| Author |
Topic: maintenance on push/pull fingers |
Steven Welborn
From:
Ojai,CA USA
|
Posted 19 Dec 2004 10:33 pm |
|
In regards to removing the grooves worn into the fingers by the strings which cause string buzz: I just sanded and polished a few fingers of the upper strings (E9) which have been anoying me for some time with a nasty buzz. I started with 400 grt. Carefully and methodically around the top radius trying to maintain roundness. Just enough till the groove was gone. Then 600grt, 1500grt, then semichrome polish.
It sounded so much better I decided to go through all the fingers on both necks. I think there's a noticeable improvement in tone and sustain overall.
Is this the acceptable proceedure ? OR...does anyone feel this is too agressive?
Thanks and Merry Christmas! |
|
|
 |
Bill Rudolph
From:
Minneapolis, Mn.,U.S.A.
|
Posted 20 Dec 2004 6:05 am
|
|
Steven, You did exactly the right thing, as long as you buffed them like you were shining a shoe. You need to keep the same
radius of the finger as you're doing this.
Grooving is a common malady and you're not the first one to do this.
Bill Rudolph, Williams Guitar Co. www.williams guitarcompany.com
|
|
|
|
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 20 Dec 2004 8:45 am
|
|
Bill's the expert. And I certainly agree, but I'll add one point:
I'm kind of a fanatic on this point, because I feel that wear (particularly grooves) on the changer finger can distract significantly from the tone of your guitar.
What I do is MAINTAIN them. AT LEAST every string change (sometimes more often than that) I'll take a regular pencil eraser and smooth the finger in long strokes from the rollpin up past where the string crosses it. If that doesn't work, I'll go to a typewriter eraser -- much more abrasive than the pencil eraser -- then finish it off with the pencil eraser to buff out the little scratches. If it gets too bad, I'll haul out the Dremel with a little compound and the buffing wheel. You have to be very careful to polish it evenly across the entire radius of the finger, but it's not hard to do. I sometimes do that with string changes too, but that's actually removing some metal and care must be taken not to destroy the smooth curve on the finger.
Unwound strings create deep grooves if the finger isn't maintained. Wound ones make wider tracks that are easier to buff out with an eraser. Pay particular attention to the third on E9. Just a little groove can cause a major buzz. I've had some guitars with changer fingers that wear better than others. Zumsteel was probably the champ. I've seen some old Buds that had a 'V' cut in them for an inch or so on top of the finger.
------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
|
|
|
|
richard burton
From:
Britain
|
Posted 20 Dec 2004 12:08 pm
|
|
| Zane Beck had what must be the best finger design: a replaceable stainless steel cap, with a perfect radius. I've owned a couple of ZB's, the mechanics are unsurpassed ingenuity. |
|
|
|
jim milewski
From:
stowe, vermont
|
Posted 20 Dec 2004 2:47 pm
|
|
| I've carefully sanded and buffed mine, big improvement and no problems at all |
|
|
|
