| Author |
Topic: String buzz/distortion driving me nuts! |
Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
|
Posted 2 Oct 2011 10:08 am |
|
I have an old Selmer 6 string that I'm growing to love. I tune it to C6 (lo C to hi E) and I'm really happy except for one thing. The E distorts at the top 'frets' producing a horrible buzzy, sitar-like affect. Using normal standard gauage strings (E = 015) it plays fine up to around the 9th fret and begins to buzz after that.
Now I've had issues like this once before and the advice was to change the string. I've done this and also increased the string guage from 015 to 016 and this helped in as much that the buzz now starts at around the 12th fret. But playing slants on the 12th and above sound terrible!
Keep in mind, this is only on the E string and (before you ask) only on this guitar. The bridge is not cut or slotted for a string gauge, the strings just anchor on a tailpiece and go over the bridge. The nut is slotted but the problem seems to be coming from the bridge end. I certainly don't have an issues with the string played open.
Any ideas apart from beefing up the string gauge further?
\ Paul
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
|
|
 |
Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 6:44 am
|
|
I'm having this EXACT same problem on my Rogue Jersey Lightning. I haven't played it in a while, and took it out yesterday to play.
It's tuned to C6, and the small E string is sounding just like a Sitar from the 9th fret up. All the other strings sound fine, and the small E string sounds fine up until the 9th fret.
Today I took the bridge cover off and the back plate off. I tightened up everything inside. The bridge is simply a piece of un-notched angle, and it's string-through-body.
Were you able to remedy the situation? Is so, how?
_________________
Some songs I've written |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 6:58 am
|
|
A common cause of buzzing/sitar'ing is too much flat surface at the bridge. The sharper the actual point of contact, the less interference there is with the vibration of the string. The orange area is what, ideally, you would want to file away. Or you could round it over.
Beware that from an intonation standpoint, you do not want to have one string's bridge-point differ much from the others (you would be creating different scale lengths).
 |
|
|
|
Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 8:41 am
|
|
| Jon Light wrote: |
A common cause of buzzing/sitar'ing is too much flat surface at the bridge. The sharper the actual point of contact, the less interference there is with the vibration of the string. The orange area is what, ideally, you would want to file away. Or you could round it over.
Beware that from an intonation standpoint, you do not want to have one string's bridge-point differ much from the others (you would be creating different scale lengths).
|
Looks like something I could handle, Jon. Thanks. Couple questions, though.
1. Should I just do the area underneath the little E string? or do the whole bridge?
2. What would work better - a file or a Dremel tool w/ a grinding wheel?
Thanks
_________________
Some songs I've written |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 9:00 am
|
|
Given the choice, I always choose hand tools. Even a Dremel can get away from you unless you feel like you've got strong mastery of it.
I'd probably start with just the one string. With no other problem strings, it's unnecessary work to file & polish the whole bridge, especially if in the end it turns out that this is not the problem (I said 'a cause', not 'the cause'.---gotta hedge my bet.)
If you do feel that you've nailed it with this fix, then I'd probably go in and do the whole thing, on general principle. |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 9:09 am
|
|
| Let me add that if this is indeed where the problem is, the fix could require the removal of very little material. It can sometimes just be a very small bit of material at the trailing edge of the angle that is making light contact and just needs to be rounded away. |
|
|
|
Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 10:12 am
|
|
Thanks, Jon. Ten minutes with my Leatherman tool, and the problem is solved.
I love this forum!
_________________
Some songs I've written |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 16 Sep 2014 10:45 am
|
|
Outstanding!
In the interest of cluttering the brain with extraneous information: a sitar bridge deliberately allows for maximum contact with the flat surface. That's why they call it a sitar.
 |
|
|
|
