bill67 Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I have a problem with the A string on my epiphone masterbilt 500 rosewood,it buzzs, fret first fret no buzz tune down or up a note no buzz,I have a washburn the very same thing,only on the A string.Two guitars they do the same thing doesn't matter what strings I use.My cheaper guitars don't do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I have a problem with the A string on my epiphone masterbilt 500 rosewood' date='it buzzs, fret first fret no buzz tune down or up a note no buzz,I have a washburn the very same thing,only on the A string.Two guitars they do the same thing doesn't matter what strings I use.My cheaper guitars don't do that.[/quote'] http://forums.epiphone.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=7982 Look at this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I have a problem with the A string on my epiphone masterbilt 500 rosewood' date='it buzzs, fret first fret no buzz tune down or up a note no buzz,I have a washburn the very same thing,only on the A string.Two guitars they do the same thing doesn't matter what strings I use.My cheaper guitars don't do that.[/quote'] ?? Are you saying it only buzzes when the string is open? or only when fretted at 1 (A#) ? It's odd that this particular buzz is present on TWO of your guit tars at the exact location. Do you bend strings much a lot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill67 Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 Only makes a funny sound when open,freted no funny sound,tune up or down a note no funny sound,like a harsh sound,no a fret buzz,could be the nut but why tune up or down a note it doesn't do it.No i don't bend much.Hitting string close the edge of sound hole helps some,either way of sound hole up or down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsc Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 If you know of a "reliable" guitar tech, take your guitars, & have them checked out. If your guitars are under warranty, the tech needs to be certified to work on Epiphone (Gibson), & Wasburn guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 When you say 'tune up or down', you mean twisting the tuner button to make the "A" string sound like an A# or B or down to a G# or G? Strumming close to the sound hole edge ablates the buzz?? Wierd gremlin here. Hold the guitar as you would strum it. Now tap fairly loudy on the pick guard. Make about as much noise as a courteous door knock. Tap several times. Does it make a rattle or buzz? Could be loose hardware vibrating in sympathy. A hidden piece of hardware is the bridge nut. It's only accessable through the sound hole, so de-stringing will be necessary if this is the culprit. One of the nuts could come loose allowing the washer to rattle like a tambourine jingle. You can make a visual inspection of this by threading your hand or inspection mirror into the sound hole through the strings. (You do have an inspection mirror... don't you?) Check to see if you have a high first fret. Since it is common on two guit tars, there is a possibility it is operator induced, i.e. you. Check your strumming technique. Read Frank Ford's article on the subject on Frets.com. If your angle of pick attack causes the strings to vibrate in a plane not perpendicular to the fret board, the strings could contact the first fret. Your cheaper guit tars, most probably, have higher action and therefore would not be visited by this gremlin. A tweaking of the truss rods could help by raising the action just high enough to help the open strings not contact the first fret. Outside of that you may have a nut issue,.. but on two different guit tars???? not likely. But for the sake of disussion, the nut slots could be too deep or not contoured correctly. If so, they need to be filled and dressed to raise the action and / or properly radius the slots. If this is the case, you might want to upgrade nuts at this time, 'Since you're already under the hood' so to speak. If this is being done under warranty, that might not be possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill67 Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 I have no pickguard on either guitar,I don't see any nuts,I used a mirror, I'm just picking one string,And yes raising to A sharp or flat they don't make the noise.This as been going on for 6 months with the epiphone and 2 with the Washburn,I have 4 other guitars that don't do it.I've had about 5 sets of different strings on them and they still make the same noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill67 Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 I still haven't figured out the problem but they only do it with a bone saddle with plastic they don't do it.I got a new saddle from Gibson for the 500 and it still make the funny noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ship of fools Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Well TommyK has given you some really good advice as to check on the Fret.com site and see what you can find there, if you don't want to try and figure this out on your own, take a slightly thicker piece of paper and slide it under the A string at the nut and re-tune and see if the buzz disappears and then we eliminated at least one culprit from waht might be causing it Bill which Washburn do you own by the way, I have 6 in my collection.Ship............oh and if the buzz goes away doing that you need to have your ( okay no laughing guys and girls ) nuts chaged out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill67 Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 Paper under the string at nut didn't help the washburn is a wd 114 sk $129 at musician friend with hardshell case,stupid deal of the day,everyone likes the sound of it better than the dr500r,plays easier too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ship of fools Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Try this then Bill, http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenMaint/LooseBits/loosebit01.html hopefully this can help you because I can't think of anything else that might cause this. Its very unusal for just one string to buzz like that especially the A string, I wonder if it might be a sypathetic vibration coming off one of the other strings.Ship Here is some more. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Setup/BuzzDiagnosis/buzzlist.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmonsh Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Only makes a funny sound when open' date='freted no funny sound,tune up or down a note no funny sound,like a harsh sound,no a fret buzz,could be the nut but why tune up or down a note it doesn't do it.No i don't bend much.Hitting string close the edge of sound hole helps some,either way of sound hole up or down.[/quote']you need to fix the nut. i had the same problem. bought a nut file from stewmac for 12 dollars. get the one for the string size. went over the string slot a few times plays great now. if its good when fretting the problem is with the string slot on the nut. very easy fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 you need to fix the nut. i had the same problem. bought a nut file from stewmac for 12 dollars. get the one for the string size. went over the string slot a few times plays great now. if its good when fretting the problem is with the string slot on the nut. very easy fix I am GUESSING emmonsh is right. Here's one test that might help you find out. Press down on the string behind the nut (as it goes from the nut to the tuners) and strum. Does the buzz go away? If so, that's one indication of a nut that may need a little work. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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