Single string buzz? Doesn't sound like fret

mike923 · 06-08-2014 11:18pm #1

Hi everyone,
Recently picked up a Takamine E/A and only got a chance to play it today.

The G string is giving off a buzz when played open or in the first fret.. 2nd fret on there is no buzz whatsoever.. It's the only string that's buzzing.

The action on the guitar is very high and it doesn't look like it's hitting off a fret when ringing..
Any ideas what it is?

biketard · 07-08-2014 3:30am

The 2nd fret might be a wee bit higher than it should be (I know you said it doesn't appear to be hitting a fret).

Another possibility is that the truss rod needs loosened just a touch (a neck with too tight a truss rod tends to cause more buzzing in the first few fret positions), but you've also said the action is already high, and this would make it even higher. You'd need to find a way to lower the bridge after doing the truss rod adjustment. Not the sort of thing I'd recommend anyone doing unless you really knew how to do it.

Now after all of that scary information, you might find that just sticking a new set of strings on it solves your problems. And if it doesn't, maybe try a different string gauge.

Major7 · 07-08-2014 8:31am

Mike923,
Don't adjust the truss rod if it doesn't need it , it's a common misconception that the truss rod is there to adjust the action... It's not it's there to keep the neck straight. Now saying that it could be the neck relief, but more likely to be something else.
Relief: put a capo on first fret, press the string down on the 14th fret & there should be a little gap under the string at the 7th fret(about thickness of a business card) if there is no gap this would cause the buzz, to much gap wouldn't cause buzzing on the upper frets.
Your problem is more likely a high fret on the first fret or nut slot to deep on the g string. If you bought it in a shop bring it back, if not your local repair tech.

biketard · 07-08-2014 8:42am

Hey Major7. He says it buzzes in the first fret position too, so it can't be (solely) the nut or the first fret. Has to be the second one at least.

You're right that it's a common misconception that the truss rod is how you should adjust the action, and I agree that he shouldn't adjust the truss rod unless he knows what he's doing. What I was trying to say is that if you slacken it slightly, the action is going to get even worse. Sorry if it came across otherwise.

And I totally agree that if he has the opportunity to bring it back to the shop to get it checked out, he definitely should. I can't see any way the OP can sort this out himself, unless a new set of strings fixes the problem.

mike923 · 07-08-2014 9:44am

Thanks for your help gents. I've heard too many horror stories from people going at their truss rods for me to do it myself!

Think my best bet would be to give it to James O' Halloran in Carrigaline for a set up and hope for the best!

Major7 · 07-08-2014 10:30am

Biketard you're right in saying that it's probably the 2nd fret is to high. But I would say the nut slot for the g is a little to low as well... As none of the other strings buzz, or may be the others are too high

I think the best bet is to bring it to your tech if you are not comfortable doing the work, a set up is not usually expensive, a fret level can be about €100/ set up around €40
Good luck!

TroutMask · 15-08-2014 10:07pm

could be buzzing up in the headstock too - have a look that nothing is lightly touching up there.

Single string buzz? Doesn't sound like fret

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