Fret or Bridge Buzz

[Coupe]

Anyone out there own a late model Gibson Studio with a fret/ bridge buzz? I have owned this guitar about 10 months and taken to 2 different shops not counting all the things I tried myself but cannot get rid of the fret/ bridge buzz. I tend to think it comes from the bridge but I am not sure. I love the guitar but it is annoying and no one seems to see fix it.  I can hear it clearly and so can others so why can’t they fix it? Anyone else have an issue with this? Is it just inherent to this model and you have to live with it?

[Pinch]

Pickup selector switch is a possible culprit. 

Very resonant guitars are more prone to various buzzes and rattles than others, or that's what I tell myself. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Pinch

[Coupe]

Pinch, Can I assume by your comment you have noticed a similar problem with one of your guitars? My other electric is a Fender, it has no such buzz, nor does my acoustic guitars. I just can't help believe there must be a way to correct this buzz. It annoys me.  I have tried numerous things trying to resolve the issue. Everything from filing the bridge slots to make sure the angle was correct to adding teflon tape to the bridge threaded posts. I am beginning to wonder if the buzz/vibration passes through the pick mountings. It's going to piss me off one day and I am going to make a door stop out of the guitar!!

[merciful-evans]

Hard to tell from just that brief description. Its easy enough to check if its the frets. Pick open strings. Is it still there? Yes? Then its not the frets.

Then fret it and pick again. Just raise the action and see if its still there. It should disappear at some point if frets are the culprit. 

 

As for the bridge, check for any movement (with strings off). I assume this is a Nashville bridge? It might help you told us what model it was. SG? ES-335? LP? 

If it neither frets nor bridge, check for rattles elsewhere. It should not be that difficult. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by merciful-evans

[Pinch]

4 hours ago, Coupe said:

Pinch, Can I assume by your comment you have noticed a similar problem with one of your guitars? 

Yup. Trogly taught me it's not unusual. It's there intermittently. I just play it, I've given up on QC. I decided the tone of that particular guitar makes up for it. That's my rationale anyway. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Pinch

[Pinch]

In this case, the tone was unusually good on this one particular guitar, so I decided against returning it. 

Still, shame on QC. 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Pinch

[Coupe]

Thanks for the input Pinch. I called this topic fret/bridge buzz but I don't think it's actually in the frets. I think it's in the bridge and or the body. Like you said this body has a different sound than a solid body and maybe there is no cure but I hope there is, it aggravates me. I was hoping someone would pick up on the topic with the same problem that had found the fix. It would save me the trouble of searching, tweaking  and adjusting some more.

Merciful, it's not an ES, SG etc it is a studio.

[Pinch]

4 minutes ago, Coupe said:

Thanks for the input Pinch. I called this topic fret/bridge buzz but I don't think it's actually in the frets. I think it's in the bridge and or the body. Like you said this body has a different sound than a solid body and maybe there is no cure but I hope there is, it aggravates me. I was hoping someone would pick up on the topic with the same problem that had found the fix. It would save me the trouble of searching, tweaking  and adjusting some more.

Merciful, it's not an ES, SG etc it is a studio.

Could also be a loose screw. The truss rod cover is a known culprit. Just remember when you check them: snug, not tight. Don't actually tighten them, just make sure there's no loose ones. 

[Rabs]

Could be a low cut nut maybe?   If the strings are all the way in to the nut slots or even lower it can cause buzzing.

[jdgm]

Could be - loose saddle screw on bridge.  1/4 turn would fix that.

If the bridge is one of those with a wire retainer, make sure the retainer is seated properly behind the screw head.  Do NOT bend the wire retainer.

Or it could be pickup surround screw(s) or pickup spring resonance.

It is logical and can be fixed easily once you trace where it's coming from.

[Pinch]

I placate myself with that issues CAN be fixed... Some other day. 

Gibson's QC has led me to Buddhism. 

[Coupe]

Thanks for the responses, I have been through this guy pretty thoroughly more than once, and as I mentioned I even handed to a shop. Still has the same problem. Bridge is not the spring type and is very solid.  Tweaked and adjusted it to death, the only thing I have not done is remove the pickups and check the spring. Seems like the next logical step.

You're are correct about Gibson QC, I am little disappointed. 

