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Is a little string buzz acceptable??


JohnnyReb

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My Gibson LP 50s tribute still has a factory setup on it. I've had some string buzz on the low E and G string since I had it. I've had so much fun with it I've kinda been overlooking it.

 

Now I did have a problem with the G string buzz coming through the amp when playing sometimes. So last night I ever so slightly raised the lower part of the bridge and it seems to have helped. I still hear a little rattle when it's unplugged but not through the amp. Also from the factory the big E side of the bridge was screwed up pretty high. I've had a little trouble holding down the E string when bar chording. So I lowered that side of the bridge just a bit. Feels really good now. But I do have a little rattle when using the big E now.

 

So here's the basic question......is it ok to have some string buzz as long as it doesn't come thru the amp? I can play it unplugged and it rattle like crazy, but when I plug into my twin reverb I don't hear a thing. Obviously we play les Paul's through Amps and that's what matters. I just don't know if string buzz on the guitar itself is normal.'ive basically just adjusted it where the amp doesn't show it and the action is good. But the buzz is really still there

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So here's the basic question......is it ok to have some string buzz as long as it doesn't come thru the amp?

 

Yes.... Many players prefer their action to be as low as possible, and this is achieved at the point you describe.

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Hello! I have a slight buzz at low E on my Classic Custom acoustically. As You said, until it doesn't comes through the amp, it's not a problem for me. Actually I was thinking about this recently and remembered a Zakk Wylde interview where He was doing finger exercises on His unplugged LP while talking. He had terrible fret buzz too. If He can live with it, and I doesn't hear it through the amp, I would not raise the string height. :) Cheers... Bence

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Metal strings vibrating above metal frets, with only thousandths of an inch gap between the two parts? Of course there will be string buzz.....especially if you pick or hit the strings with a heavy hand :) Proper setup will minimize the condition, but ANY guitar will buzz if played hard enough.....unless your action is rediculously high!

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Hello! I have a slight buzz at low E on my Classic Custom acoustically. As You said, until it doesn't comes through the amp, it's not a problem for me. Actually I was thinking about this recently and remembered a Zakk Wylde interview where He was doing finger exercises on His unplugged LP while talking. He had terrible fret buzz too. If He can live with it, and I doesn't hear it through the amp, I would not raise the string height. :) Cheers... Bence

Uhh..I dunno...Zakk's tone sounds like it is buzzing through the amp to me. His tone sounds like EVERYTHING is buzzing.

 

Windows, doors, my coffee cup on the table. (hehe)

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Uhh..I dunno...Zakk's tone sounds like it is buzzing through the amp to me. His tone sounds like EVERYTHING is buzzing.

 

Windows, doors, my coffee cup on the table. (hehe)

 

Hehe, well, yes. I was just surprised to hear that His guitar was buzzing so unplugged. I naively believed those professionals use perfectly set up instruments. :)

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Ok thanks a lot. Sounds fair enough to me. I plan on changing pickups and having my tech to a setup soon so I figured I would tinker with it myself before hand. As a learning experience I suppose. As long as I don't get a terrible rattle through my amp I'm not gonna worry about it. The only one I heard in the amp was the G and raising the saddle slightly on that side seemed to fix that. It was the heavy string side that seemed a little high.

 

Thanks guys

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Just one more advice - if You don't mind. I know it's even silly to mention, but when You adjust bridge and/or the tailpiece, release the string tension. Use a wide and thick coin wrapped in rag for adjusting the tailpiece post. I just wanted to remind You about this, because I made a mistake on the weekend not doing things right. The thin and narrow screwdriver popped out of the slot because of the tense strings and almost scratched the finish... It was a lucky escape, could have been a disaster! Cheers... Bence

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Well I slightly turned the adjustment with my fingers. Mine doesn't have screwdriver slots on the bridge, but those disk shaped screws u turn with fingers. I didn't move the tailpeice any. Seems fine. I basically just leveled the bridge out. It was a hair low on the bottom and a little high on the top. I didn't move it enough to move the tailpeice I don't think. Intonation is good and plays good so I'm just gonna leave it alone until my tech gets it

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A little buzz acoustically is cool, you could do quick checks.

1st .place a capo on 1st fret and press the low E string,

Look around the 12th fret. Is there a gap between the top of the fret to the bottom of string?

