Just restrung, have a nasty buzz, help!

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Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

Just restrung, have a nasty buzz, help!

So I have a Raimundo 130 classical that I just restrung a couple of days ago, and now there is this weird buzz on some of the strings (notably the low E, A, and G, but I've also heard it on the D and B) that I've never had before that is perplexing me.

The problem starting soon after I restrung it. When I first put the strings on and tuned the guitar and played a bit, there was no problem, but after a few hours in the case I picked it back up and the buzz was there, and over the last couple of days it's come back a couple of times. I found that usually I can fix it by fiddling with the string on the bridge, sliding it around slightly, but just now I tried that and it didn't work for my G...

This is the second time I've strung the guitar on my own, so for all I know I could have screwed up somewhere, but the first time I did it (a month or two ago) I had no problems. The only difference between this time and last time is the type of string (I just put normal tension Pro-Artes...I had high tension Pro Artes last time), and this time I put a small folded piece of paper in the nut slot for the A and low E...my teacher does this and told me it reduces the hum (since my guitar tends to hum on those two when I play the B and high E strings). I thought the paper was causing the buzzing at first, but there's also buzz on the other four strings, so I don't think that's it. Any help would really be appreciated!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2006 21:04:09

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

Sometimes you get buzzes when you switch between one tension of strings and another... The obvious suggestion would be to restring the guitar using NORMAL tension strings again, and see if the buzz dissappears.

Jb

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2006 21:09:15

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

Thanks...when that happens, I guess the buzz disappears after the guitar gets used to the new tension? Or would I have to restring it again to get rid of the buzz?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2006 21:30:41

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

It is possible that after a while the neck will get used to the high tension strings, and the buzzing will stop. But if that DOESN'T happen (give it a couple of days or so) then you should try restringing the guitar with normal tension strings and see if that works.

Jb

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¡Si esto no está en compas, esto no es el Flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 21 2006 21:39:23

PacoPaella

Posts: 163
Joined: Nov. 7 2004

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

I rather experienced it the other way around - if you switch to lower tension strings (i.e. from medium to low tension or hard to medium) and you have a very low action, then the strings might buzz (mainly the basses) since their amplitude is higher so they might touch the neck.

Another possibility is that a piece of string touches the top BEHIND the saddle; i.e. after fixing the strings there you let a piece of string lay on the top and when the top starts to vibrate it buzzes with the string (sorry for being unable to explain it better

)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 22 2006 7:39:58

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

I think I might have been misunderstood--I lowered the tension. I had high tension strings on before, and now I put on normal tension strings. Still getting a buzz...hopefully it'll improve.

Paco, I don't see the bass strings touching the neck when they vibrate, even when they buzz (my action isn't that low), although the G string MIGHT be touching the first fret, and I'm getting the worst buzz off that....

Thanks for all the help so far, hopefully time will fix it!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 22 2006 22:59:17

Hugh

Posts: 130
Joined: Jul. 27 2006

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

I had the "buzz" problem with my guitar when I first got it. I put on high tension after smoothing down some of the "real bad" offending frets. After a couple of changes of strings (about a month) the buzz's are all gone.
Seems that the neck has given slightly, just enough so as to lose the problem and still maintain the low action facility. I can really hammer it now, and it plays just fine.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 6 2007 8:17:42

Adam

Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to Adam)

Excellent! Just an update, after a couple of days my guitar sounded fine and now plays better than ever (although these strings are getting old!!).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 6 2007 15:20:31

a_arnold

Posts: 558
Joined: Jul. 30 2006

RE: Just restrung, have a nasty buzz... (in reply to PacoPaella)

just a thought, but the fact that the problem showed up a day or 2 after you restrung suggests that the strings stretched out a little. Did you check that it was still at A=440 when it started buzzing? I don't have perfect pitch and can be perfectly happy as long as the relative pitch is in tune, and if I don't check with the tuning fork, I can end up a half step (or more!) low as the strings age.

Or, as a previous responder said, the neck might have rebounded when you unstrung it, and just needed to settle in again. . .

Tony Arnold

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 18 2007 20:01:13