Top String fret buzz

[thejtl]

So I've had my new Gibson J-45 walnut special edition for a few months. Loving this guitar. The only problem is since the weather got real col I have fret buzz/dead frets on the top E for a few frets until I get to the body. I've tried giving the truss rod a little tweak but nothing's helping. I'm keeping it humidified, but I'm wondering if it's that or something else.

 

Any thoughts?

[jedzep]

Guess you mean the 6th string. I would try tuning it a step or two higher incrementally to see if it goes away under more tension, just to see if it's a subtle neck angle thing. If you're using lower tension lighter strings (11s) the drier RH of winter air might have allowed the truss rod and neck to straighten slightly lowering the threshold. Worse would be if it's twisting slightly as it stiffens.

 

There are plenty of ways to fiddle with it, of course.

 

[MorrisrownSal]

Despite having bought nut files, I still don't trust myself to set up my guitars.

A good setup means

1) setting the neck relief correct. Not too much Bow, not too straight or worse.

2) adjusting the nut slots to the proper height. Could be too high, or for you... too low.

3) adjusting the saddle height.

 

When all three are done in concert, you get a guitar that o,and like an electric, with no buzz. Heaven for me.

Don't fiddle with the truss rod.

 

 

I think someone on the UMGF mentioned that the reason Martin does not include truss rods with their guitars (they will send you one if you call customer service), is because the Martin techs and designers said that if they did, then all of us would use them. The truss rod adjustments should be minor, 1/4 to 1/2 turn... and done with measurement of the neck relief to be "spec".

 

 

[aliasphobias]

Cut a small shim out of a piece of a credit card or veneer wood and put it under saddle. 95%of the time that takes care of it. What is the humidity of the instrument? I have seen a lot of people humidify blindly (always a bad idea). If you are just throwing sponges in it without a R.H. reading it could still be too wet or too dry. I have seen more than a few swollen neck blocks from soundhole humidifiers.

Edit: P.S. the truss rod is for adjusting the relief (middle of the neck) only.

[Dave F]

Could be a few things. First thing I would check would be the nut slots depth by checking the height of the strings at the 1st fret.

The QC check off list that comes with new guitars usually has this hand written in. I've only found one or two that actually checked what was written. The numbers they write are in thousandths.

My ideal setup is as follow, starting with the bass string.

.022 - .020 - .018 - .016 - .014 - .012

If you don't have a nut gage you can use feeler gage. Or if you're gifted, gp by site or feel. (I use a gage)

Right or wrong, I never lower any of the slots until the neck relief is set first, check for high frets and the adjust the saddle height. The nut is last for me.

Or take it back to your dealer and let him sort it out.

Good Luck!

[Leonard McCoy]

Due to the change in weather the neck is probably showing a slight backbow—nothing a slight loosening of the truss rod couldn't fix.

[jedzep]

That's right, in fact my old J50 just went into 3 middle string buzz mode with the scary deep freeze in upstate NY. 1/4 turn loosening the rod under full tension and it was just enough to make it all right again.