 

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I troubleshot buzz once for an hour or so. It was a loose tuner. Tightened it up with a nut driver and problem solved.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[NighthawkChris]

Like everyone said, check all screws and such for a possible easy fix. If this doesn’t work, maybe go back to something like factory spec… Tons of videos online that go over this. I set up for 0.010” relief in the neck give or take a couple thousandths and my action is 5/64” on the bass E and 3/64” on the treble E. Maybe check pickups’ height… getting this right will have made sure your neck isn’t doing anything funny and the action is where the company shoots for when the guitar leaves Gibson. I don’t work for Gibson, just long time Gibson player. But I get good results with my LPs when I check these measurements. I find I’m adjusting the truss rod about a couple times a year for season changes here in MI. If the TR isn’t properly adjusted, usually the effects are felt. 

[Coupe]

Thanks guys,  All screws  are tight. I've adjusted the truss rod several times using Gibson specs provided with the guitar also raised and lowered string height. I even tried teflon tape on the bridge threads thinking maybe is was a poor fit. I'm headed for the pickups. I think the buzz originates in the body or still in the bridge, hard to tell.

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 hours ago, Coupe said:

Thanks guys,  All screws  are tight. I've adjusted the truss rod several times using Gibson specs provided with the guitar also raised and lowered string height. I even tried teflon tape on the bridge threads thinking maybe is was a poor fit. I'm headed for the pickups. I think the buzz originates in the body or still in the bridge, hard to tell.

6 words - take it to a guitar tech.

Edited July 10, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

Do you have another amp, and does it do it on that amp too?

Is it any where you play on the neck, and on all the open notes, or just in one certain spot?

Do you hear the buzz when not plugged in?

[Pinch]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:56 PM, jdgm said:

Could be - loose saddle screw on bridge.  1/4 turn would fix that.

I'll file this under "well, I'll be damned...". I tip my hat, Sir. 

(My understanding of basic physics is something like, well, the earth was in space, and then God created Santa Claus who gifted us gravity, and that's why the vase broke) 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Pinch

[jdgm]

On 8/17/2023 at 2:36 PM, Pinch said:

I'll file this under "well, I'll be damned...". I tip my hat, Sir. 

(My understanding of basic physics is something like, well, the earth was in space, and then God created Santa Claus who gifted us gravity, and that's why the vase broke) 

A regular occurrence on my LP Custom.

[ksdaddy]

On 7/8/2023 at 3:28 PM, Sgt. Pepper said:

I troubleshot buzz once for an hour or so. It was a loose tuner. Tightened it up with a nut driver and problem solved.

That’s what I was going to suggest. It happened to me once. 

[merciful-evans]

On 7/8/2023 at 4:14 PM, Coupe said:

Merciful, it's not an ES, SG etc it is a studio.

Ahh... a studio that isn't a ES model, nor an SG. Good, that narrows it down a bit.

Does it resemble any of these ?

[Coupe]

OK...... Officially it is a Les Paul Studio. They simply call it a Studio. It's not an ES or SG

Took it to another shop. This one was recommended by the Gibson rep I spoke with. Bottom line, this guitar will always have a buzzy sound according the the shop. I believe him since I have tried everything possible,  and I let 3 shops look at it. They won't  acknowledge it has a bridge or fret buzz,  just a high resonate body (as Pinch mentioned) that makes it sound similar to a bridge buzz. In my opinion that makes it a P.O.S. Probably make a good looking lamp.

[Pinch]

44 minutes ago, Coupe said:

OK...... Officially it is a Les Paul Studio. They simply call it a Studio. It's not an ES or SG

 

Took it to another shop. This one was recommended by the Gibson rep I spoke with. Bottom line, this guitar will always have a buzzy sound according the the shop. I believe him since I have tried everything possible,  and I let 3 shops look at it. They won't  acknowledge it has a bridge or fret buzz,  just a high resonate body (as Pinch mentioned) that makes it sound similar to a bridge buzz. In my opinion that makes it a P.O.S. Probably make a good looking lamp.

 

Get it to a luthier. It might be high resonance, but the resonance is rattling SOMETHING. Wood vibrating doesn't buzz on its own.

[Coupe]

I did, it's called Ron Pace guitars.  Suppose to be one of the best in town. My patience is running thin I am close to smashing it! I will probably contact the the Gibson rep again. They were willing to let me ship it to them so I might do that.

[Eracer_Team]

Ok I see Ron’s Place Guitars is in Houston TX

maybe someone here knows a good place in Houston