Fret Buzz

[Brian Hemming]

Hi Guys

I hope you can help?

I have an ovation 6 string acoustic. All strings open there is no buzz individually fretted there is no buzz however if I play a G chord, IE: 6/5/3 strings at the second fret finger picking the D STRING OPEN BUZZES!

This guitar had the buzz before I got it. I have just finished some fret dressing changed the nut and saddle.

I hope someone can offer some advice (besides throwing the ovation in the bin.

Thanks Brian

[Brian Hemming]

Sorry I meant the 6/5/1 strings

[David Farmer]

Put a fret rocker on every set of three frets all the way up the D string line. Piece of paper under the string in the nut slot to eliminate nut slot height. If both check out, action, height at the 12th too low, not enough relief, or hand pressure moving the neck enough to change any of the above?

Oh, and unusual resonance/coupling is alway a possibility.

Just a quick 2 cent's

Of course "throwing it in the bin" will do the trick.:)

[Brian Hemming]

Thanks David.

I will get back to you with results.

Thanks for your help

Brian

[Brian Hemming]

No good!

Tried everything: changed the nut, re levelled and radiused the fretboard.

At times it appeared to be fixed however the buzz returns only on the D string?

You mentioned resonance coupling, what is that?

This guitar has a built in electronic saddle I don't think it is the original because I can see other string grooves I not an expert measured the radius and it is 16"? The ovation is 10" could this be the problem.

Would a different radius saddle cause buzzing.

Thanks in advance for any additional help

Brian

[David Farmer]

For string/fret buzz you have to eliminate one thing at  time, starting with nut height.  Repeatedly trying to fix everything it could be at once, without  first identifying  the problem is shooting in the dark. You must identify the cause of the sound to be able to eliminate it.

I assumed from your title it was a string/fret buzz, now it sounds like maybe not.

Buzzing and rattling can be difficult to identify even by those with experience and the instrument on their bench. if your not sure whats making the sound, that could be a whole different game. 

In general, if I have a mystery buzz, I arrange things so I can repeatedly make the offending sound with one hand free to touch (damp) every conceivable part that might vibrate. Every conceivable part. A second person can be helpful here. 

If you don't have much experience chasing this kind of thing down, taking it to someone who does could be money well spent. 

[Roger Häggström]

A loose tuner nut or screw maybe?

With a fretboard with 10" and a saddle with 16" the two middle strings will be closer to the fretboard when the two E strings are adjusted properly.

[Brian Hemming]

Hi Guys

I tried sending a detailed description of where I am up to however it would not upload (maybe too big)

Condensed version: I believe the problem may be in the truss rod (vibrating) attached photo displayed is my attempt to identify the vibration. As disclosed I have places a temporary shim in place to prevent vibration.(It worked)

My question is what do you believe I can do to remedy permanently(would a piece of leather do to prevent vibration allowing truss rod to turn.

Any additional advice would be appreciated

Brian

[Hesh Breakstone]

As you might say in your neck of the woods Brian "throw it in the bin..."  

What we say in my neck of the woods is take it out back and shoot the stinkin thing....  In the city where our commercial repair shop is they say "save it for the bon fire...."

We know lots of Luthiers who will not work on Ovations and we are like that as well but will help folks on a case by case basis.  Several times in the last couple of years we did help folks with Ovations provided that there was a very good reason to assume the "risk" and "opportunity costs" of working on something that will likely suffer from "scope creep...."

Not trying to be rude or arrogant by any means but what I am trying to convey is that for shops that want to be profitable, pay their bills, and don't have time to waste because of very high volume of client traffic Ovations are known to be something to avoid.  One of the greatest occupational risks that professional Luthiers face daily is attempting to be all things to all folks....  Just because some f*ctory once excreted.... it and it's now NFG (G rated translation, broken..) does not mean that we have to lose our souls trying to fix the freakin thing.

With this said the original aversion to hearing "throw it in the bin" pretty much severely limited what I might offer here because we would have never taken it in in the first place.

[Roger Häggström]

A piece of veneer or a thicker wooden shim glued between the truss rod and the fretboard should do the trick. When you know the problem it's always very possible to fix it :-)

I do like the necks on Ovations but hate everything else about them!

[David Farmer]

Good job finding the problem.  Just put a drop of glue on the back of the wedge and push it back in!

[Roger Häggström]

...I tried to say between the trussrod and the TOP...

[Brian Hemming]

Thanks Guys

All good advice.

This guitar I offered to fix for a friend???? and we know what that leads to: Committed!!!!!

I original took the job on because part of the top came apart from the bowl and yes I read all the comments re- attaching the top: (forget it) however this was more a break in the sleeve of the bowl where the plastic attached to the top meets the bowl. I managed to clamp the top down turn the guitar upside down and pour some thin CA glue in the joint and fixed it, it wasn't until then I realised the buzz was there. It was you guys suggesting I identify the real buzz sound I was hearing that I started looking to other areas than the frets nut and action, thanks.

If the vibration is contained with a shim will the likely vibration find a way in time to resonate elsewhere? over time. I have read comments where a hole is drilled in the fret board and a (product) poured in to fill any voids and vibration.

Probably looking for some fairy dust however as you say the source has been identified HI HO HI HO

back to work.

Thanks Guys this site has been a really good source of information.

Brian