slight buzz at frets

[JKHillSG]

I have a 2011 Gibson SG Standard and until recently I had no problems with it till one day i decided to change all the strings. It isn't the strings itself but when i removed all the strings, the tailpiece fell off and some way or another, i managed to screwed up the height of the tailpiece and i didn't write down the height of the bridge or tailpiece (i'm an idiot i know)

 

after looking in forums online and a youtube video, i think i got the height of the tailpiece and bridge right for the most part and it plays just like it did and sounds the same through an amplifier but when i play it acoustically, i hear a buzzing at the fret played when i strum it with a pick. i don't think the truss rod has anything to do with it but i'm not completely ruling it out. here are the measurements to the bridge and tailpiece height. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

bridge height

scratch plate to bottom of the gear looking thing

LOW E side = 5/32 if an inch (4mm)

high e side = 1/16 of an inch (1.5mm)

 

here is the height of the tail piece:

bottom of the tailpiece to the body

LOW E side = 5/16 of an inch (8mm)

high e side = 7/32 of an inch (5.5mm)

 

again, thanks

[Rabs]

Yes, I think alot of us had the same experience at one point or another... Its a normal thing to happen I think :)

 

Im not really an expert on this sort of thing but the things I do know to look out for are the strings hitting the back of the bridge.. Apparently you should be able to slide a piece of paper under it. Im talking about between the tail stop and the bridge... If the strings are fully hitting the back of the bridge I think that can cause buzzing.. Raise the tailpiece or bridge a bit until you can silde some paper under it (if you cant at the moment)

 

The only othe thing I know is more obvious.. and thats just to test each fret and see if the string height is too low and hitting other frets, other than the fret your trying to play.

 

String gauge can make a differece too.. what gauge are you using?

[lazarusvt84]

Yes, I think alot of us had the same experience at one point or another... Its a normal thing to happen I think :)

 

Im not really an expert on this sort of thing but the things I do know to look out for are the strings hitting the back of the bridge.. Apparently you should be able to slide a piece of paper under it. Im talking about between the tail stop and the bridge... If the strings are fully hitting the back of the bridge I think that can cause buzzing.. Raise the tailpiece or bridge a bit until you can silde some paper under it (if you cant at the moment)

 

The only othe thing I know is more obvious.. and thats just to test each fret and see if the string height is too low and hitting other frets, other than the fret your trying to play.

 

String gauge can make a differece too.. what gauge are you using?

 

I have a Standard with 60's neck and string gauge does make a difference. I simply adjusted the truss rod, carefully....and stick to the same gauge strings (10-46).

[hellion102792]

Two things you can try while changing strings to keep this from happening:

1. Change them one at a time, that way the stop bar is never free to fall off and the tension will hold the bridge screws in place

2. Stick pieces of scotch tape to both bridge screws if you take all the strings off, for the most part this will keep them from turning if you're keeping the guitar on a flat surface while changing.

 

Or of course you could measure the height and re-adjust each time, these are just quick little alternatives that save you the time of sitting there with a ruler and a magnifying glass

Sometimes just that fraction of a millimeter will bring the strings just a little too close to the frets once you're playing, especially if one or more of your frets are raised a bit above the others.

[Bones43x]

Just turn the thumb screw up a tiny bit.

 

I never even measure mine when I setting the action. I just eyeball it, and tweak until it plays how I want with the least amount of buzz possible. SGs, and basically anything with a TOM/stoptail are the easiest guitars to set up. You don't have to worry about individual saddle height and radius.

[JKHillSG]

well i'm glad to know i'm not the only one. you're absolutely right about the string hitting and the back of the bridge and i before this i spent a loooooong time getting it right so the intonation was also good. i don't know too much but i do have some tools to measure the things you pointed out. so without further ado, i think i'll get back to fixing this solid guitar :) thanks

Yes, I think alot of us had the same experience at one point or another... Its a normal thing to happen I think :)

 

Im not really an expert on this sort of thing but the things I do know to look out for are the strings hitting the back of the bridge.. Apparently you should be able to slide a piece of paper under it. Im talking about between the tail stop and the bridge... If the strings are fully hitting the back of the bridge I think that can cause buzzing.. Raise the tailpiece or bridge a bit until you can silde some paper under it (if you cant at the moment)

 

The only othe thing I know is more obvious.. and thats just to test each fret and see if the string height is too low and hitting other frets, other than the fret your trying to play.

 

String gauge can make a differece too.. what gauge are you using?

[JKHillSG]

Two things you can try while changing strings to keep this from happening:

1. Change them one at a time, that way the stop bar is never free to fall off and the tension will hold the bridge screws in place

2. Stick pieces of scotch tape to both bridge screws if you take all the strings off, for the most part this will keep them from turning if you're keeping the guitar on a flat surface while changing.

 

Or of course you could measure the height and re-adjust each time, these are just quick little alternatives that save you the time of sitting there with a ruler and a magnifying glass

Sometimes just that fraction of a millimeter will bring the strings just a little too close to the frets once you're playing, especially if one or more of your frets are raised a bit above the others.

 

i think that's what i'll do from now on, i did see the use of the tape in the past and i believe it will suit my needs just fine :) and that's a good idea about measuring the height, thanks very much. i probably spent 15 minutes with a ruler and flashlight to come up with the measurements i provided :P

[John Rutherford]

In my experience the height of the [string anchor] tailpiece makes zippo difference

to anything, even if the strings touch on the rear of the bridge that shouldn't make

any odds.

 

 

It's the tune-o-matic bridge that's the main adjuster.

 

If you have strong fingers you can raise and lower the bridge

even when the guitar is in tune.

 

All my SG guitars are strung with 10-46, and I aim for

med-highish action height of :

1.96mm ( 77 thou ) at the low E - 12th fret

1.35mm ( 53 thou ) at the high E - 12th fret

 

Neck relief I adjust to 0-8 thou.