smurph1 Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 It turns out the fret buzz on my 535 is probably caused by me constantly wanting to lower the action on it..I kept the relief but was lowering the action at the bridge, thus causing buzzing at the upper frets..So because I'm so damn picky about the action, I'm going to have my tech just flatten the relief as much as he can, then bring the action down to where it will still play like it's supposed to without fretting out when I bend..i'm my own worst enemy sometimes..LOL
heritagefan7 Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 I can't seem to EVER get the buzz out of a few of my gits (esp the '91 LP)...drives me crazy, so I just the volume up! Had it set up, but, sometimes such is life---maybe --like feedback---I can just consider that an acoustic attibute????
NoNameBand Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 You can also have your tech lower the frets as they get closer to the body (fret dress). I have done this on 2 guitars and it got the action much lower without buzz.
Guest HRB853370 Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 You can also have your tech lower the frets as they get closer to the body (fret dress). I have done this on 2 guitars and it got the action much lower without buzz. Albeit much more costly than than adjusting relieve and bridge height.
NoNameBand Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 Albeit much more costly than than adjusting relieve and bridge height. That means accepting higher action. No way around it. If you want it lower, lower the frets, descending down the fingerboard toward the body. This will give you the lowest action possible. Check with Vince Lewis, I'll bet his are probably done that way.
smurph1 Posted October 24, 2011 Author Posted October 24, 2011 I can't seem to EVER get the buzz out of a few of my gits (esp the '91 LP)...drives me crazy, so I just the volume up! Had it set up, but, sometimes such is life---maybe --like feedback---I can just consider that an acoustic attibute???? I wish I could,,but I'm a Freekin Perfectionist!!
smurph1 Posted October 24, 2011 Author Posted October 24, 2011 That means accepting higher action. No way around it. If you want it lower, lower the frets, descending down the fingerboard toward the body. This will give you the lowest action possible. Check with Vince Lewis, I'll bet his are probably done that way. I bet you are right..
heritagefan7 Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 I wish I could,,but I'm a Freekin Perfectionist!! yeah---me too...so I'm trying to redefine the guitar fret buzz genre or be an innovater and call that a victory...rather than admit defeat to what I think should be a fixable problem--that I can't seem to get fixed. PLUS my luthier recently moved form this area so I'm feeling kind of stuck at the moment.
Genericmusic Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 You can also have your tech lower the frets as they get closer to the body (fret dress). I have done this on 2 guitars and it got the action much lower without buzz.
yoslate Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 If it's a really good fret job, you shouldn't have to dress frets above the twelfth. And for the kind of action you seem to be talking about, Smurph, I think a dead level board is what you want. But, as Mark observed, with very low action ( @1/64th on the treble side, 2-3/64ths on the bass), taking the frets down a little at the end of the board is certainly a viable option. Before doing that, though, make sure the frets all the way up the neck are level, ensuring you don't have one or two high ones. Make sure the nut is cut appropriately for what you're after, too.
DetroitBlues Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 They once referred to the Les Paul Custom as the "Fretless Wonder" because of its low frets and action. Naturally we all like the action to be low and tight so we can play as effortlessly as possible.
tulk1 Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 Send it to Ren. He does Vince's boxes, that action is nearly non-existent and completely effortless to play. Or, ask him how he does it.
yoslate Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 Send it to Ren. He does Vince's boxes, that action is nearly non-existent and completely effortless to play. Or, ask him how he does it. Yep, Kenny; i played it, too. Talked to Vince about it. Starts with absolutely no relief in the neck.
brentrocks Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 to set my neck i put 1 finger on the 1st fret and 1 finger on the 22nd fret and look at the 12th fret of the high E.....if it is about 1/16-1/32 off the 12th fret then i set the bridge from there. If it is higher, i tighten the trus rod untill i have achieved that height. Sometimes i can get away with the high E touching the 12th fret, just barely, depending on the guitar.
