Help me Please!

[Kodiakcoasti3]

Hi. My name is Matthew Booth and I've been playing for about 9 years. I live on an island in Alaska and I am in dire need of help with my guitar! Last year my wife got me my dream guitar (Gibson SJ-200). The other day I noticed when I played on the 13th fret is buzzed really bad. And now the buzzing can be heard from the 9th fret to the 14th fret. All of the strings buzz from the 12th to the 14th fret. Now I keep very good care of my guitars. I have cases for both of them with 2 way dehumidifiers and change the strings on them every 3 months or so. Now I don't have a whole lot of time to work on it because I'm in the military and I'm needing advice because the people on the island don't really know what they're talking about. Now I have heard that it could be the fretwire or the bridge? I can post up some pics of it. I have also noticed a tiny gap where the bridge lays on one side (it's almost like a chip). So please anyone who has had this type of problem, could you please help me out! Thank you very much for your help!

[DanvillRob]

First off... thank you for your service.

 

I'm not a guitar tech, but I noticed that no one else has weighed in.

 

Can you site down the neck? Is it straight?

 

If not, you may need to adjust the truss rod to get it straight again.

 

If you lay a straight edge on the frets, are the frets from the 9th to the 14th higher than the others?

 

If so, you may need to file them down.

 

If all that looks good, you might have to look at the saddle. If it's too low, you may have to replace it.

 

I take my guitars to my luthier and have him "set up" the action....but then again, I rarely get up above the 12th fret anyway!

 

I'm sure others who are far smarter than I will give you some pointers.

[BigKahune]

Welcome.

 

Before you make adjustments to the action and truss rod - it sounds like your guitar might be drying out.

 

When it dries out, the wood shrinks and the action gets lower (the belly flattens downward) -

when it absorbs too much moisture, the wood swells the action gets higher (the belly swells upward).

 

As the action gets lower, any levelness issues (even minor ones) between the frets will show up as buzzing. Ballpark action would be about 5/64 base side and 3/64 treble side at the 12th fret.

 

Get a good hygrometer and check the relative humidity in your case with the guitar in it. You want it to be between 45% and 55% relative humidity.

 

If the relative humidity is okay, go with DanvillRob comments.

[nodehopper]

If the guitar was fine with no buzzing and all of a sudden you get buzzing ....I think first and foremost ask WHY? What has changed?

 

It could definitely be weather/humidity.

 

Did you change strings and did this closely coincide with the buzzing starting. I lighter gauge or lower tension set of strings will pull less on the neck causing the strings to get lower to the fret board.

 

Has your playing style changed? did you go from quiet finger picking to Bluegrass flat picking?

 

Here is more information to use to try and diagnose what happened. Once you know why then you can look up how to fix the issue.

 

Frets Steel String Guitar Info

[jgwoods]

I'm with them above- action goes down and string buzzes go along with colder air, dry air, Winter, low humidity compared to Summer. I wouldn't adjust anything until a round of humidification was done.

 

This has worked for me:

Take a kitchen sponge and cut it into 3 pieces. Take 3 ziplock type sandwich bags and punch 8-10 holes in them. wet the sponges and wring them out, put them in the baggies.

Tie a string around one and tuck it into the soundhole of the guitar, put the guitar in its case, tuck another one under the neck and the third one somewhere down by the tailblock. Close the case, wait 3 days, open it and remove the baggies- they should have dry sponges by now. start playing.

 

Hopefully the buzz is gone. It always works for me. One humidifier has not been enough to bring about fairly rapid recovery but 3 does it. It still takes a few days.

[DanvillRob]

If the guitar was fine with no buzzing and all of a sudden you get buzzing ....I think first and foremost ask WHY? What has changed?

 

Has your playing style changed? did you go from quiet finger picking to Bluegrass flat picking?

 

 

 

 

You think that's why I can't play any works from Bach's Cantata No.14: Wär, Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit (4th Sunday after Epiphany), BWV14?

 

Maybe not, since I never could play them!

[drathbun]

I would echo what has already been said about humidification. I assume it is very cold in Alaska right now. I'm quite a way south of you but it is -25C here today. You mentioned you have a DEHUMIDIFIER. I'm hoping that was just a typo and what you meant was a humidifier. You also said 2-way (de)humidifiers for your cases. What is that? I've never heard of such a thing.

 

The suggestion about the damp sponge in a baggie is a good one. However, with where you live and your climate, I would suggest you invest in a good quality guitar humidifier. The Damp-it Guitar humidifier is cheap and easy to use. Get two... get three. I don't know what your other guitar is but I would protect that J200 with my life.

 

Dampit Guitar Humidifier

 

Watch this video from Bob Taylor and how he brings a dried out and cracked guitar back to life again with the simple use of two cheap Dampits an some patience. All owners of solid wood guitars who live in cold climates should be forced to watch this! :)

 

Humidity Symptoms

 

Humidifty Solution

 

Watch Bob Kill a New Taylor in the Humidity Torture Chamber

[TommyK]

Since you are going to have to hoist your own petard on your 'island', go to Frets.com and read up on setting up guitars so you can perform the services yourself. An undesirable back bow in the neck can be causing the buzzing you describe. Since you are, from what I gather, on an Alaskan Island, you are in an extreme environment for guitars. You need to set this puppy up in it's current environment. The cold and / or humidity is likely making the wood react in a fashion that causes the buzzing. Adjust the truss rod so that the neck is either flat or with a tad bit of up bow to get the strings away from the frets.

