New to CBG builds - Finished up my first one - Played the open strings and starting feeling pretty smug - Fingered the first and second frets - BZZZZZZZZZ.
I moved the strings off, pulled the frets and sanded down the neck - Reinstalled the frets and it seemed to work.
Question - I'd like to lower the action a little but I know from playing around it will give me the same fret buzz problem. I'm using bolts at both the nut and bridge so pretty adjustable - Not sure how to go about the process - Attack the nut, the bridge, the fretboard.
It only seems to be the 2nd and 3rd fret but I don't want to lower those so much that the 4th / 5th starts buzzing.
Is there a more scientific way to go about this - I feel like my solutions are geared toward trying random things.
Thanks in advance
Replies
MmK, here's the way I do it. It's pretty much like Tom T's instructions but I'll give it any way to give some perspective how different people approach this...
1.
First, I do a fret level & crown basically following the procedure for an electric guitar. Example:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-technical/201556-fret-leveling-yer-...
EXCEPT... since a CBG has no truss rod, you have to sand the fretboard level before installing the frets AND a CBG has a flat fretboard so no worries about a radius. A long sanding beam (16"-18") is ideal.
This is done before the nut is installed.
2.
Next I get a ballpark for the initial nut slot depth. To do this, I set a 6" steel rule edgewise in the middle of the fretboard between the 1st and 2nd frets and shove feeler gauges in the gap between the fretboard and the ruler to find out what fret height finished out to be.
I add .003 inches to that measurement and select a feeler gauge of that thickness.
3.
I install the nut blank and let the glue dry. Then, I take the feeler gauge I selected in the previous step and place it flat against the fretboard flushed tight up against the nut.
I file all the slots down - using the correct angle until the file hits the feeler gauge.
4.
I slap on the strings and adjust the bridge height so that I have a gap of 1/8" between the bottom of the strings and the top of the 12th fret.
5.
I set the intonation via bridge/saddle placement so that a note fretted at the 12th fret I one octave higher than the open note on each string.
6.
I go back to the nut... I fret each string at the second fret - if the note is sharp (and it will be), I loosen the string slightly and pop it off to the side and carefully file the nut slot just a smidgen deeper. Put the string back on and check the note fretted at the second fret for sharpness.
Rinse, repeat on all strings.
I am usually satisfied if I get to within 3 cents.
If you go to deep - BIZZIT. Your either shimming the bottom of the nut or cutting a new one.
7.
Repeat step 5.
Done.
Hi Gary. Congratulations on your first built. Completing construction is just the first step in getting your CBG ready to go. Sorting out the small stuff is what makes it a joy to play. Everyone has to go through this process.
Instead of going at it in a random fashion, I would suggest that you take a standardized approach.
1. First make sure the frets and fret board are securely installed on the neck.
2. Next, use a broad tipped sharpie and carefully draw on tu\op of each fret. If you're worried about accidentally marking the fret board, then mask it with tape.
3. Find some 320 wet/dry sandpaper and glue a strip of it to a straight piece of hardwood. I glue the sandpaper to the 3/4" edge of a foot long piece of maple.
4. Use the maple sanding block to gently sand across the frets from fret one to the top fret. Very little pressure is needed. A few strokes will show you any high or low frets. You can work these spots individually, or try to gently remove just enough fret material to make all frets level with one another.
5. Once this is done, you can set the action at the nut. If you're not using a zero fret, then you will have to file the nut to adjust action height. You can set action at the first fret to 1/64" inch (0.015") for good fingering.
6. Next set the action at the 12th fret. Do this by adjusting the bridge height. Filing the string groves in the bridge can lower the action while a shim under the bridge will raise action. Set the action at the 12th to around 7/64th (0.109").
7. Next, check string response by fingering each string from fret 1 to fret 14~16. If you encounter any buzz on any string, think about working the fret causing the buzz only in the area under the buzzing string. This will eliminate the buzz without raising the action.
8. Finally, with all frets playing cleanly, check the intonation. Tune each string carefully in its open position, then lightly fret each string on the 12th fret. If the tone is sharp, then move the bridge away from the 12th. Re-tune and try again. If the note is flat, move the bridge toward the bottom of the guitar, re-tune and check again.
This sounds like a lot of steps, but in practice, you may run into only one or two steps that require action. The good news is that once finished, your build will play nicely and you will be proud to show it off.
Hey Gary, it looks like you're going about it in the right way. Ideally you want the fretboard, and frets themselves to be as level as possible.
In terms of action at the nut, you need to get this as low as you can so that the first couple of frets intonate properly, i.e. if your bottom string is tuned G your 1st fret should play a G# without sharpening too much. If you go too far you won't have problems with intonation, but that's where the buzz comes in. Its a balancing act.
Remember that a top of the line guitar with perfect intonation and no fret buzz is achieved with the kind of technology rarely seen in a CBG. You can get pretty close, but don't drive yourself mad going for perfection.
Good luck!
Thanks - That's actually pretty helpful - I look at my Strat and my CBG action isn't that far off - It intonates pretty well at the octave.
Maybe I'm better off with this first build to take the victories as they come - It plays.
That's some great advice and instruction from Tom and Clark, but I would say at this early stage just try to have fun making them and don't overthink things like fret levelling. I attempted my first fret level on my 29th build. Worked great but with a couple of minor exceptions I haven't otherwise needed it, I just installed the frets and they played fine, with no buzz. Get yourself a nice flat and straight piece of wood for the neck, and all should be fine :-)