So, you have finished all the hard work of shaping the neck. Fit the box snugly to the neck. Added a very nice mahogany fret board. Installed the piezo pickup, sound holes. Everything is done, now string it up and give it a test drive. Whats that? Fret buzz!!! On not one, but two frets. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!
Why can't there be a way to test for fret buzz BEFORE the absolute last step? Now I have to unstring, reseat those two frets, hope it's right this time, and stress over the process.
Just a crazy rant, sorry. In 35 plus CBG's I have never actually had frets buzz before. I guess I should be thankful for my luck so far.
To all, have a Merry Christmas and a fret buzz free New Year!!!
Comments
Thank you to all with their tips and advice. I ended up removing the two frets in question and noticed that the slot I had cut was ever so slightly angled, therefore not level. I filled the slots with some very thin wafer of the mahogany I used, let it dry, and re-cut them. After re-install and file smooth the edges, I re-strung and voila!! No fret buzz. This is what happens when you try to get just one more done before Christmas.
Thanks again to all for the advice, the best of which is to take my time in the first place....duh
I'll throw in a new one. perhaps as you make more guitars, your skill and accuracy progress, and you get tighter tolerances, which is a good thing. so now things will take longer with more patience. and listen to the others.
Credit to Jef Long on that method.
I make sure my neck is flat before gluing on the fret board. Then I sand that flat on a 36" piece of granite with a sanding belt stuck on. Finally, after seating the frets, I run this up and down 2-3 times. It is enough to take off the high points, but not so much that I feel like the frets have to be recrowned.
Yup Jeff, I usually do as ChickenboneJohn suggests but I use a regular carpenters square to determine if any frets are slightly high.(The fret rocker can pin point the offending fret but I don't have one yet). If so, my first step is to try and tap them all the way in. Sometimes I pull the offending fret(s) and clean out or deepen the slot. Sometimes they don't get cut as deep as needed. After that I use a file to even the frets if needed. I hate doing that because then you need to re-crown the fret. Did I mention - I really like fretless instruments!
After 2 1/2 years at this you tell me. Thanks... A new tool for Christmas!!!! Thanks for the advice and info. Merry Christmas!!
There is a way to test, just use a steel straight-edge and a "fret rocker".
Putting a straight-edge onto the frets before stringing will give you a general indication of whether you've got the frets seated right, and whether the neck is bang-on straight, has a bit of relief or has the dreaded back-bow. Then you can work your way up the fretboard with one of the these short straight-edges (fret rocker) that covers just 3 frets at a time, and you'll be able to tell if you have any low or high frets, and tap them into seat them properly, or file them down accordingly. You need to check with both a rule and a rocker - the long straightedge gives you the overall diagnosis, and the shorty one gives you the detailed picture. The fret-rocker is simply 4 short straight-edges in one, but is a really handy tool, and they are cheap to buy. It's quick to do the check, and can save a lot of frustration of stringing-up only to discover you've got unevenly seated frets.
Yep, I gave that a shot first. I am getting buzz on the 4th fret on the high side and 4th and 5th on the low side. After looking at it carefully, I think the fret ends are not sitting snug. I may be able to tap them in a bit, or replace those two frets and refile the ends. Gives me something to do on Christmas when my in-laws are here.
The buzz may not be coming from the fret itself, so there might not be a need to pull them and reset them. If you have the string height a wee bit too low, the string may be lightly touching the next fret closer to the bridge. Try shimming up the bridge a bit first and see if the buzz goes away before you go tearing it all apart.