Topic: Help! Guitar buzzing

I have a 'crafter' electro acoustic, It was second hand when I bought it a few of months ago, but looked in good knick apart from a little ding in the side that hardly notices which the shop knocked off £50 for. I ended up paying £349 for it. I noticed when I got it home the'B' And 'E' strings were a bit rusty so i replaced them. I played it for about 4 hours a day, and have changed the strings again. But sinse I've had it, I've noticed a buzz on the strings especially when the capo is used on the first fret, not so much on the second.

It's not the way I play because I also have a 'faith' acoustic that I bought new that doesn't do this. It does seem to get slightly better as the strings age, and dull, but it by know means disappears completely. I did get an engineer that the shop employs to lower the bridge, as it was set a bit high in the factory, but this hasn't made much difference. If I really put my fret fingers down hard, it does stop it somewhat, but even with well calloused fingers, they get sore after a while. this surely cannot be right? Could it be worn frets? if so, how can I tell by looking at it, as I'm not that experienced in the mechanics of a guitar.

Insanity is just a natural adaption to an insane world.

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

hey,
I don't know much about electric guitars, although I have one ( I just suck at playing it)
but my 12 string accoustic did almost the same thing and the guy at the music shop said that the heating in our house had bent the neck. So when you play the first 2 strings it gives a buzzing sound.

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

I took my guitar to a luthier and while it was a good guitar, he made it sound even better.  He planed the frets, adjusted the action and restrung it.

Your problem could be due with how the neck is set, the bridge, or the strings.  In any case, a good luthier ought to be able to make the adjustments if they can be made.  (The luthier I went to also made some non-standard adjustments on an entry level mandolin to make it playable too.)

For the work I had done to my guitar it was about $80 US.

Hope this helps.

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

Thaks guys. looks like i'll take it back to get them to sort it. Or I might trade it in for a good Takamine. smile

Insanity is just a natural adaption to an insane world.

5 (edited by charlotte 2007-08-07 19:21:45)

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

Hey Bo Diddley,
My first guitar was a Crafter elec/acoustic, about the same price, same problem, it's crap.

2nd was a Takamine, it's good, very good.

3rd was a Breedlove, why do other makers bother?

If they won't take it back then I will challenge my Crafter against yours in a how far can you chuck it competition or lets see if the bastard can float across the Channel competition.

Try the Tak, playing is a dream compared to that Crafter.

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

bdmorningstar wrote:

I took my guitar to a luthier and while it was a good guitar, he made it sound even better.  He planed the frets, adjusted the action and restrung it.

Your problem could be due with how the neck is set, the bridge, or the strings.  In any case, a good luthier ought to be able to make the adjustments if they can be made.  (The luthier I went to also made some non-standard adjustments on an entry level mandolin to make it playable too.)

For the work I had done to my guitar it was about $80 US.

Hope this helps.

Im glad you mentioned how much it cost because my friends husband is going to work on my guitar, he is very experienced. You know what its like when its a friend who says they don't want payment or who don't like to say how much and i was wondering what to pay him. I was thinking of that amount approximately, in equivalent pounds of course.

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

charlotte wrote:

Hey Bo Diddley,
My first guitar was a Crafter elec/acoustic, about the same price, same problem, it's crap.

2nd was a Takamine, it's good, very good.

3rd was a Breedlove, why do other makers bother?

If they won't take it back then I will challenge my Crafter against yours in a how far can you chuck it competition or lets see if the bastard can float across the Channel competition.

Try the Tak, playing is a dream compared to that Crafter.

lol I might just take you up on that charlotte. He has offered me £200 back for it, It means losing a bit of money, but think I'll take him up on it, as it really is pants, and no way I can play it at gigs.

Insanity is just a natural adaption to an insane world.

Re: Help! Guitar buzzing

Bo diddley wrote:

I have a 'crafter' electro acoustic, It was second hand when I bought it a few of months ago, but looked in good knick apart from a little ding in the side that hardly notices which the shop knocked off £50 for. I ended up paying £349 for it. I noticed when I got it home the'B' And 'E' strings were a bit rusty so i replaced them. I played it for about 4 hours a day, and have changed the strings again. But sinse I've had it, I've noticed a buzz on the strings especially when the capo is used on the first fret, not so much on the second.

It's not the way I play because I also have a 'faith' acoustic that I bought new that doesn't do this. It does seem to get slightly better as the strings age, and dull, but it by know means disappears completely. I did get an engineer that the shop employs to lower the bridge, as it was set a bit high in the factory, but this hasn't made much difference. If I really put my fret fingers down hard, it does stop it somewhat, but even with well calloused fingers, they get sore after a while. this surely cannot be right? Could it be worn frets? if so, how can I tell by looking at it, as I'm not that experienced in the mechanics of a guitar.

Bo "d",

It sounds like you may be using strings in too light of a guage which would cause string buzz. It definatley is not a worn fret if anything your fret may not be set right and it is high, your guitar neck needs to be adjusted or the guitar nut has to be replaced because the string notches are worn down or were filed down to deep.

Good luck.

Bootlegger.