I'm just trying to finish off my first build and I've hit a problem that I just can't seem to solve.. If I pluck each string going up the scale I get a lovely clear sound, smooth even and bang on tune.. The problem is when I strum all 3 strings I get this nasty vibration along with the chord.. The vibration increases with the intensity of the strum..
I doesn't appear that it is coming from any buzzing on the next fret.. I've tried raising and lowering the action but it hasn't helped..
Does anyone have any ideas..
Cheers..
Replies
The slots in a nut and bridge are supposed to angle downwards toward the tuners for the nut and towards the rear/tail of the guitar. If the slots are just straight across, that could be your problem. Also the strings should have a healthy "Break Angle" over the nut and bridge to the tuners and tail piece. Usually 3 to 8 degrees.
Little problems like this can be hard to locate and irritating. Don't loose it, remain calm and you'll find the problem eventually.
If you want another old bike to restore, I got one for sale. Haha
The reason for that extra long headstock was my first stuff up.. It seems that not all YouTube tutorial videos are created equal :) When I first cut and shaped it I had this feeling it was way too long but I carried on only to find out that the dimensions given gave it a scale length more of a short scale bass than a guitar..
Unfortunately I had already shaped and rounded the back of the neck and it pretty much made it impossible to move the tuners forward, it was either that or make a whole new neck.. As this build is my test bed for learning I just carried on knowing I'd be making more mistakes as I went..
I made a clever little adjustable doo hecky to pull the strings down at a good angle over the nut..
It was motorsport day today with my son so nothing got done but I'll be remaking both the nut and the bridge tomorrow and see how that shapes up..
So what bike do you have for sale, I've built everything from dirtbikes to dragbikes and back again, it'll have to be something pretty darn special to pull me out of two wheel retirement.. I still ride but if I'm to break out the spanners again you'd better be selling a 1915 Cyclone board track racer for $50.. :)
Just a thought. Taff
Cheers JL, buzz is exactly the word for it.. Having done a lot of playing about with it the problem seems to definitely coming from the bridge.. Bearing in mind those pics of yours I'll start experimenting with some shapes..
I have to be honest I don't know the first thing about guitars, hell I can't even play one so I'm really flying blind..
I just this year turned 60 and after a lifetime of building and restoring bikes I've had enough and am looking for a new direction in life.. I love music, especially the blues and I figure you're never too old to try something new so here I am besides I still get to tool about in the shed..
One thing I did try last night was changing the tuning from open G to open A and man what a difference.. Yeah that buzz is still there but it's almost imperceptible.. Whether it's the size and shape of the box or the type of strings I'm using I have no idea but it went from sounding pretty average but good to sounding absolutely crash damn hot, even if I do say so myself.. Now all I have to do is teach myself how to play the damn thing.. :)
I'm more or less using this build as a test bed to find out as many pitfalls as possible and then be able to correct and improve with the next one..
Tuning up to open A made it buzz less, hmm, a clue, more string tension made it less....
Fret buzz could be lessened by more tension making the relief increase, bridge or nut not seated flatly could buzz less under more pressure, tuners loose in the holes could buzz less when tighter....others????
BYW I'm 50 and just started riding a motorcycle this year.
Strum the string and press on the box lid, bridge, nut and other objects to see if the vibration noise stops.
Surprised you still haven't found it Eric, like others have said you need to eliminate any potential moving/loose parts, maybe tape anything suspect down tight while you go through it, don't forget to check your pick up, and wiring etc, an extra long wire might be looping and making contact when you close the box, also check your string tee/guide, it might be better to have the strings firmly touching it rather than "just" missing it. It's just an elimination process now i think, 1 thing at a time
Many thanks for the input guys, it's very much appreciated..
I've rechecked the wiring in the box and none of it is vibrating against the lid..
When I did the build I glued and screwed a small length of wood along the inside of the box so that when I close the lid I can secure the lid to the body of the box by 3 small screws so that is pretty solid..
I've rechecked all the tuners and they are all well screwed in and tight..
One thing I have tried just now that has made a sizable improvement is that I put in a metal bridge (an Allen key) that had no grooves filed in it for the strings to sit in.. Up until now every thing I have used as a bridge I just naturally grooved as I thought that was the norm..
The nut is also and Allen key that I had put grooves in so I turned that around so that again the strings did not sit in them and that improved it again.. The fault is still there but it has been somewhat diminished.. I think with perseverance I'll get there.. I think it was Henry Ford who said that if you get it right the first time then you've done something wrong..
Just one more thing though.. I've tuned it to the open G tuning G-D-G but when I strum it with nothing barred my little digital meter says it's a D chord..
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