[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Do you have another wound E you can throw on there?

 

If the 6th fret is high, I would expect some (possibly lesser) buzzing at the 4th fret.

 

What I've noticed since my first post here is that there is a slight buzz when lifting my finger off the fourth fret, so more evidence that the 6th fret is too high? It's just nowhere near as obvious. With the fifth fret, it happens *as* the note is played. With the fourth, only when lifting the finger off and barely noticeable but definitely there.

 

 

I'm now wishing I hadn't restrung my Colorama with my last set of strings a few days before the Dot arrived. If I go into Liverpool tomorrow, I'll pick some up and see if a new low E makes a difference.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

One other thought. Are you sure it is the string buzzing and not a sympathetic vibration/buzzing set off by the frequency of the note being played? The bridge saddle or retaining wire will often buzz in this way. I ask because you said that it buzzes even with high action, which is unusual.

 

{Edit: I was typing when you posted about the 6 fret. I hope they sort it out for you}.

 

It won't be going back til next week, so I'm all ears if anyone has any more ideas. I really do suspect the 6th fret is too high by a miniscule amount... the credit card method would seem to confirm it but I'm not expert enough to trust my diagnosis. If I had a fret rocker I'd be more confident.

 

I've never heard of sympathetic vibration, but it sounds remarkably close to that theory I floated in my first post...

 

"It also occurred to me (and this is probably wishful thinking) that the low E string is badly wound and resonating/rattling at a certain frequency as a result..."

 

I'll go and do some reading up on it right now. :)

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

The 6th fret appears to be too high.

 

Gibson Europe have agreed to collect it from my door, fix the problem and return it to me.

 

I'm not sure this is usual service though. Apparently they making an exception for me because there's no authorized workshop nearby and my nearest Epiphone dealer was a bit rude when I asked if they would look at it.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Do you mean 0.08" rather than 0.008"? 5/64" is a typical value for setting the action of the low E string, measured at the 12th fret (not pressing any frets). I often go up to about 6/64". 0.008" is more of a value for setting relief, but not 5/64, that would be way too much!

 

Sorry. I'm tired and stressed and realised afterwards he was talking about the action. I mean 0.008".

 

0.010" is the typical value for setting the relief, measured at the 7th fret while pressing the first and last fret. A few thousands of an inch either way is not critical and will not cause the guitar to buzz severely at only one fret. You can go over 0.010" if it gets rid of the buzz and you can live with the overall action/feel. You can't really loosen the truss rod too much unless you really start cranking on it. Mgruff's advice to take a little at a time is good.

 

I haven't tried a credit card for a fret rocker, but if the card is perfectly straight it should work. You will need to get the neck as flat as possible to find the offending fret(s). Set the card across only 3 frets at a time until it rocks, then you know either the middle fret is high or one of the outer frets is low. Make sure the rocker is perfectly parallel with the string path so the fretboard radius doesn't cause a false reading. Be cautious using "straight edges" as most are really not that straight (hold two of them together to check). We are talking very very small differences in fret height so the straight edge has to be perfect. I have a fret rocker from StewMac that is supposed to be machined perfectly straight.

 

It does suck having to send a guitar back. I have had to do it a few times, at least once for a really low fret. I would rather have a high fret or two because it's much easier to fix.

 

Thanks for this. I really appreciate it. After the last 1/8 turn (loosening) I felt like I hit some tension so I won't be loosening it further. I'll be checking the relief later after it's settled, but if the fret buzz doesn't vanish after this, I'll follow your advice re: the credit card method and decide what to do from there.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Thanks. I do appreciate all the comments.

 

Incidentally (sorry to land more questions on you), I know it's possible to damage the guitar by over-tightening the truss rod, but is it possible to damage it by loosening it too much?

 

I found some factory setup information posted by a Gibson/Memphis inspector, and it seems I should have been holding the strings down at frets 1 and 15, not 1 and 22. When I hold down the string at fret 22, the 0.010" feeler just touches the string at fret 7 while 0.008" completely clears it. When I hold down fret 15, the 0.008" feeler now touches the string, while 0.010" makes very full contact. So it would appear I need to increase the neck relief even more.

