Guest alanhindle Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I'd never had an archtop guitar before until I bought my Wildkat a couple of months ago, and I love it. However, today it has started to make a buzzing noise which seems to be coming from the body cap, or maybe below it in the hollow. The offending noise is similar in frequency to the buzzing you can get from the springs inside humbuckers, although it's higher pitched sounding (and these P90s are screwed down). The noise stops when I apply pressure with one finger to any bit of the hardware from pickups to tunomatic bridge to bigsby. It also stops when pressure is placed with a finger anywhere on the body cap. All the hardware seems to be fixed securely and doesn't wobble or rattle anywhere, nor does the bit of paper inside with the serial number on it. The guitar has been treated no differently since the day I got it (like a baby), with no knocks or bangs. Please could any of our archtop experts point me to some common potential causes and the corresponding cures. Thanks in anticipation. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinb Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Not sure man. all i can say is try unscrewing the pickup and make sure everything looks fine. Sorry i can't help more than that. Best of luck to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookelputz Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 See if the pickguard is touching anything it shouldn't. Sometimes they slip a little. If you can fish the wires close enough to an f-hole, tie them together and see if you can fold them so they won't vibrate against something. Look for loose nuts on your jack, switch and knobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Alan, I presume that is your Wildkat in your avatar. (nice guitar) Since you have no pickguard, it is probably not the problem. Without playing the guitar, it is difficult at best to determine any audible problem.....but....from what you are saying it sounds more like a mechanical buzz rather than an electronic one. (Am I on the right track here?) If you can dampen it out with a touch of your finger or hand it must not be too severe. Could there be a wire inside the guitar that is vibrating on the wood? Have you taken a good look at your Bigsby lately? Is there such a thing as a Bigsby buzz? I am sure others might be more help as I have never owned a WildKat. (although I sure would like to) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookelputz Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Do I look good with a red face? COmpletely missed Wildkat, no PG! Senility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 It can be so many things.. it's just impossible to diagnose from distance. when I reassembled my sheri the other day, it started making a buzz.. I pressed the bridge forward.. the whole assembly.. with my finger and it stopped and hasn't come back. I think you are going to have to systematically try each bit.. it's amazing how sympathetic vibration can show up and go away. you also could have developed something.. like a burr or tiny tiny chip at the nut or bridge saddle.. so the string doesn't break clean. though I doubt it from your description. It really could be anything. check all screws for tightness.. remember you can put a tiny bit of toothpick in any screw hole and make it tighter. and also if it comes to that, take off the strings and see if your bridge is tight in the bushings..you can add some graphite, by using a lead pencil, which can actually keep the thing tighter and it moves easier in adjustment, too. it could be a wire inside.. but I doubt that, as well. you can use another spring.. sometimes I'll double them up, use a small spring inside a larger spring, and that kills vibration sometimes, too. lots of things! enjoy! TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alanhindle Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks for your help guys. Had a twiddle of the wires through the lower F hole and that seems to have cured the problem. I was very careful though- I don't know what I'd do if I accidentally pulled out a wire. I do have a little bit of fret buzz too, as the neck is a little bit straighter than on my other guitars but it only happens when I strum aggressively and you can't hear it amplified so I don't mind it. I'm reading a book on guitar set up at the moment so I may loosen the truss rod at some point so I can lower the action a bit. I'm not practising set ups on this guitar though. Here she is by the way: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 another great looking wildkat. I'm convinced now.. you're ALL epi employees trying to get me to buy one! TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alanhindle Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 another great looking wildkat.I'm convinced now.. you're ALL epi employees trying to get me to buy one! TWANG Actually it's your fault that I bought it. You said something like: "I can hear it calling to you....alanhindle, alanhindle" What's more, I'm still not totally out of the doghouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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