 

Your comment about the bridge is curious. If the bridge, worst case scenario, is pulling away from the sound board, the action would actually be higher than normal and buzzing would be less likely. Can you send close-up pics of the affected area? Tip: Set your camera for the Macro setting, meaning really close shots. This is usually an icon that looks like a flower. Then back away from the subject area 3 - 4 feet, then zoom in to get the clearest pics. Also, make sure there is plenty of light on the subject area. Unless you have a really, really expensive-camera phone, don't waste your time. These rarely show sufficient detail. I have yet to see decent camera-phone pics. They tell me there are some that do, but I've yet to see one.

 

Just curious, what is the humidity level in your home? Usually cold weather, with snow on the ground begets low humidity, but near the coast, the humidity is usually up.

[Kodiakcoasti3]

First off... thank you for your service.

 

I'm not a guitar tech, but I noticed that no one else has weighed in.

 

Can you site down the neck? Is it straight?

 

If not, you may need to adjust the truss rod to get it straight again.

 

If you lay a straight edge on the frets, are the frets from the 9th to the 14th higher than the others?

 

If so, you may need to file them down.

 

If all that looks good, you might have to look at the saddle. If it's too low, you may have to replace it.

 

I take my guitars to my luthier and have him "set up" the action....but then again, I rarely get up above the 12th fret anyway!

 

I'm sure others who are far smarter than I will give you some pointers.

 

 

I don't know how to reply to all so here's an update! Thank you all very much for the tips! I see those of you were wondering where I lived, so I live in Attu, AK. It's at the end of the Aleutian chain and there is only one building there and that is us (as in the Coast Guard). We don't see a C-130 for 2 weeks with food and supplies, so if they can't land then we are pretty much screwed. I'm now back in the lower 48 in Seattle getting ready to report to a boat that goes back up to the Arctic Circle and Antarctica! I just took in my guitar and this is the first time is have seen high speed internet it 2 years so you will have to forgive me for being so late replying. I have been used to using next to dial up speed (satellite internet). I'm hoping that it's a simple fix such as the truss rod or humidity change. I can't express to all of you how thankful I am for yall helping me! I will definitely keep everyone updated on the guitar because like I said, she's my dream guitar and I would have for it to be ****ed up from an island. Again thank you very much!

[chasAK]

Matthew,

I live in Anchorage, so I guess we are neighbors! Ha! Ha! Do you ever fly into Anchorage? Mike Fleck is a well respected luthier here. He has done excellent work on my J45. Mammoth Music is the official Gibson dealer in town. They both are good people. It sounds like you will be coming up on boat. Does your supply plane come in to Anchorage? If you can send you j200 in with somebody I would be glad to help get to Mike, or Mammoth and back on its way to you. Let me know if I can be of any help. Hopefully you will be able to resolve the problem yourself.

Also you should pick a guitar case humidifier before you take off to come back. If you are unable to do that let me know how to send one to you and I will pick one up. We have a Coast Guard base here and we also have a lot of Coast Guard personnel here at Elmendorf.

The j200 is one nice insturment!!

 

chasAK

[Kodiakcoasti3]

Matthew,

I live in Anchorage, so I guess we are neighbors! Ha! Ha! Do you ever fly into Anchorage? Mike Fleck is a well respected luthier here. He has done excellent work on my J45. Mammoth Music is the official Gibson dealer in town. They both are good people. It sounds like you will be coming up on boat. Does your supply plane come in to Anchorage? If you can send you j200 in with somebody I would be glad to help get to Mike, or Mammoth and back on its way to you. Let me know if I can be of any help. Hopefully you will be able to resolve the problem yourself.

Also you should pick a guitar case humidifier before you take off to come back. If you are unable to do that let me know how to send one to you and I will pick one up. We have a Coast Guard base here and we also have a lot of Coast Guard personnel here at Elmendorf.

The j200 is one nice insturment!!

 

chasAK

 

Hell yeah man!! Michael Flecks Guitar Repair place! I know exactly where that is! I have been to Anchorage on my mid tour. The C-130 comes out of Kodiak and it sometimes goes to Anchorage on PMEL and MED flights. I leave on Tuesday for the boat and out of Alaska for a while. I should get my humidifier in tomorrow so I can put it in there while I'm flying back. It's such a beautiful instrument and I hate that it's messed up right now, but I am taking it to a place in Seattle. I can't remember the name of the place but they are a Gibson dealer and have licensed people to work on it. I appreciate the offer man about the humidifier! I will update this blog as soon as I get it back! Take it easy buddy! Here is a picture of the guitar by the way!

[Triumph1050]

Your guitars too dry from what it sounds...

 

Had the exact same problem here in North Dakota where as a total humidity-ignorant newb I actually got a crack on the back. Fixed that and sound hole humidified it but even that wasnt enough because then the neck dried out the same way yours did. I could visibly see the lower action and a small hump.

 

After getting a small guest room setup with a room humidifier kept at about 45% the action quickly came back up to normal. Real hassle as the humidifier needs water filled every day and filters changed at times but worth the effort to protect the guitar. You can use case humidifiers and sound hole ones and opinions vary on whats best but for me I prefer the whole guitar to be exposed to the same humidity in the room. Someday I may get an enclosed cabinet-style wood and glass case with humidity controls like some guitar shops have.

 

I would get the humidity correct first...then go to truss rod or saddle if necessary. If it played well before, then it probably wont need adjustments.

 

Just my 2 cents...