Buzz on D string

[Christian Johnson]

I got another one.  Eastman acoustic, 12-54 strings.  Customer wants lower action, fingerpicker.  I got it to 2/32 at the 12th, had to do a fret level/dress.  D string still buzzes around the 5-9th frets.  Relief is correct, saddle looks good, radius correct.  Tried new string.  Why does the D string buzz noticably, when the others are ok?

[Christian Johnson]

I level/dress with the neck as flat as I can get it. Never been a problem. Frets are dead level; within .001.

[Paul Verticchio]

Does the buzz happen when you play it or when the owner/customer plays it?

What may be too low (1/16th @ 12th fret..if the '2/32' spec is not a typo) for you (or almost any other experienced player) may be OK for the customer if they play with a super light touch.

Also, action that "unusually low" will probably severely and negatively affect tone.

Is the customer an experienced player or a novice that has mistakenly bought into the "lower action is always better" myth.

Just some food for thought. I'm interested to hear the resolution of this issue. Very best of luck.

[Christian Johnson]

Thanks. It buzzes when I play it. Customer says he has a light touch, but it a pretty pronounced buzz. There's good break angle at the saddle, so no tone issues.

[thefishinmusician]

I've had a loose inlay play havoc on me before in the middle of a neck...If it's a dot, I doubt it, but if it's a block...Maybe...