Is it a heavy pics thickness, playing card or a sheet of paper? Or more or less.

2nd. Check the pickup heights, sometimes if there too close.

3rd. Is the action low or high

4th. This by the tech, fret level, nut

5th intonation, tube to pitch, then press each string at the 12th fret and check if it's sharp or flat.

Just a list for your tech, that way when you talk to him he'll check all these things and maybe other stuff not mentioned .

Good luck man

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Thanks for the information. I plugged her in last night and it played great! I lowered the bridge some as I said before and intonation didn't seem to be effected. I checked it and seemed to be spot on. I was afraid I would have to re do it after moving the bridge but apparently I didn't move it enough to effect it. I see some of you lower the tailpeice down to the body. I didn't bother moving it any. It plays and sounds so good right now if it ain't broke don't fix it [thumbup]

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My Gibson LP 50s tribute still has a factory setup on it. I've had some string buzz on the low E and G string since I had it. I've had so much fun with it I've kinda been overlooking it.

 

Now I did have a problem with the G string buzz coming through the amp when playing sometimes. So last night I ever so slightly raised the lower part of the bridge and it seems to have helped. I still hear a little rattle when it's unplugged but not through the amp. Also from the factory the big E side of the bridge was screwed up pretty high. I've had a little trouble holding down the E string when bar chording. So I lowered that side of the bridge just a bit. Feels really good now. But I do have a little rattle when using the big E now.

 

So here's the basic question......is it ok to have some string buzz as long as it doesn't come thru the amp? I can play it unplugged and it rattle like crazy, but when I plug into my twin reverb I don't hear a thing. Obviously we play les Paul's through Amps and that's what matters. I just don't know if string buzz on the guitar itself is normal.'ive basically just adjusted it where the amp doesn't show it and the action is good. But the buzz is really still there

 

 

No absolutely no buzzz ever! lol :) I bought a 2011 LP Studio in 2012 and it had been on the shop wall for six or so months at least, with peoples trying it out and such. It was set to Gibson factory settings, action and whatnot. I didn't like the fret buzz on the first or so frets on the sixth string. The shop set it up to factory settings and still I did not like the buzz! I had to do it myself to really know the guitar. Raise the action on the bass side of the bridge enough so that there's little to no buzz on the sixth string, and the treble side can be lower because the strings are thinner. Oh yeah, the tailpiece should just be lowered enough so that the bass strings just do not touch the bridge for maximum sustain, again the tailpiece can be offset a little higher on the bass side I think. Consult your owner's manual (or better yet have a professional do it for you setup), straighten out the fret board by adjusting the truss rod. If there's no buzz you're good to go, if not slightly lessen the tension on the truss rod so that the fretboard is slightly bowed (I mean bowed, so that the fretboard would be a slight smile :) when you look at it sideways, not a frown :() Then adjust your intonation on the bridge, again consult the owners manual. There is a compromise, if you feel comfortable with the buzz you have then there's absolutely nothing wrong with the guitar ( unless the buzz is coming from improperly cut nut, but lets assume the guitar is good). If you like it then it's good! But by the above you can compromise action height for little to no fret buzz, again are you willing to compromise one thing for another? Me personally I like the action a bit higher so that a slide doesn't drag on the frets, but that's my personal preference. You may also change the strings to a heavier guage, for example, I went from the stock light guage to a medium guage. The heavier strings have more tension and vibrate a little bit less, less buzz. Also, I dropped the pickup height significantly on the neck flush with the pickup guard, and the bridge pickup raised higher, but both balanced in volume based on the volume of the neck pickup. Compensating for more bass or treble can be done by adjusting the pickups slightly higher on one end. They are Burstbucker Pros and I found the factory setting to be way too hot for my amp and style of playing. Lowering the pickups will take some magnetic pull off of the strings so that they are not so close to the frets that they buzz. Doing these things will help reduce the fret buzz, but again it's a compromise, if you like your action low and have fret buzz issues I guess that's life, live with it. I do recommend becoming familiar with the owner's manual enough that you can tech your own guitar. I personally hate the tech at the shop doing things to factory settintgs, it never works for me. I have to get to know the guitar myself by adjusting the truss rod, action, intonation and pickup height to my liking. cheers

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