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    Guitar Guru: What Causes Buzzing Strings?

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    Jared Williams
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    Guitar Guru: What Causes Buzzing Strings?

    Uploaded by

    Jared Williams
    86 views2 pages
    fsdbvfd

    Original Title

    2-16-044-10-0-00

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    86 views2 pages

    Guitar Guru: What Causes Buzzing Strings?

    Uploaded by

    Jared Williams
    fsdbvfd

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    GUITAR

    GURU
    YOUR GUITAR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
    BY MASTER LUTHIER DANA BOURGEOIS

    WHAT CAUSES BUZZING STRINGS?


    GUITAR
    GURU
    YOUR GUITAR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
    BY MASTER LUTHIER DANA BOURGEOIS

    Q: My 1983 Martin HD-28


    has a buzzing or rattling
    3. IMPROPER SADDLE
    CONTACT
    8. LOOSE JOINT
    A loose brace, bridge, binding joint, nut, or
    high E string. The rest of the Same issue as above, only at the saddle. This any ill-fitting part can cause vibration sympa-
    strings sound great. A local occurs most often on taller saddles having thetic to a specific note. I hunt for loose
    fellow worked on the frets acute string-break angles. joints by damping strings and tapping around
    and smoothed them out and the entire guitar. The fix is often easier than
    it plays well other than this
    4. BAD STRINGS
    the diagnosis.
    annoying rattle. What in your
    view is the most likely cause?
    Buzzing can sometimes result from windings
    that have come loose from their core. I have 9. LOOSE PICKUP
    —GERRY LAVERTY,
    even seen new, obviously defective strings with This sympathetic vibration merits a category of
    RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
    this problem. its own. The problem is often a loose cable

    A:
    which can be detected by damping the strings
    It can be vexingly difficult to diag-
    5. TOUCHING STRINGS
    and shaking the guitar. Recently, I found
    nose string buzz. Here’s a list of ten
    buzzing related to a loose jack cover.
    possible causes that I look for. If this checklist No two strings should touch in the area around
    doesn’t identify the problem, I sometimes the tuner posts. Custom nut spacing, replace-
    resort to offering sacrifices to the guitar gods. ment tuners, and oddball string gauges are the 10. SYMPATHETIC
    usual culprits. TRUSS ROD
    1. LOW NUT SLOT
    Think of the truss rod as a big guitar string that

    6. BOUNCING FRETS
    can be tuned to a note that’s either sympathetic
    This typically causes problems on the open
    or not sympathetic to a significant resonant
    note, but can sometimes create buzzing An improperly seated fret can elude accurate
    frequency. You get the picture.
    between the nut and a fretted note. If you leveling, then bounce back up and continue
    suspect the latter, play the fretted note and causing buzzing problems. Superglue and a
    Dana Bourgeois is a master luthier and the founder
    then damp the string between the nut and little spot dressing can get you to your next full
    of Bourgeois Guitars in Lewiston, Maine.
    the fret while the note is still ringing. If the fret replacement.
    buzz goes away you may need a new nut or

    7. NECK TOO STRAIGHT


    “nut implant.”

    The physics of string oscillation dictates that


    2. IMPROPERLY SHAPED fretboards should rarely be straight and never
    NUT SLOT bowed backward. Ideal fretboard shape
    A string that bears too heavily on the middle depends on scale length, string gauge, playing
    or the back of the nut slot can buzz in a sitar- style, and other factors. A good tech can opti-
    like way on the front of the slot. This can be mize your guitar for your style and playing
    corrected with a couple well-directed strokes preferences, but cannot change the laws of
    of a nut file. physics. Sometimes you just need more relief.

    © 2016 Stringletter 2

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