tulk1 Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 They once referred to the Les Paul Custom as the "Fretless Wonder" because of its low frets and action. Naturally we all like the action to be low and tight so we can play as effortlessly as possible. That would be the mid-70s LPCs. I have one. And those frets were micro, for sure. Played it like that for nearly 15yrs, until I wore the Fretless Wonder down to a fretless board. It was amazing what regular size frets did for that guitar. Should have had it refretted the first year I had it. And for being a pancake body that guitar just rocked like a hurricane. Here she be.
brentrocks Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 That would be the mid-70s LPCs. I have one. And those frets were micro, for sure i just picked up a '74 SG Custom and the frets are SUPER SMALL...and have be dressed so much that it almost is a "fretless" wonder.....i hate the thought of a re-fret....but this guitar may need it soon?
tulk1 Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 The problem with refretting "Custom" models is you normally loose the nibs on the binding. If you want to keep the guitar as original as possible (for resale, if it warrants that), best to leave them be. If you plan on keeping it and .............. oh, what am I saying?
brentrocks Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 The problem with refretting "Custom" models is you normally loose the nibs on the binding. If you want to keep the guitar as original as possible (for resale, if it warrants that), best to leave them be. If you plan on keeping it and .............. oh, what am I saying? yeah, i know what you mean...
DetroitBlues Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 I think that's a matter of is this a player guitar or is this a piece of wall art? I wouldn't want a guitar that I couldn't play. What's the point of having it? We are guitar players, not museum curators. A good luthier should be able to re-fret the guitar and replace/age the new binding so the nibs are there. You'll pay a heck of a lot more, but the end result should net you a never played looking set of fresh frets on a guitar you'll be playing again. Speaking of frets, my '85 has low frets, but I do not see any sign of wear on them. I'm using 11's too. I swear the materials used to make frets nowadays are much weaker than fretwire of yesterday.
TonyM Posted October 26, 2011 Posted October 26, 2011 Before going to PSPIV I took the Millennium in to a local luthier Dave Rusan (he's known locally for building Prince's "cloud" guitar) to get a buzz fixed. In addition to leveling the frets he said he re-glued the one giving the problem, along with a couple of the others. I've been loving the action ever since. Anybody got insight into "re-gluing"? Sounded like today's technology made it something to do... TonyM
yoslate Posted October 26, 2011 Posted October 26, 2011 I think that's a matter of is this a player guitar or is this a piece of wall art? I wouldn't want a guitar that I couldn't play. What's the point of having it? We are guitar players, not museum curators. A good luthier should be able to re-fret the guitar and replace/age the new binding so the nibs are there. You'll pay a heck of a lot more, but the end result should net you a never played looking set of fresh frets on a guitar you'll be playing again. Speaking of frets, my '85 has low frets, but I do not see any sign of wear on them. I'm using 11's too. I swear the materials used to make frets nowadays are much weaker than fretwire of yesterday. +1 on the first sentiment, DB! I'm currently re-fretting my Tele with Jescar's new nickel/stainless alloy. Tom (the tech with whom I'm apprenticing) seems to think it'll last quite a while. He's re-fretted one of his with it, loves it, and talked me into doing my first re-fret with it, on my Tele. If cutting it is any indication, it's very hard.
tulk1 Posted October 27, 2011 Posted October 27, 2011 Anybody got insight into "re-gluing"? Sounded like today's technology made it something to do... TonyM Insight on re-gluing? I watched my tech re-glue nearly every fret on my Larrivee RS2 (which I mentioned to Matt L.). Superglue and a clamp to the rescue.
smurph1 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Posted October 27, 2011 Send it to Ren. He does Vince's boxes, that action is nearly non-existent and completely effortless to play. Or, ask him how he does it. Yeah..i thought about that, but I don't trust Fedex Ups or the Postal Service with my "baby" My Luthier took all the relief out of the neck..(totally flat) and we still found some buzz on the 15 fret..So now we are looking at a partial fret dressing..Just the upper ones..i've got a feeling before it's all done I'll probably have the whole thing done..But who knows? Certainly not me..LOL
heritagefan7 Posted October 28, 2011 Posted October 28, 2011 hope it works out the want you want..It'll be nice to have it just right!
DetroitBlues Posted October 28, 2011 Posted October 28, 2011 That's a real bummer. But when its all said and done it will be one less thing to worry about in the years to come.
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