret with some fret erasers or high grit sand paper.

20220602_064951_HDR[1].jpg

[john.w.lawson]

Thanks, guys. I will loosen the neck bolts and tighten them up just enough, like you said. I will buy that gauge in the picture above, too. If there is a high fret, is sand paper enough to file it down? Or do I need those StewMac filing tools?

One other thing to note, since it's and old guitar it could be the fret has unseated itself a bit and just need hit a couple time with a brass or rubber object. Just an ideal, had it happen and I also re-glued it to keep it from happening again.