2nd-string buzz on resonator

[Rick Homan]

I was asked to look over a square-neck resonator to make it playable, and found the 2nd string giving that familiar sitar-like fuzz tone. I read the set-up article at StewMac and decided to try the simplest thing. I adjusted the tension screw to get that fuzz tone on 5 of the six strings and then tightened it until the fuzz tone disappeared, EXCEPT on that second string. I have made sure the tailpiece is insulated from cover, and tightened all screws I can see.

Since this is my first experience with a resonator, I decided to stop before trying to bend the arms of the spider-bridge, rim of the cone, etc. I am guessing that someone who does lots of resonators can probably tell me what the most likely suspect is here.

[Ron Frazier]

First off when doze the string buzz? When playing open or with the bar on the strings?
How old is it? Maybe the cone has been over tightened and is deformed. Don'T try to bend the spider legs as they are very brittle and I have broken them off very easily. I sand all legs on my dished sandpaper for guitar sides.

With out the cover plate put pressure on the cone with out strings and with the tension screw loosened and use a piece of paper and try to get it under each leg of the spider. Or try tapping each leg and you will notice a difference if the leg is not touching the cone. If the cone is misshaped because the tension screw was too tight you may have to replace the cone but if you do the spider has to be leveled to fit the cone. I could be a low string ramp of the saddle or nut. I could be a tuner. Gently touch each button and see if it stops when strumming the strings.

If none of these things help You can contact me and we can go from there.

Hope it helps

Ron The Dobro man.

[Rick Homan]

Thank you, Ron! It is a new guitar, and does the fuzz when the 2nd string is struck open. I'll certainly check around tuners, nut and saddle to see if it originates any of those places. I'll also try the diagnostics you suggest on the spider legs, and get back to you. Thanks again!

[Ron Frazier]

What brand and have you had the cover plate off and dose the cone fit the ledge it sets on?

Ron

[Rick Homan]

The brand is Revival, a fairly new Chinese-made guitar. As for checking, cone-to-ledge, is that just a matter of getting the cone by itself and seeing if it sits flat with no rocking?

I'll have a chance to take it a part and try your suggestions on Tuesday. Thanks so much!

[Greg Mirken]

Rick, before you take it apart, can you get it to buzz if you play a B note on, say, the 3rd string? Does it buzz on the open 5th string B? If so, then you probably have a sympathetic buzz, and a spider arm (or the tailpiece, or a tuner, or a string ball, or a screw . . . ) could be the culprit. If only the B string buzzes, and only when played open, it's more likely that the culprit is the nut itself. Lift the string out of the nut slot and inspect. There should be a mark that goes all the way to the front edge. It only takes a few swipes of a nut file to ensure that the slot angles down toward the headstock a bit and has a smooth bottom surface.

[Rick Homan]

Sorry for waiting all week to report; I got slammed on both jobs.

I was lucky this time and the problem was fixed with a few strokes of an .012 saw in the nut slot. I feel really dumb for not checing this first, because I have fixed plenty of open-string buzzes on regular guitars by correctly angling the nut slot (thank you, Frank Ford!). In this instance, because it was my first time looking at a resonator, I went looking for a more exotic cause -- classic error in diagnostic thinking.

Thanks, very much, Ron and Greg, for your posts. I have used them to prepare a checklist for diagnosing resonator buzzes, starting with the simplest to fix.