 

My concern is that I've already loosened the truss rod by about 1/4 a turn in total and that seems like an awful lot. I don't want to loosen it any further if there's a risk of damaging the guitar.

 

 

* The Gibson guy recommends a gap of 5/64" at fret 7. 5/64" is about 0.008" in decimal.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Gosh, this is so depressing. I'm not sending it back. It took five weeks just to get here. It seems I'm just going to have to pay to complete the manufacturing process. I can't really afford it, but what the hell. :(

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Thanks again for the replies amx05462. :)

 

I really wouldn't be comfortable doing all of that fret work myself. If the problem doesn't go away when I get new strings, I've got a feeling I'll be doing what ArgonautIOI did and paying a Luthier to sort it out. It's disappointing because any saving I made on the guitar by buying it from Thomann will be lost and I would have been better of buying it from a local store. They would at least resolve any problems like this for nothing.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

When I first got my Dot, it buzzed at the 5th fret. One of the main issues was that it was set up for a different gauge of string than I was using and the nut was just not done right.

 

I had the guitar set-up by my Luthier, he changed out the nut and set it up for a specific set of strings that I was using.

 

Buzz was gone when I got it back and it plays like a dream'

 

 

Argo

 

Thanks for the reply! :)

 

Wouldn't it buzz below the fifth fret as well if it was a nut problem?

 

Epiphone told me this morning that all Dots are fitted with 10 gauge strings at the factory (as I suspected). I've been putting 11 gauge Elixirs on my Yamaha acoustic for the past two years, so I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to go up a gauge on the Dot and see if that resolves the problem. I'm confident I can setup the neck relief, action and intonation myself.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Thanks. I'm in the UK, so I'll see if I can get a fret rocker locally before considering stewmac.com.

 

I've got a horrible feeling that the fifth fret is actually too low. Lower than all the others. But it's a bit difficult to verify that theory until I have the right tools.

 

I wish Epiphone had an authorized service centre within 40 miles. I contacted Epiphone support and discovered my only option was to travel that far if I want them to resolve the problem. I don't have a car since I took up cycling a couple of years ago, and I work seven days a week at the moment, so it's kind of difficult to travel that far during office hours. If they had somewhere closer I could at least have taken the guitar in on my lunch hour.

[Another fret buzz question for this forum (Epiphone Dot)]

Hi,

 

I recently bought an Epiphone Dot from Thomann which is buzzing/rattling on the low E string at the fifth fret, no matter what adjustments I make.

 

The neck relief is 0.010", and even if I set the bridge/action really high, the buzzing is still there. It's particularly bad when I play double stops which incorporate the low E/fifth fret, but buzz doesn't affect any other strings when played alone. I can't hear it through the amp, but I can hear it above the amp unless I have it really loud, and I can feel the odd vibration in my finger.

 

Supplied with the guitar was information about adjusting the truss rod which suggests that - if the buzzing still remains after adjustment - it's probably due to a poorly seated fret which I should "gently tap with a hammer". Er... I'm reluctant to do that with a brand new guitar... particularly if it turns out I'm hitting the wrong fret.

 

I'm just wondering what people here think about this problem and if anybody has experienced similar.

 

When I measured the neck relief I put a capo at the first fret, held down the last fret and measured the distance between 7th fret and the low E string with a feeler gauge. 0.008" doesn't touch the string, but 0.010" just about does. I think that's the correct way to determine relief?

 

It also occurred to me (and this is probably wishful thinking) that the low E string is badly wound and resonating/rattling at a certain frequency as a result... and maybe changing the strings will resolve the problem. A crazy thought? Eh, it was worth mentioning. :P

 

I'm going to change the strings to Elixirs anyway (my preferred kind), but have yet to order them.

 

Thanks for reading. :)